01/03/2023 - Permalink

Children receive secondary school place offers

Related topics: Children's services

Children across the country are today (Wednesday 1 March 2023) finding out which secondary school they have been offered a place at for the academic year that starts in September.

In Shropshire Council’s area, 3,026 children applied on time for places at secondary schools, with 89.7% – 2,713 children – offered their first preference school.

All who applied on time have been offered a place, with 96.5% allocated one of their preferences, and 3.5% allocated an alternative preference.

This year’s figures for the Shropshire Council area are:

  • Number of on-time applications  – 3,026
  • Number allocated their 1st preference – 2,713 (89.7%)
  • Number allocated their 2nd preference – 167 (5.5%)
  • Number allocated their 3rd preference – 44 (1.5%)
  • Number allocated one of their preferences  – 2,924 (96.5%)
  • Number allocated an alternative preference – 106 (3.5%)

Due to a high birth rate for this year’s intake, there is exceptional increased demand for secondary school places this year in Shropshire and across the country.

Whilst there are sufficient places in Shropshire schools overall for the 2023/24 academic year, in some areas of the county pressure on available school places may result in some children not being offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

Shropshire Council’s pupil forecast data shows this particular cohort is unique in size and numbers should revert to previous levels in future years.

Kirstie Hurst-Knight, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:

“This really is an exceptional year for the number of children seeking a secondary school place for September, and – like many other councils – we have seen our highest-ever number of applications.

“However, this is something we have known was coming, and is something we have long planned for. Though not everyone will be offered their preferred school, there are sufficient spaces across the county, and all children who applied on time have been offered a place at secondary school in September.

“We have been working closely with schools and are very grateful to those who have agreed to accommodate additional pupils.”

If a child has not been offered a place at their preferred Shropshire school, their parent/guardian can request a review, an appeal or ask for their child to be added to the school’s waiting list.

For more information about applications and appeals, visit the Shropshire Council website.