March 3, 2014 11.35 am This story is over 119 months old

Most Lincolnshire children get first secondary school choice

School admissions: 93% of children in Lincolnshire will go to their first preference school this September.

Of the 7,530 offers made to secondary schools in Lincolnshire, 93% of children (7,018 pupils) will go to their first preference school.

The figure for second preference offers is 5.6% (424), while third preference offers is 0.6% (45).

A total of 43 children will be offered a local school that isn’t one of their preferences. There are an additional 500 children in the cohort this year.

Over 96% of parents applied using the online application system and they can log on to see the offered school from March 3.

Because of appeals and movement on the reserve list, the percentage of first preferences is expected to increase by the time children enrol in September.

Parents have until the end of March to lodge an appeal if they are unhappy with the offered school.

If they return the appeal form by the deadline it will be heard before the end of term – if it is received late it will still be heard but this may be in the last week of term or even in September.

For admissions into schools in September 2014 there are 54 secondary schools in Lincolnshire, including 50 which are their own admissions authority and determine their own admissions policy. The other 4 have the local authority admissions policy.

Councillor Mrs Patricia Bradwell, Executive Councillor for Children’s Services, said: “I am delighted to see so many children getting their first school of preference and this should be even better by September.

“It is always our intention to support as many parents as possible with their choice of school.

“There are many stories about how stressful the admissions process can be, but every year the overwhelming majority of parents have no problems in gaining admission to the school of their choice.”