A large proportion of pupils in Swindon are continuing to be matched with their number one choice of secondary school by Swindon Borough Council.
The Council’s School Admissions team received a record number of 2,655 on-time applications for secondary school places, with 91 per cent matched with their first preference.
Parents could request a place in up to three schools and 98 per cent were offered one of their three preferences.Priority for places was determined by the admission criteria for the school in question.
The deadline for applying for secondary school places was 31 October last year and letters were sent out to parents today (1 March) informing them of the school placement offers. Parents who applied online will also receive an email today if they requested to hear by email.
Applicants who submitted their preferences after the deadline were offered a place at the next nearest school with a place available at that time, if their preferred school was oversubscribed at that point. However, the admissions team have been able to offer 78 per cent of late applications a place at one of their preferred schools.
Cllr Fionuala Foley, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services and School Attainment, said: “Ensuring we have enough school places in the borough is a difficult task, particularly in a rapidly expanding town such as Swindon. This is the reason why we ask parents to put down three choices as it may not always be possible to secure every child’s first choice school.
“Having said that, to match more than 90 per cent of pupils with their first choice of secondary school, and 98 per cent with one of their three preferences, is no mean feat and is reflective of the tremendous amount of hard work that goes on behind the scenes by our School Admissions team.”
The School Admissions team will also be offering primary and infant to junior school places for September 2018 on 16th April 2018. Parents will be sent a letter informing them of the result of their application on that date.
