HAMPSHIRE County Council is appealing to parents to make sure they apply for their preferred secondary schools for their children before the deadline. 

With the deadline approaching on Tuesday, October 31, parents are being reminded to submit their applications on time and to name three preferences to give them the best chance of being offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

The county council’s executive member for education, Cllr Steve Forster, said: “We’ve already seen a high number of parents submit applications for their child’s secondary school place.

READ MORE: Wilko store closes doors for last time in town centre

"While it’s good news that so many have taken the opportunity to apply early, we want to reassure those who haven’t yet applied that this does not have a bearing on the final outcome of their applications, as long as their applications are received before the October 31 deadline.

“We also want to emphasise again the importance of naming three schools in your applications. If you haven’t done this but have already applied, you can still log back into the school admissions system and amend your application at any time before the deadline.

"We strongly encourage parents to make sure they name three schools to help them secure a preferred outcome.”

SEE ALSO: Four men arrested on immigration offences, Home Office confirms

This year, the county council will be running a number of library drop-in sessions to help parents who require support with their applications.

The sessions will be on Monday, October 9 and Monday, October 16 at Havant Library, based in The Meridian Centre on Elm Lane, Havant.

There will also be two sessions at the Basingstoke Discovery Centre in Festival Place on Wednesday, October 11 and Wednesday, October 18. All the sessions will run from 9.30am until 3.30pm.

Parents are able to simply turn up on the day as there is no requirement to book in advance.

Parents yet to apply can now do so online, or alternatively request paper forms by emailing admissions.team@hants.gov.uk or from any Hampshire school.

Parents who applied online and on time will be notified of the outcome of their application on Friday, March 1, 2024, and two to three working days later by letter if they applied using a paper form.

For more information about the admissions process visit the county council's website.