More than 90 per cent of children offered first choice primary school places for 2022/23

More than 90 per cent of parents and children have been offered their first choice primary school places by Oxfordshire County Council for 2022/23.

In total, 91.49 per cent (6,459) of applicants have been awarded their first choice for starting infant or primary school places in Oxfordshire for 2022/23.

Last year’s figure was 93.09 per cent (6,409), meaning a slightly higher number of parents across the county have been offered their first choice of primary school for 2022/23.

However, because of the increase in those needing a place, this represents a slightly lower proportion of parents and children who received an offer for their first choice of school.

A total of 98.54 per cent (6,957) were offered one of the four choices they listed on their application.

The percentage receiving the first choice of primary school in England in 2021 was 91.09 per cent, compared to Oxfordshire’s 93.09 per cent.

Oxfordshire’s percentage of those receiving their first choice has been better than the national average each year since 2017. The national figures for 2022 have not yet been published.

This year there are 7,060 Oxfordshire children that need school places for September 2022. This is 175 more than last year when 6,885 Oxfordshire children needed school places.

Hayley Good, Oxfordshire County Council’s Deputy Director of Children Services, said: “Our school admissions team has done an excellent job in ensuring that so many parents and children have been offered their first choice.

“I am grateful to the team for all its hard work. Our aim as a council is to give every child a good start in life, and our school admissions team play an essential part in that year in, year out.”