MORE than 93 per cent of parents were offered a Reception year place for their child at their first preference school in Hampshire.

Following a nervous wait, parents across the county received the outcome of their primary school place application on April 16, after more than 20,500 applications for Year R (reception) and Year 3 in a junior school were processed by the county council.

The council said that more than 99 per cent of parents were offered a Year R place for their child in one of their three preferred schools, while 93.64 per cent were allocated a place at their first choice school.

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Of pupils transferring from infant school to junior school in Year 3, 99.27 per cent received a place at one of their three preferences, and 97.78 per cent were given a place at their first choice school.

Pupils who did not secure a place at one of their preferred schools have been allocated a place at their catchment school or the nearest school with a place available.

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In these cases, the county council has advised parents about the right to appeal and arrangements for their preferred school’s waiting list. Places can become available via the waiting list for various reasons including parents changing their minds or families moving home.

Parents who applied online were notified of their offers by email. They can also view their offer by logging into the secure, online portal using the same log-in details provided when making their online application. Those parents who applied on paper were notified by email if an email address was provided on their application form or by post where no email address was provided and they should receive their letters in two to three days.

Further information about the admissions process, including a set of frequently asked questions, is available on the county council’s admissions webpages. This includes information on school transport assistance which may be available in certain circumstances, where the national eligibility criteria are met (the application deadline is 31 May 2024).