HUNDREDS of parents have been left disappointed following the announcement of primary school place allocations.

In Bournemouth just 80 per cent of the 2,025 applications for reception class places were allocated their first choice school, one of the lowest figures in the country.

And 5% of all the children - just over 100 - were not offered any of their three preferences.

Jane Portman, Executive Director for Adults and Children said: “We have been faced with the challenge of providing a large number of additional primary school places.

"In the last five years we have created a significant number of additional places through expanding existing schools and creating new ones.

“This year has seen a record number of applications received by our admissions team, which reflects the high standard of education being delivered in Bournemouth schools as recognised by Ofsted. 

“We have worked extremely hard to try to accommodate families’ preferences and have been able to offer 95% of parents one of the three schools they requested. We understand the need for children to go a school local to them and have created places in areas of greatest demand. However, in some areas all schools remain oversubscribed and so we have had to offer the nearest alternative school with places available." 

The total number of applications for reception and junior places was 2379, with 82.30% getting their first choice. Total for 2nd preferences was 8.99% and for 3rd preferences it was 3.45% - leaving 5% in a school they did not choose.

Reception Applications 2025

1st preferences 80.35%

2nd preferences 10.27%

3rd preferences 4.00%

Junior Transfer Applications 354

1st preferences 93.50%

2nd preferences 1.69%

3rd preferences 0%

In Poole there were a total of 1,638 applications with 86 per cent getting places at their first choice school.

Vicky Wales, Head of Children, Young People and Learning, Borough of Poole, said: “Every Poole parent who applied for their child to attend reception by the closing date has been offered a place in a school and 96% have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

“Where families have not been offered a place at their preferred school we would strongly encourage them to visit the school they have been offered and speak to the Headteacher about the opportunities available to their child.”

Seven percent were allocated their second prefernce and 3% got their third, leaving 4%, or 45 children, allocated to a school they did not choose.

Dorset County Council has seen a total of 5,424 applications to its infant, junior, primary, first and middle schools, which is a 3.7 per cent increase in applications on last year.

Overall, 93.5 per cent of applicants secured their first preference.

Four per cent secured their second preference and less than one per cent secured their third preference. The remaining two per cent were allocated an alternative school place to their three preferences.

Anne Salter, head of strategy, partnerships and performance for Children’s Services at the County Council said:“We are delighted that almost 94 per cent of families have been offered their first choice of school. This is a positive reflection on the number of good and outstanding schools in Dorset and is a great start for many young children and their families taking their first steps into education.

"We work very hard with families to accommodate parental choice but also recognise the importance of children going to local schools.”

The county council has also seen a significant number of parents using the online application system, with 86 per cent using the paper-free form through the county council’s website.

There were 3732 applications for reception places, 1106 applications into middle schools and 391 applications into junior schools.

In Hampshire 90 per cent were allocated a place at their chosen school.

Meanwhile 97 per cent have been offered a place at one of their three preferred schools.

Demand for school places is growing across the region and Hampshire County Council's admissions service processed more than 15,000 applications for 427 primary schools for this September.

A spokesman for Hampshire County Council said: “In the small number of cases where parents may not have secured a place for their child at a school of their choice, those parents have the right to appeal and can put their child's name down on their preferred school's waiting list.

“Places can become available if parents change their mind, or families move home.”