Pupils Offered Places at Preferred School

Nearly all Swindon pupils have been offered a place at their preferred secondary school this year.

Swindon Borough Council is continuing to make sure that that the majority of all pupils are offered a place at their preferred secondary school for September 2016.

This year, the Council’s School Admissions Team received 2,293 on time applications for secondary school places, with 94.8% matched with their first preference, a slight decrease from last year’s figure of 95.6%.

Parents could request a place in up to three schools and 99.3% were offered one of their three preferences, compared to 99.2% last year.

Priority for places was determined by the admission criteria for the school in question.

The deadline for applying for secondary school places was 31 October last year and letters were sent out to parents today (1 March) informing them of the school placement offers. Parents who applied online will also receive an email today if they requested to hear by email.

Applicants who submitted their preferences after the deadline were offered a place at the next nearest school with a place available at that time, if their preferred school was oversubscribed at that point. However, the admissions team have been able to offer 82.2% late applications a place at one of their preferred schools.

Today, 104 children have also been offered a place at the University Technical College, Swindon for September 2016.

Cllr Fionuala Foley, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Children’s Services, said: “I am extremely pleased we are continuing to offer so many pupils their preferred secondary school and it shows all the hard work to identify future demand for school places is once again paying off.”

The School Admissions Team will also be offering primary and infant to junior school places for September 2016 on 18 April. Parents will be sent a letter informing them of the result of their application on that date.