NEARLY all pupils have been offered a place at their first choice secondary school for September, says Swindon Council.

This year, the council’s school admissions team received 2,237 on time applications for secondary school places, with 95.6% matched with their first preference - a slight increase on last year’s figure of 94.2%.

Parents could request a place in up to three schools and 99.2% were offered one of their three preferences, compared to 99.1% last year.

Priority for places was determined by the admission criteria for the school in question.

The deadline for applying for secondary school places was October 31 last year and letters were sent out to parents today informing them of the school placement offers, which includes places at the University Technical College.

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 most late applicants their preferred school.

Cllr Fionuala Foley, Swindon Council’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “We are continuing to achieve very high figures when it comes to matching pupils with their preferred secondary schools, which is down to the Children’s Services team who work very hard to assess where future demand for school places is likely to occur.

“It is even more challenging to predict the required number of secondary places, as older pupils are more likely to travel further from their homes to school than primary-age children.”