ALMOST nine in 10 pupils will be starting secondary school this September in their first choice school.
Earlier this week, Wokingham Borough Council revealed to parents which school their Year Six pupils will be going to in the autumn – and according to their figures, only three per cent of families have been allocated to neither their first or second preferences.
The figure of nearly 90% of pupils obtaining their first preference is up from 86% last year.
School places for local residents are organisd by the borough council, acting on behalf of schools in the Wokingham borough and neighbouring areas.
The choice of schools has increased this year, as the Bohunt Education Trust opens its doors for the first time in September (see right). The school serves the south of the borough and is based on the former Arborfield Garrison site. Although the school will open this autumn, it is part of the ongoing regeneration of the borough and ultimately see more than 2,000 homes built on the Garrison, as well as a new community centre, shopping village and primary school.
This new school provides extra school places at a time when pupil numbers are set to grow, and is part of a plan to ensure that the council will have enough places for children in years to come.
On Monday, the Local Government Association issued a warning saying that local authorities face a challenge delivering the necessary places.
They said: “Official figures show that 3,287,000 secondary school places will be needed in 2024, compared to 2,740,000 in 2015.”
Wokingham Borough Council said in a statement earlier this week that is well placed to meet the challenge of providing sufficient secondary school places.
Councillor Charlotte Haitham Taylor, executive member for children’s services, said: “Bringing a new school into the system is a huge team effort in itself. Operating the co-ordinated admissions system, under tight timescales, with the aim of meeting everybody’s wishes is a major task.
“We’ve managed to do that for nearly 90% of applicants and with an increase in applications.
“These figures show that the Wokingham Borough’s efforts and planning have been well worthwhile.”
Further information about school admissions in the Wokingham Borough can be found on the school admissions page, www.wokingham.gov.uk/schools-and-education/school-admissions
