West Sussex children awarded primary school places for September

Today is National Offer Day (Tuesday April 19) and families across the county are finding which school their children will attending.

West Sussex County Council’s admissions team handled 8,842 primary applications this year.

And 91.2 per cent of those who applied to start primary school will be offered their first preference school, with 98.7 per cent offered one of their three preferences.

The team also managed a total of 1,444 applications for children transferring from infant to junior school. Of those, 100 per cent will today be offered one of their three preferences, with 99.9 per cent offered their first preference school.

Offers are being sent by email today and should arrive before 5pm, so families yet to receive theirs shouldn’t be concerned.

Nigel Jupp, WSCC’s cabinet member for learning and skills, said: “It is very good news that once again the vast majority of West Sussex children who are starting school this September have been offered their preferred primary school. Our schools offer great support to children starting in Reception and families can now begin to plan for this big and exciting step.

“There will of course be a small number of families who did not get the school they had hoped for, and I would strongly advise them to get in touch with our admissions team who are on hand to talk through their options.”

While most West Sussex children secured a place at their first preference school, this is not always possible where a school receives more applications for the places it has available. When this happens, places are offered using the school’s oversubscription criteria.

Where WSCC is unable to offer families one of their preference schools, it will allocate a place at the catchment school where possible, or if that school is full, at the next nearest school to their home address.

The council’s admissions staff are available to speak to parents and carers who have not been offered the school they were hoping for and can advise on the options available to them. Call 03330142903 or email [email protected] or [email protected]