94% of children get their first school choice

Today is National Primary Offer Day, when pupils across the country discover where they will be starting school after the summer holidays.

In Central Bedfordshire, 94 per cent of the 3,392 pupils who applied on time to the council to start their education at a lower or primary school for the 2015/16 academic year were allocated their first preference.

Of those that didn’t, four per cent got their second preference, one per cent achieved their third preference and the remaining one per cent will be allocated an alternative school which has places available.

Councillor Mark Versallion, Executive Member for Education and Skills, said: “I am delighted that so many pupils have been granted their first preference for September despite the challenges of an increasing population.

“Starting school is a big step in a child’s life, so it makes a big difference knowing that you have a place at a school where you will be happy and be able to thrive.

“Every child in Central Bedfordshire should be able to attend a good, local school which is why we continuing our programme of creating thousands of new places.”

Anyone who wishes to change the place their child has been offered needs to submit a change of preference form by 3 May. These will then be considered – along with any late applications – on 6 June.

To access the form, and for more information about school admissions and transfers, visit www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk/admissions or email [email protected]