Almost 96% of Cornwall children secure preferred primary school place

Almost 96% of children in Cornwall have been offered a place at their preferred primary school for September.

Parents found out their allocations on Thursday, with 4,559 out of 4,757 applicants securing their first choice.

Cornwall Council said the figure of 95.84% was slightly higher than last year’s 95.76%, and above the most recent national average of 92.6%.

Overall, 99.52% of children were offered a place at one of their top three preferred schools, compared to 99.28% the previous year.

Councillor Hilary Frank, cabinet member for children, schools and families, said it was “fantastic news” for families.

She said: “It’s fantastic news that so many children and families have been offered their first preference primary school for this September.

“This is all down to the hard work of our teams who work closely with schools across Cornwall. We consistently offer a higher-than-average number of children their preferred school and I would like to thank everyone who played a part this year.

"We do recognise that some families may be disappointed by the allocation for their child and there is an independent appeals process that can be followed. More information on this can be found on the school appeals page on the council’s website.”

The council said parents and carers can access guidance online to help children prepare for starting reception, including advice and activities aimed at making the transition as smooth as possible.