Nearly 99 per cent of Devon children get preferred primary place

Nearly 99 per cent of Devon children have been offered a place at one of their chosen primary schools for this September.

Over 94 per cent of the families who applied to Devon County Council have been offered their first choice school.

And 98.5 per cent of applicants were offered one of their three preferences – 3.6 per cent were offered their second preference and 0.7 per cent their third preference.

In all 7,803 applications for a primary place were received compared to 7,600 at this time last year.

Devon’s Head of Education and Learning, Sue Clarke, said: “There has been considerable pressure on primary school places this year and we have been working hard to expand the number of places that are available.

“It is therefore very gratifying that we have been able to accommodate the vast majority of children in one of their three preferred schools.

“This is a testament to the hard work of our admissions team and the partnership and cooperation we have received from the heads and governors of Devon’s primary schools.

“These are obviously very early statistics and are quite likely to improve even more before September as appeals are heard and other factors are taken into account, such as parents not taking up places they have been offered.”