Majority of Shropshire children given first-preference school

A total of 1,762 pupils moving into secondary education were given their first preference of school, with 2,045 given one of their preferences.

It means that 79.5 per cent of the 2,217 children who applied were given their top preference in the borough with 92.2 per cent given one of their preferences. The remaining 7.8 per cent were offered alternative places.

Meanwhile, in the Shropshire Council area, 2,588 children (90.4 per cent of the 2,863 who applied) were given their first preference with 2,763 (96.5 per cent) offered one of their preferences.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Telford & Wrekin’s cabinet member for Children, Young People and Education, said: “The number of applications we’re receiving is increasing, but we’re working hard, together with schools, to meet demand.

“We’re continuing to provide more places through our commitment to expand secondary schools within the borough and have made sure that, once again, no-one who applies on-time is without a place.

“We’ve also been able to offer the vast majority of applicants one of their preferences."

There were 172 families who weren’t offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

When submitting an application in Telford & Wrekin parents are able to submit up to four school preferences, but this year fewer than 10 per cent of families chose four schools.

Councillor Reynolds said: “Putting down only one school doesn’t increase your chances of getting in there, it just increases your chances of disappointment.

"We strongly recommend that all families visit their local schools and then use all four preferences on their application form.”

Shropshire Council's cabinet member for Children's Services, Ed Potter, said: “At this stage in the 2020 admissions process, Shropshire is delighted that, as in previous years, a high percentage of pupils have been offered their first preference school.

“We have always met a high percentage of first preference requests and been ranked amongst the top three West Midlands local authorities.

“Parents are invited to submit three preferences, and over 96 per cent of Shropshire parents have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools.”