More than 90 per cent of children in Swindon starting at a new school in September have been accepted into their first choice.

Newly-released figures from the Department for Education show that 91 per cent of children beginning either primary or secondary education will join their preferred school, a similar rate to those who started in 2017.

The data shows that of the 2,668 children who have applied to start Year 7 in one of the area’s secondary schools, 89 per cent will be joining their first choice.

It is slightly higher than the average rate across the region, where 88 per cent of children were accepted into their preferred secondary. Nationally, 82 per cent were awarded a place at their top choice of secondary school.

In Swindon, parents were allowed to provide up to three preferences for their children’s secondary school, and 97 per cent of children were accepted into one of these.

Richard Watts of the Local Government Association said: “Since 2010, councils have created more than 800,000 extra new places, and more than 85 per cent of these were in schools rated by Ofsted as good or outstanding.

“This is a demonstrable record that they are doing everything they can to rise to the challenge of ensuring no child goes without a place and receives a high-quality education.”

There were 2,852 applications for pre-school children to join Reception in one of Swindon’s primaries.

Of those, 92 per cent were accepted into their first choice, and 98 per cent were accepted into one their three preferred options.

Across the south west, 92 per cent of children were accepted into their preferred primary school; slightly above the 91 per cent average in England.

For each of the past five years, fewer children in England have been accepted into their first-choice secondary schools, as the system feels the impact of a growth in the birth rate in the early 2000s. In primaries, the first-choice rate has increased each year.

Mr Watts warned that as more secondary schools become academies and free schools, local authorities will lose the power to control school admissions.

He said: “As we have previously warned, these figures show demand is reducing in primary schools but increasing in secondary schools.

With nearly 70 per cent of secondary schools now academies or free schools, the lack of any council power or influence over the expansion and admissions policies of academies and free schools is a real concern.”

“Councils must be given powers to force schools to expand if local agreement cannot be reached voluntarily where this is in the best interests of new and existing pupils. Most academies will be keen to work with their local authorities, but in the minority of situations where this isn’t the case, appropriate powers are vital to ensure all children get a suitable place.”