THE percentage of Poole parents who did get their first, second or third choice schools for September this year was 93.5 per cent, slightly up on last year’s 93 per cent.
Families of 103 children didn’t get any of their top three choices.
Borough of Poole says only one school was oversubscribed this year, Courthill First in Parkstone, where 31 youngsters were refused places.
The furthest distance a Poole pupil will have to travel to school, due to not getting any of their three preferences, is 2.687 miles.
Vicky Wales, head of children and young people’s integrated services said: “A total of 60 places in reception classes have been added to schools across Poole for pupils starting school in September 2012.
“As a result every Poole parent who applied for their child to attend reception by the closing date has been offered a place in a school, and 93.5 per cent have been offered a place in one of their preferred schools.”
She said: “The children living within the Courthill First catchment area who have not been offered a place there have all been offered a school place elsewhere.
“Where families have been offered a place at a school they did not name as a preference we would encourage them to visit the school they have been offered.”
l Statistics for Dorset schools show a mixed picture for those not getting their first preference of primary education.
In Christchurch, September 2010 admissions – the latest statistics available – showed 66 children did not get their first choice, compared to 44 in 2009.
In Corfe Mullen, eight children did not get their choice in 2010, compared to nine the year before.
Blandford was up to 20 in 2010 with none in 2009, but Ferndown and West Moors dropped to zero in 2010 from five in 2009.
Lytchett and Upton had 14 in 2010, none in 2009.
Only one child missed out in Purbeck in 2010, none in 2009.
In Shaftesbury, five children missed out in 2010, six in 2009.
Sturminster Newton had two in 2010, three in 2009.
Wimborne had 12 missing out on their first choice in 2010, down from 37 in 2009.
In the whole Dorset County Council area, 166 children missed their first preference in 2010, down from 190 in 2009.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here