Over 6,700 pupils offered secondary school place

Gloucestershire County Council has managed this ‘bulge year’ of 236 extra children (compared to last year) to prepare for this transfer and secure additional capacity. The bulge is due to an unusually high birth year in 2011/12 and is reflected nationally.

A total of 6772 Gloucestershire children who applied on time will be offered a secondary school place for September this year, with 83 per cent of pupils receiving a place at their first preference school.

On Wednesday, 1 March, parents of pupils going to secondary school in September 2023 will receive a place from Gloucestershire County Council. All parents in the county will be offered one school place for their child on the same day.

Parents will have until 8 March to accept their school place or request an alternative school. The 97 per cent of parents and carers who applied online will receive an email confirming their school place after 9am on 1 March and will be able to accept their place online.

As well as the 83 per cent being offered their first preference school, 94 per cent are being offered one of their preferences.

Cllr Philip Robinson, Cabinet member for Education, Skills and Transport said: “We’d like to thank the local schools who have worked with us over the years and increased their capacity to manage this extra flow of children through the school system. We recognise that not everyone will be offered their first preference, but Gloucestershire is fortunate to have a secondary school sector that performs well against other south west local authorities.

“I’d also like to thank parents for their co-operation. We know that it’s a big change for children when they move to secondary school, but we feel sure all our schools are well versed in managing that transition so that our children can settle quickly and flourish.”

Those parents or carers who did not apply online will receive a letter on Wednesday, 1 March, including the place on offer and the reasons why. This letter will be specific to each pupil and will contain an explanation for the decision made.

Parents are encouraged to accept their place online or return their reply forms as soon as possible. As we know from previous years, more places are likely to become available over the next few months as parents change their preferences.

If parents ask for their child's school place to be reconsidered, they will be placed on the waiting list for their preferred schools. If places then become available, they will be offered a place in line with the school’s admission policy.

Parents unhappy with their initial offer are encouraged to keep their place as this will ensure that, whatever the outcome of the reconsideration, their child will have a place at a school in September.

The county council will write to parents with the result of the reconsideration after 29 March, and parents will have until 7 April to reply. Parents who are still not satisfied with their given school will be advised of the appeals procedure.

The admission criteria and more information about waiting lists for every school is also available at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissions.