The Government has published statistics giving local authority level information about secondary school applications and offers received by parents on National Offer Day 2012 (1 March). It details the number of applications received, offers made based on preferences expressed, alternative offers and offers to schools within and outside of the local authority. It reports that the key points are:
- 85.3 per cent of families received an offer of a place at their first preference school – an increase of 0.7 percentage points compared to March 2011 and continuing the recent rising trend.
- 95.9 per cent of families received an offer of a place at one of their top three preferred schools – an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to March 2011 and continuing the recent rising trend.
- 97.6 per cent of families received an offer of a place at one of their preferred schools – an increase of 0.3 percentage points compared to March 2011 and continuing the recent rising trend.
The Government’s press notice highlighted that around 5,000 fewer children missed out on a place at their first choice secondary school than last year. However, it acknowledged that this year there were around 8,500 fewer children applying for a place at secondary school compared to 2011 and that the total number of places available remained broadly the same.
Rachel Kamm, 11KBW