Over 90% of Kingston pupils offered place at one of their top three secondary school choices
National Offer Day for Kingston's pupils - 91% offered one of their top three choices.
A total of 91% of Year 6 pupils across the borough have been offered a place at one of their first three preferred secondary schools.
Yesterday (1 March), Kingston Council made the initial allocation of Year 7 offers for this September. This year, the parents and carers of 2,021 children applied for a place - compared with 1,913 last year, an increase of 118 (6%).
The majority of applicants, 73%, have been offered a place at their first choice secondary school, compared with last year 70%. Currently there are 93 children without an offer of a secondary school place, compared with 97 at this time last year.
Cllr Steph Archer, Portfolio Holder for Children’s Services including Education, said:
“Our schools are deservedly popular as they offer excellent, inclusive education for local children, so demand for them is understandably high.
“To maximise the number of offers we made on 1 March, and to minimise the numbers of unplaced children, we have worked with schools to offer additional places on National Offer Day in the expectation they will return to their published admission numbers by September. This approach has been taken so as to reduce uncertainty for as many parents/carers as far as possible.
“But I know that this will be an anxious time for those children and their families who are yet to receive an offer. Parents and carers are advised to carefully read the notes which explain what to do next. We know from experience that places will become available to be re-offered to those on the waiting-lists from Thursday 30 March onwards.
“The number of unplaced children is a reminder of the need to ensure that there are enough permanent school places in the borough. Although it won’t provide places for children this year, the Diocese of Southwark’s six-form entry Church of England secondary school will open in September 2025, subject to planning permission, and will give greater certainty for local parents in the longer term. In the meantime, I am very grateful to schools for enabling additional places to be offered.”