Increase in children in Leeds being offered first preference primary school places

Families in Leeds applying for their child’s first primary school place are receiving their offers today (16 April) and more of them are being offered their first choice than last year.

A total of 8,501 (88%) families are being offered their first preference, compared to 8,460 last year. Overall 9,381 children will attend one of their top five preferred schools, this is also up from 9,316 last year.

Leeds City Council has made a total of 9,643 reception place offers this year. As part of the preference process families were advised to make sure they included their nearest school in their application and to use all five preferences to increase their chances of obtaining a place at a local school. This year, 3,323 families did not include their nearest school while 7,021 families did not use all of the five preferences available to them.

Leeds City Council executive member for learning, skills and employment Councillor Jonathan Pryor said:

“Despite the ongoing challenges and pressures on school places in Leeds, we have created over 12,000 new primary school places in the city since 2009 and I am pleased to report that the number of offers for preferred places to families continues to rise.

“This success has been achieved through good planning and hard work with our city’s schools. In any instances where a family is unhappy with the school they have been allocated we will do everything we can to work with them and deliver a solution.”

Any families yet to apply are encouraged to contact 0113 222 4414 or email education.annual.cycle@leeds.gov.uk as a matter of urgency.

Notes to editors:

Families need to accept the offer of a school place for their child as soon as possible by contacting the school directly. They can also request to be added to the waiting list at schools where they have not been offered a place and should do this by May 2 2019 to be included in the first allocation of places from the waiting lists, which will take place in May.

Families also have the right of appeal for any schools where they were refused a place and appeal forms should be submitted by May 17 2019 to guarantee the appeal hearing will take place before the summer holidays.

ENDS

For media enquiries please contact:

Emma Simmonds,

Leeds City Council communications and marketing,

Email: emma.simmonds@leeds.gov.uk

Tel: 0113 378 9184