Two-Thirds Of Families Get First Choice Secondary School

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Hounslow Council says most children got their preferred place

As parents and children receive their offers of places in secondary schools across the borough of Hounslow, the Council statistics show that almost two-thirds got their first choice school.

A total of 64% of parents got their first preference school in Hounslow and 15% got their second choice - this is broadly the same as Ealing borough but ahead of Hammersmith & Fulham (52.02%).

Secondary schools in Chiswick, Heston and Isleworth are the first in the borough to have their expansion plans backed with money from the London Borough of Hounslow totalling nearly £18 million to cope with increased demand for places.

Chiswick School is to expand from a seven to a nine-form entry from 2017 under a new funding plan for schools and it is about to embark on a building programme to cater for the demand.

Cllr Tom Bruce, Hounslow Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Children’s Services, said, “Demand for secondary school places is at an all-time high, with an increase of three per cent this year alone. It’s fantastic to be able to offer every child who applied a place, which – given our growing population and the removal of local authorities’ freedom to build new schools – is no mean feat."

Almost three thousand additional pupils across London have been offered a place at one of their preferred secondary schools this year compared to last year, according to figures released today by the Pan London Admissions Board.

Demand for secondary school places has increased by more than three per cent this year to over 86,000 applications.

March 2, 2016