Good news for parents and pupils over secondary school places (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Good news for parents and pupils over secondary school places

8:00pm Sunday 17th March 2013 in News By Andrew Thomas, Head of content

More than 96 per cent of applicants who applied by the closing date for secondary school places in Cumbria have secured their first preference.

Figures published this week revealed that out of 4,486 applicants across the county applying for Year 7 secondary school places in September 2013, 96.08 per cent were allocated their first preference and 99.51 per cent of parents were offered either their first or second preference (provided the latter was given).

Everybody who listed three preferences was given one of the three.

Cumbria County Council is informing parents of the outcome - all letters have been sent out although some parents may not yet have had the letter delivered.

Councillor Duncan Fairbairn, cabinet member for schools and learning, said: “It’s great news that such an overwhelming majority of parents and carers secured their first preference school and these figures back up yet again why Cumbria is such a great place to be a child and to grow up in.”

Following the allocation of school places, there may be a small number of parents/ carers who have been offered a place at their preferred school but due to a change in circumstances might have changed their mind since submitting a request for a school place.

If anybody is in this position, they should contact the school admissions team. Where parents/ carers are not offered their first preference school, they are being provided with information about how to lodge an appeal.

Where applications were received late, these will be processed by March 26, with parents informed of the outcome as soon as possible after that.

For further information contact www.cumbria.gov.uk/schooladmissions