Majority of children offered their first preference of primary school for September

Families across Barnsley have been finding out which primary school their children will be joining in September, in today’s National Offer Day.

It has been another year of great news as we continue to have a high number of first preference offers, with 95.7 per cent (2,364) of children receiving their preferred school, reflecting our commitment to giving children the best start to their education.

Overall, we have been able to offer 2,451 children (99.3 per cent) a place at one of their preferred primary schools this year, with:

• 79 children (3.2 per cent) receiving an offer from their second choice.
• 8 children (0.3 per cent) receiving an offer from their third choice.

We’re committed to making sure no child or young person is left without a school offer in Barnsley. Our Admissions team has ensured that any child who did not get one of their preferences has been offered a place at the nearest available school ready for September.

Carly Speechley. Executive Director for Children’s Services, said:

“Through our Great Childhoods Ambition, we want every young person in Barnsley to dream big, achieve their full potential and get the very best start in life. A great education is at the heart of a great childhood, so I’m really pleased that so many children have been offered a place at their first-choice primary school this September.

“This positive outcome is thanks to the hard work of our Admissions team and primary schools, who support families throughout the process and make sure they have the information they need to make confident, informed choices. I’d like to thank them for their commitment to ensuring every child has a school place and for helping so many families secure one of their preferred options.”

We’ve also seen the proportion of parents applying online continue to rise, with the figure now sitting at 98.83 per cent. Our Virtual Family Hubs website makes the process easy. Available all year round, this webpage offers a wide range of information to help parents and carers, including childcare, local activities and fun things to do.

We know that some children and families may have received disappointing news today, and we’re here to help you understand what to do next.

Our Admissions team are here to support any parents or carers who may wish to appeal their offer with the right advice and guidance about the process. You can get in touch with the team by calling 01226 773677 or emailing admissions@barnsley.gov.uk.