Desperate parents crashed websites today as one in three kids in some areas missed their preferred high school — as a “critical incident” was declared amid the chaos.
Families across England have found out which secondary school their child will be attending this fall, on what is commonly known as National Sacrifice Day.
But a study has suggested that in a number of places in England, fewer children are getting seats in their first choice.
One expert thinks this is due to the rising number of students, which is causing secondary schools to become oversubscribed.
Meanwhile, in London, as many as three in ten children missed out on their first choice of secondary school.
Some parents have criticized council websites, which have been plagued by technical difficulties, including in Leicestershire, Warwickshire and Reading
Applications in the capital have fallen slightly this year, with families leaving London due to different ‘work patterns’ attributed to the drop.
Overall, 69.78 per cent of pupils applying to start at a London secondary school this fall received an offer of their first preference, compared to 69.95 per cent last year, figures show.
Across the capital, 92,641 students applied for a place in secondary education – a decrease of 0.03 percent from last year.
London Councils, which compiled the figures, said application numbers were influenced by a number of reasons ‘including different pressures on different schools and local government areas’.
It added: ‘Other important factors are migration changes, such as families moving due to changes in their circumstances and work patterns, together with the local effect of the UK’s departure from the EU in some areas.’
It comes as some parents have taken to social media today to criticize municipalities administering the assignments after a series of websites were plagued with technical difficulties. Including Reading Council whose website said it had declared a ‘critical incident’.
Early indications from a PA news agency survey of local authorities suggest that a young person’s chances of securing a place at their preferred school vary significantly depending on where they live.
The survey, which has been sent to councils across England with the exception of London, suggests a number of local authorities have seen a drop in the number of children getting their first choice compared to last year.
Early figures from 33 municipalities that provided comparable data show that 18 municipalities have seen a decrease in the number of pupils receiving their first preference, 14 municipalities have seen an increase and one municipality has seen no change.
In Liverpool, only 67.2 per cent of children were given their first choice, while in Birmingham 71.68 per cent were given their first choice.
Technical problems plagued some council websites, including those of Warwickshire and Reading Councils
Among the areas where large numbers of pupils were given their first choice are Wiltshire, where 95.05 per cent were given their first choice, and Wakefield, where 93.6 per cent were also offered their first choice.
Paul Whiteman, general secretary of NAHT, the school leaders’ union, said: ‘This can be a frightening time for families. Choosing the right school and securing a place there is a huge moment in a child’s life and not everyone gets their first choice today.
“There is extra pressure on secondary school admissions this year because the bulging student population that has moved through primary schools is currently affecting secondary schools. Many schools are oversubscribed, especially in certain parts of the country.’
Parents in Leicestershire said they had to check the portal ‘several times’ to find out if their child had been given the first choice of secondary school, but no results were shown. The problem was later resolved.
The English school system has come under strain in recent years as an increase in population has shifted to secondary schools.
A spokesman for the county council said: ‘Following a technical issue this morning, parents can now access the online portal to see information about their child’s secondary school location.
‘We apologize for any inconvenience.’
Meanwhile, a Warwickshire County Council spokesman said they were ‘aware that some parents and carers have had issues with links to our website today’ and apologized to those affected.
They added: ‘However, our parent portal system itself is working well and we have accepted over 1,000 places by 10am this morning.
“We would like to reassure all parents or carers that these technical issues will not affect their school offerings and that they have until March 15 to accept their place.”
Some parents commented on their children’s high school placements, with some delighted to have been offered their first choice.
Others weren’t so jovial, promising to appeal the decision after their child was not given first choice
Parents also took to social media to comment on the placements, with some delighted to have been given their first choice.
One of them said, “Good luck to all the kids getting their high school place today, my daughter has first choice, she’s happy, so we’re happy.”
Another commented, “Stressful morning with a happy outcome: my eldest got her first choice for high school.”
A third parent posted, “Waking up to an email saying P got a place at our first choice high school. Very excited, a little relieved, but mostly still in denial that my baby is going to high school!’
Others, however, weren’t so jovial and vowed to appeal the decision, with one parent saying her child had been given their third choice, a 40-minute walk from their home.
The parent said, “Waiting for my youngest to get up, to tell him he didn’t pass his 1st or 2nd choice high school.”
‘1st choice is the nearest school (10 min walk), and no roads to cross. The school he attends – 40 minutes walk, several main roads to navigate. Let the appeals process begin.”
The English school system has come under strain in recent years as an increase in population has shifted to secondary schools.
A report found that most secondary schools in England do not prioritize poorer children in their admissions policies.
According to research from the University of Bristol, some families are being ‘outpriced’ by oversubscribed schools due to higher property prices around the school, as local pupils are often given priority.
Only a small minority of secondary schools prioritize students eligible for student premium, which is linked to free school meals and used as a measure of deprivation, when they are over-enrolled, the analysis found.
The English school system has come under strain in recent years as an increase in population has shifted to secondary schools.
The report, which was funded by the Nuffield Foundation, suggests that the use of geographic location in school admissions policies can “create or reinforce segregation” between neighborhoods as more affluent parents have the means to “buy access to popular schools through the housing market.
The majority of secondary schools in England are academies or free schools, allowing them to set their own admission criteria for allocating places in the event of over-enrolment, independent of the local authority.
A spokesman for the Ministry of Education said: ‘The vast majority of families are offered a place in one of their preferred schools and most are offered their top place.
“We have already created more than a million school places in the past ten years – the largest increase in school capacity in at least two generations. We also announced nearly £530 million to provide both primary and secondary places needed for 2023, and £940 million for places needed for 2024 and 2025.
“Last year, 94.4% of high school applicants were offered one of their top three choices, while 83.3% were offered their first choice high school.”
Did your child miss today? Email jamie.phillips@mailonline,co.uk