Nearly 99% of children offered place at a preferred secondary school

Monday 2 March 2026 is secondary school National Offer Day 2026 when the allocation of school places to children across the country are made.

In Shropshire Council’s area, 2845 children applied on time for places at secondary schools, with 91.04% – 2,591 children – offered their first preference school.

All who applied on time have been offered a place, with 98.74% allocated one of their preferences, and 1.26% – 36 children, allocated an alternative preference.

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

• Number of on-time applications – 2845
• Number allocated their 1st preference – 2591 (91.04%)
• Number allocated their 2nd preference – 172 (6.04%)
• Number allocated their 3rd preference – 35 (1.23%)
• Number allocated their 4th preference – 12 (0.42%)
• Number allocated one of their preferences – 2809, (98.74%)
• Number allocated an alternative preference – 36 (1.26%)

Andy Hall, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for children and education, said:

“I’m delighted that, as in previous years, a high percentage of pupils have been offered their first preference school.

“This year almost  99% per cent of Shropshire parents have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools, which is really pleasing.”