More Brighton and Hove children get into first choice secondary school

More children than last year in Brighton & Hove have been offered their first preference school in this year’s secondary schools application round – despite an increase of 77 in the number of applications received.

This year the number of on-time applications received by Brighton & Hove City Council for a secondary school place for September was 2,411 – up from 2,344 last year.

Despite this, 26 more children than last year have been offered a place at their first preference school – 1957 this year against 1931 last year.

This year’s preference figures (2015-6) are:

First preferences offered: 1957 (81.17%)

Second preferences offered: 267 (11.07%)

Third preferences offered: 86 (4.19%)

Directed to nearest school with available places: 101 (4.19%)

Last year’s preference figures (2014-5) are: 

1st preferences offered: 1931 (82.38%) 
2nd preferences offered: 223 (9.51%) 
3rd preferences offered: 75 (3.2%) 
Directed to nearest school with available places: 115 (4.91%) 

The number of children who were not offered one of their preferences has shrunk this year from 115 to 101. In all cases this was either because parents had missed the applications deadline or had failed to put down their catchment area school or schools as one of their preferences. 

The 101 pupils involved have been offered places at the nearest schools to their home address that had spare spaces.