‘Worst year’ as 1 in 5 miss out on first-choice secondaries

PARENTS are facing the worst year ever for children missing out on their first- choice secondary school as allocations are announced across the UK today.

A record 115,000 children are expected to be disappointed following a growth in applications of around 23,000 since last year.

The explosion in the school-age population is due to a baby boom a decade ago fuelled by high migration in the 1990s and early 2000s.

Experts at the Good Schools Guide say 18.8 per cent – around one in five – will lose out on their first choice, up from 17.9 per cent last year. They also warn of a rise in children getting none of their listed choices, after this happened to 4.1 per cent last year. This can mean families landed with a school which is performing poorly or a long way from home.

The figures come from analysis of Government data by experts at the guide. A record 606,000 pupils need places this year, and today most parents can see their offer online, although some will receive it via post.

Families were asked to list between three and six schools in order of preference on applications submitted in October.

Bernadette John, Good Schools Guide director, said: ‘It has been known for a long time that secondary schools would need to accommodate increased pupil numbers but little action seems to have been taken.’

The worst area is set to be Hammersmith and Fulham in London, where 48.6 per cent did not get their first choice last year, and 14.1 per cent got none of their six choices.

Mike Pemberton, head of the public law team at Stephensons Solicitors, recommended disappointed parents always accept their allocated place before appealing. They should also sign up to any waiting lists for their preferred schools.

Last year, 104,314 of the 582,761 applicants did not get their first choice. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said councils need more freedom to create places. He added: ‘For too many, there will be huge disappointment.’

However, school standards minister Nick Gibb said: ‘This Government is determined to create more choice for parents when it comes to their children’s education and we have created 825,000 school places since 2010, and are on track to see that number rise to a million by 2020.’