Almost 93 per cent get first-choice primary school

More than nine out of 10 Oxfordshire children due to start primary school this year have today been offered a place at their first-preference school.

A massive 92.77 per cent of the 7,064 Oxfordshire children who applied have received the news their families were hoping for, with 98.57 per cent given a place at one of their chosen schools.

It means that just 102 children have received an offer at a school not listed on their application form – and there were sufficient places across the county as a whole.

Primary Statistics for Oxfordshire 2018

This year’s figure of 92.77 per cent for first preference offers is slightly lower than last year’s (93.73) but higher than in 2016 and 2015.

Oxfordshire County Council’s Director for Children’s Services Lucy Butler said: “Once again we’re delighted to be able to offer the overwhelming majority of families their first preference school, and wish all the children the very best for the coming school years. We constantly monitor demand for places and work closely with all schools to ensure there is sufficient capacity both across the county as a whole and within local areas.

“Oxfordshire compares very favourably with other parts of the country on school places and our strong track record on first-preference offers is down to that effective forward planning.”

Appeals

An appeal process is available to families wishing to challenge the outcome of their application, and details of how to do this have been sent to parents. Children's names can also be placed on ‘continued interest’ lists in case places become available at schools between now and September.

Late applications

Anyone who has yet to apply for a primary school place for their child for September 2018, should print out and complete an application form from the council’s website and submit it to the council’s admissions team as soon as possible.