Delight for Shropshire parents as most get first-choice school
Parents across Shropshire and Telford have been told whether their child has been offered a place at their preferred primary school – with almost all satisfied with their place.
On a day that has become known as National Offer Day, about half a million families received emails yesterday confirming their child’s reception place.
Thousands of parents across the UK faced disappointment – but it was good news for most in the county.
In the Shropshire Council area, 95.4 per cent of pupils have been offered a place at their first choice school, while in the neighbouring Telford and Wrekin area the figure was 95 per cent.
Under the current system there is a maximum number of children that can be admitted to a school in each year group.
Karen Bradshaw, Shropshire Council’s director of children’s services, said: “We are really pleased that such a high percentage of pupils will be going to their first preference of primary school in 2018.
“Although there is pressure for primary school places across the country, this has not been experienced to the same degree in Shropshire, where there are few pressure points.
“We work hard to ensure that as many children as possible are able to attend their preferred school. Although it is not possible in every case, almost 99 per cent of applicants will attend one of their top three preferred schools and all applicants have been offered a place.”
In total there were 2,722 applications to Shropshire Council and the figures show that 95.4 per cent were offered their first preference school, three per cent were offered their second preference school, 0.3 per cent were offered their third preference school, while 1.3 per cent were given an alternative preference. In Shropshire the first preference figure has dropped just 0.1 per cent on last year.
In Telford & Wrekin there were 2090 applications for reception places, with 99 per cent of applicants offered one of their preferred schools.
The figures show that 95 per cent were offered their first preference, three per cent were offered their second preference and 0.5 per cent were offered their third preference.
Parents who miss out on their first choice can appeal within 20 days.
