More pupils miss out on their first choice secondary school in Yorkshire cities

Pupils in their last year of primary school find out today which secondary school they will be expected to attend from this September.

Figures show wide variations around the country, with virtually all 11-year-olds getting their first preferences in some areas, while almost a third miss out in others - such as Birmingham.

In both Leeds and Sheffield the numbers getting into their first choice have fallen compared with last year and more pupils have not been allocated a place at any of their preferences.

In Leeds 17 per cent of pupils - around 1,300 - were not allocated a place in their first choice school. This was up from 12 per cent on last year.

The numbers who have not got into any of their preferences across the city has risen from 1.9 per cent in 2014/15 to 4.5 per cent this year.

The city’s council has allocated 7,962 places this year with 6,603 (83 per cent) getting their first choice.

In Sheffield the numbers getting into their first choice fell from 89.9 per cent (5,194) last year to 86.4 (5,085) per cent today.

Across the city 340 pupils - 5.68 per cent - were allocated schools which they had not chosen. This was up from 190 - 3.3per cent - the year before.

A spokeswoman for Sheffield City Council said: “This would be their catchment school if they had not applied for it and there were still places available or the nearest school with places available.”

Paul Brennan, the deputy director of children’s services at Leeds City Council said the authority was working with schools and families to find alternative places for children who did not get any of their preferences or who refuse the place they have been given.

In Kirklees 83.1 per cent of pupils were allocated their first choice, which was down slightly on last year’s figure of 84.7 per cent. Almost 95 per cent of children were allocated a place at one of their choices but 271 children – 5.1 per cent - were not.

In Doncaster 99 per cent of pupils were offered a place at one of their preferred schools with 95 per cent receiving a place at their first choice school.

In the East Riding 97.2 per cent got their first choice. Of the 3,226 applications the council received 3,135 got places at their first choice school and 3,215 were allocated a place at one of their first three choices.

In York 92.1 per cent of pupils, (1,636) got into their first choice.

David Simmonds, of the Local Government Association said: “Under our plans, every child would get a place at a good local school, but we need government to address this urgently.

“Our fear is that we will reach a tipping point when councils or schools cannot afford the massive cost of creating places or find the space necessary for new classes.

“The Government needs to commit to fund the creation of school places and hand councils the powers to open new schools, for both primary and secondary-age pupils, before time runs out. Councils face a challenge creating places on time and in the right places when their hands are tied by red tape and they are short of money to do so.”

Around half a million families around the country are finding out which school they have been allocated, on what is commonly known as National Offer Day.

Among them are the Prime Minister and his family, who are due to find out which school daughter Nancy will attend from this September. It was reported last autumn that David Cameron and his wife Samantha had been to visit a number of state schools in London for their oldest child.

Ahead of National Offer Day, one parenting expert warned that the system for applying for school places is “simply not working”.

Rachel Burrows, editor of the Netmums website said: “There has never been such a variety of different schools for parents to choose from - but it has never been harder to get your child into the school you want. The rising birth rate, immigration, and parents who can no longer afford to school their children privately have all contributed to making the competition for school places tougher than ever before,” she said.

Ms Burrows added: “With such intense competition, many families find the application extremely stressful. And with up to a third of parents who don’t get a place at their desired school appealing, it’s clear the system is simply not working for schools or parents.”

Last year, tens of thousands of children missed out on their first choice of secondary school, with the proportion gaining their top preferences falling for the first time in five years.

Official figures show that in 2014, about one in seven 11-year-olds did not get a place at their favoured school.

In total, 85.2 per cent were given a place at their first choice, down 1.5 percentage points on 2013, meaning that around 14.8 per cent of applicants - about 77,100 youngsters - missed out last year, compared with around 66,500 (13.3 per cent) the year before.

Families are often able to list up to five or six preferred schools on the application form in some areas.