Nearly 90 per cent of children starting primary school in September in Epsom and Ewell will be going to their first-choice school – ten percentage points above the county average.
Across Surrey 82.4 per cent of reception age applicants were offered their first preference school – down from 83.1 per cent last year.
Parents found out which primary school their child will attend on National Offer Day – Monday, April 18.
Of Epsom and Ewell’s 925 primary school starters, 828 (89.5 per cent) were granted their first choice, according to figures released by Surrey County Council this week.
77 children (8.3 per cent) in the borough will go to their second choice, while 20 (2.1 per cent) will attend their third choice.
Parents of primary school-starters in neighbouring Reigate and Banstead will be similarly happy as 1,447 (88.4 per cent) of the borough’s 1,636 reception intake will be heading to their first choice.
And in Mole Valley, 90.7 per cent (749) of the district’s intake will be going to their first choice.
Children who are or have been in care are prioritised first when deciding how school places are assigned, and those with an exceptional social or medical needs are the second priority.
Siblings of pupils already at the school are next on the list, followed by those who live nearest to a particular school.
Figures released by the county council on Tuesday revealed that the number of students offered their first choice of primary school across the county went down by 0.7 per cent from last year to 82.4 per cent, while the number applying for reception places rose by 2 per cent to around 279 – enough to fill a new one-form primary school.
Linda Kemeny, county council’s cabinet member for schools, skills and educational achievement, said: “We’re pleased that more than four in five Surrey children seeking reception places have got into the primary school they wanted despite another rise this year in the number of applications.
“There has been a small decline in the proportion being offered their first preference school which may be linked to the increase in demand for places we’re seeing in Surrey. Ninety per cent of Surrey primary schools are now rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.
“Over the next five years, we know we need to find a further 11,000 places across our primary and secondary schools but it is getting harder and harder to pay for them because rising demand is not being matched by extra funding from the Government.”
Did your child not get into one of their top three choices? Call the newsdesk on 020 8722 6483, or email craig.richard@london.newsquest.co.uk
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