How Northumberland families fared with school places for September 2020

The county council has revealed that first preference went to 97.4% of parents who applied on time, while more than 99% of parents have been offered one of their top three choices.

The first-preference percentage is down on last year’s figure of 98%, but a little higher than the marks for 2018 (97.3%) and 2017 (97.2%).

This year, a total of 2,832 applications were made on time – around 50 more than in 2019 – with 2,759 first preferences allocated, 58 second choices, four third preferences and zero fourth choices. The remaining 11 applications were where parents only had a first preference and didn’t give a second, third or fourth, so were allocated places at their nearest school.

Cath McEvoy-Carr, the council’s executive director of children’s services, said: “For virtually all Northumberland parents, this is great news. In recent years, we have seen Northumberland continue to achieve a very high level of first-preference offers to parents.

“We work really hard to ensure that there are enough school places available in the catchment schools for children and I am delighted with this outcome.”

The admissions portal opened at midnight and parents who applied online received an email with a link. Others will have received a written offer.

Coun Wayne Daley, the cabinet member for children’s services, added: “This fantastic result on National Offers Day will be a huge relief to many parents and great news for our young people.

“It is testament to the hard work being done by the school admissions team to ensure enough primary school places are made available. We want every child in Northumberland to have the best possible educational opportunities.”

The school admissions team will assume parents wish to accept their place unless they advise otherwise. To refuse a place, contact the team with your child’s name, date of birth and reason for refusal before Friday, May 1.

Parents wanting to query their offers or ask questions can contact [email protected], but due to the high volume of emails received at present, it may take up to 10 working days for a response.

The council reported in March that 97.3% of students had gained their first choice of secondary or high school in Northumberland this year, equal to the level in 2019, with 2.3% receiving their second preference and 0.4% their third choice.

Official data shows that, nationally in 2019, 90.6% of pupils were offered their first choice of primary school.

The Department for Education has changed its rules this year amid the coronavirus pandemic so that parents unhappy with their school place will not have to make an appeal in person.

Appeal panel hearings will be able to take place "in person, by telephone, video conference or through a paper-based appeal".

Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said anxiety among families over school places will be "heightened by the confusion and uncertainty caused by coronavirus".