Parents set to learn secondary school places (From Bournemouth Echo)

Parents set to learn secondary school places

7:55am Friday 1st March 2013 in News

THOUSANDS of parents were due to learn today which secondary school their children would be going to.

The number of children accepted at their first choice of school has increased drastically in Bournemouth and Poole, where would-be applicants to grammar schools now know their entrance exam results before they submit their forms.

In Bournemouth, 86.8 per cent of pupils achieved their first preference school, compared with 72.5 per cent last year. The number awarded their second preference was 9.69 per cent compared with 20.5 per cent last year.

In Poole, 88 per cent of pupils were offered a place at their first choice school, compared with 77 per cent last year.

Bournemouth and Poole parents who applied online were due to know the outcome of their applications at 10am, with the councils also sending out letters today.

Dorset County Council’s applicants were due to receive their letters today, the same day as the decisions on applications went online.

It said 93 per cent of applicants in year seven had been allocated their first choice, compared with 92 per cent last year; and 99 per cent of year nine applicants in year nine were allocated their first choice, compared with 98 per cent last year.