The percentage of children who were offered a place at their first preference primary school in Cambridgeshire has increased, according to the county council.

There were a total of 6,822 applications received for reception places at Cambridgeshire schools for September 2018.

Almost 95 per cent (6,453) of applicants were offered their first school preference, according to Cambridgeshire County Council, with 3.6 per cent (247) were offered a place at their second preference school and 0.7 per cent (48) their third preference.

Last year 93.2 per cent (6,487) of children were offered a place at their first preference school, 4.4 per cent (305) their second preference and 0.9 per cent (63) their third preference.

The council said that one per cent of children were not offered a place at one of their preferred schools and have been offered a place at the next nearest Cambridgeshire school with a place available.

Jonathan Lewis, the council’s service director for education, said: “The higher percentage of children getting a place at their first preference school is good news for Cambridgeshire families.

“This is due to the hard work of our place planning team and schools accommodating additional pupils where required as well as the slightly lower number of applications for reception places this year.

“We always advise all applicants to use all three of their preferences when applying for a school place and to ensure that they include their catchment school as one of their preferences to give themselves the best chance of securing a place at a school close to their home.”

Parents are legally entitled to appeal against the admission authority’s decision to refuse a place at their preferred school. Accepting a place at an alternative school does not affect their child’s place on the reserve list for their preferred school, or right of appeal.

For more information see https://www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/residents/children-and-families/schools-&-learning/apply-for-a-school-place/admission-appeals.