One in six denied preferred school (From The Oxford Times)

One in six denied preferred school

10:09am Thursday 11th March 2010 in National News © Press Association 2011

Nearly one in six children in England failed to gain a place at their first choice secondary school this year, Government figures have revealed.

Results for applications by more than half a million children showed 83.2% were offered a place at their preferred school for September.

The refusal rate was 16.8% - the same percentage as March 2009.

Statistics from the Department for Children, Schools and Families showed 94.9% of families received an offer of a place at one of their top three preferred schools - a rise of 0.3% on the figures published in March 2009.

And 96.6% of families were handed a place at one of their six preferred schools - up 0.4% on last year.

Nearly 530,000 11-year-olds from 151 local authorities were told of the allocation in letters sent out on March 1.

It is the third year the figures have been compiled after the introduction of the controversial lottery-style scheme.