More than a fifth of pupils in Buckinghamshire have missed out on their first choice of secondary school in this year's allocations, with around 8% failing to get one of their top three picks.
Figures for Buckinghamshire show that 78% of children who applied for a secondary school place were given their first-choice preference.
Whilst this does show some improvement against the nearest comparable year of 2020 (74.2%), with 2021 being skewed by the pandemic, it nonetheless substantially trails many of our nearest counties.
In Cambridgeshire 90% of children were allocated their first choice school, in Oxfordshire 88.3% were successful, likewise 88% in West Berkshire.
Anita Cranmer, Buckinghamshire Council's Cabinet Member for Children's Services said: "I know that the wait to find out what secondary school your child has been allocated can be a tense time for many families. I am delighted that this year we have been able to improve on our figures to give 78% of those who applied their first-choice preference.
"The school system we operate in Buckinghamshire can sometimes cause complications but I'm so pleased that we have been able to support the majority of our families in finding the right school for their child, to help them continue their education in the school of their choice."
Just over 10% of applicants received their second-choice placement and 4% were offered their third choice. Only a handful of children, (0.0187%) have not yet been allocated a place. The reasons for this include late applications and preferences for schools far outside catchment or not meeting individual schools' entry requirements.
Offers must be accepted by 11.59pm on Monday 14 March
Families who wish to appeal their allocation can do so by following the guidance given on the Council website.
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