Nine out of 10 parents have been allocated their first choice secondary school in Staffordshire
Of the 7512 applications made for transfer at age 11, 92% of parents have been allocated their first preference school, with 96% allocated one of their top three preferred schools.
This is despite increased demand for primary and secondary school places putting pressure on schools.
Nationally, last year just over 83% were allocated their first choice of secondary school, with just over 94% getting one of their top three schools.
Parents were given until the end of October to apply for a secondary school and will receive emails and letters from last week. This time, nearly nine out of 10 parents chose to apply for a place online.
Since November, the council’s admissions team has been working with schools and neighbouring authorities to ensure as many parents as possible receive a place at a preferred school.
County Councillor Philip White, Cabinet Support Member for Learning and Skills said:
“In Staffordshire, we have an excellent track record of achieving well above the national average for first preferences, and for top three preferences as a whole. We know the admissions process can be quite daunting for a lot of parents, as we do as much as we can to make the process as easy as possible.“Giving clear guidance, plus working with schools in Staffordshire and in neighbouring authorities, means we can allocate school places efficiently and, in the vast majority of cases, allocate parents one of their top three preferred schools.“Parents have a vital role to play in getting the best education for their child by supporting and challenging schools, so it’s really important they have as much information as possible. We have lots of information available on our ‘do your homework’ webpages, showing parents how they can choose the best school for their child, and get the most out of their child’s time at school in Staffordshire.”
Parents can find out how they can help their children on their continuing school journey by visiting www.staffordshire.gov.uk/doyourhomework
