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| Third of city pupils miss place | Third of city pupils miss place |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Children in about one in three families in some of England's biggest cities have not been offered a place at their first choice secondary school. | Children in about one in three families in some of England's biggest cities have not been offered a place at their first choice secondary school. |
| Across the London boroughs and in Birmingham, two-thirds of pupils will be starting at their top preference school in September. | Across the London boroughs and in Birmingham, two-thirds of pupils will be starting at their top preference school in September. |
| The proportions getting their first choices are slightly lower than last year in both cities. | The proportions getting their first choices are slightly lower than last year in both cities. |
| But in some rural areas, more than 95% were given their first choice places. | But in some rural areas, more than 95% were given their first choice places. |
| In London the admissions website for online applications has been down since 0400 GMT. | |
| A London Councils spokeswoman said: "We are working to fix it as soon as we can. Parents will still get a letter today." | |
| More than half a million pupils across England are finding out which secondary schools they will attend next autumn. | More than half a million pupils across England are finding out which secondary schools they will attend next autumn. |
| Anxious wait | Anxious wait |
| Local councils are sending letters, e-mails and text messages to parents with details of the places they have been offered. | Local councils are sending letters, e-mails and text messages to parents with details of the places they have been offered. |
| SCHOOL PLACES London: 66% offered first choice, 6% no offer from any of six choicesBirmingham: 66% first choice, 5% no offer from any of six choicesWorcestershire: 91% first choiceLeeds: 84% first choiceSheffield: 89% first choiceNorfolk: 95% first choice | SCHOOL PLACES London: 66% offered first choice, 6% no offer from any of six choicesBirmingham: 66% first choice, 5% no offer from any of six choicesWorcestershire: 91% first choiceLeeds: 84% first choiceSheffield: 89% first choiceNorfolk: 95% first choice |
| The overall national figures for England will not be available for a couple of weeks - but last year more than eight out of 10 children were allocated places in their first preference school. | The overall national figures for England will not be available for a couple of weeks - but last year more than eight out of 10 children were allocated places in their first preference school. |
| London boroughs usually have the lowest rates of pupils being offered their top preference. | London boroughs usually have the lowest rates of pupils being offered their top preference. |
| This year, an average of 65.7% of pupils across the capital will get their first choice school place - marginally down on last year's 66.05%. | This year, an average of 65.7% of pupils across the capital will get their first choice school place - marginally down on last year's 66.05%. |
| This success rate ranged from 49% in Wandsworth to 88% in Harrow. | This success rate ranged from 49% in Wandsworth to 88% in Harrow. |
| Across London, 88% of almost 80,000 youngsters achieved one of their top three school choices. About 6% of pupils have not been offered a place at any of their six choices - and will be allocated an alternative place. | Across London, 88% of almost 80,000 youngsters achieved one of their top three school choices. About 6% of pupils have not been offered a place at any of their six choices - and will be allocated an alternative place. |
| The chairman of the London Inter Authority Admissions Group, Graham Carter, said: "For the sixth year running, London's admissions system has been able to place more than 90% of pupils at a school of their choice and two-thirds have been offered a place at their first choice school." | The chairman of the London Inter Authority Admissions Group, Graham Carter, said: "For the sixth year running, London's admissions system has been able to place more than 90% of pupils at a school of their choice and two-thirds have been offered a place at their first choice school." |
| The relatively low rate of getting a first choice in London reflects the range of options and the popularity of some schools, which are heavily oversubscribed. | The relatively low rate of getting a first choice in London reflects the range of options and the popularity of some schools, which are heavily oversubscribed. |
| "The intense demand on certain schools inevitably means that some parents will be disappointed," says the London Councils organisation. | "The intense demand on certain schools inevitably means that some parents will be disappointed," says the London Councils organisation. |
| In Birmingham, out of almost 14,000 applicants this year, some 9,300, or 66.5%, had been offered their first-choice secondary school, down 1.4% on last year. | In Birmingham, out of almost 14,000 applicants this year, some 9,300, or 66.5%, had been offered their first-choice secondary school, down 1.4% on last year. |
| A further 12.3% were offered their second choice and 6.6% their third. | A further 12.3% were offered their second choice and 6.6% their third. |
| In Leeds, 84% of the 7,837 applying received their first preference this year, compared to 6,613 pupils, or 82%, last year. In Brighton and Hove, 2,266 pupils applied and 82% got their first choice. | In Leeds, 84% of the 7,837 applying received their first preference this year, compared to 6,613 pupils, or 82%, last year. In Brighton and Hove, 2,266 pupils applied and 82% got their first choice. |
| In Manchester 78% of the 4,926 applying got their first preference, compared to 77% of the 4659 applying last year. | |
| In some rural areas there is a much higher rate of pupils getting their first preference - such as Norfolk, which was above 95%. | In some rural areas there is a much higher rate of pupils getting their first preference - such as Norfolk, which was above 95%. |
| Groundhog Day | Groundhog Day |
| Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL teachers' union, attacked the amount of attention paid to getting a first preference school place. | Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL teachers' union, attacked the amount of attention paid to getting a first preference school place. |
| "As usual, the vast majority of 11-year-olds will get a place at their, or their parents', preferred school," she said. | "As usual, the vast majority of 11-year-olds will get a place at their, or their parents', preferred school," she said. |
| "But we are back to Groundhog Day and the annual angst over how many pupils get into their first choice school." | "But we are back to Groundhog Day and the annual angst over how many pupils get into their first choice school." |
| Chris Keates, general secretary of the teachers' union NASUWT, also opposed the idea parents were somehow being "short-changed" if they did not get their first preference of school. | Chris Keates, general secretary of the teachers' union NASUWT, also opposed the idea parents were somehow being "short-changed" if they did not get their first preference of school. |
| "The standards of education in all secondary schools across the country have never been higher and are continually improving. | "The standards of education in all secondary schools across the country have never been higher and are continually improving. |
| "It is wrong to imply that because a school was not a parent's first preference, that its standards are poor." | "It is wrong to imply that because a school was not a parent's first preference, that its standards are poor." |
| Schools minister Diana Johnson said parents now had more choice because there were better schools and more places in them. | Schools minister Diana Johnson said parents now had more choice because there were better schools and more places in them. |
| She said: "In 1997, a parent had a one-in-two chance of going to an under-performing school - which was totally unacceptable. | She said: "In 1997, a parent had a one-in-two chance of going to an under-performing school - which was totally unacceptable. |
| "We are now pushing all secondary schools to improve, not let them wither like in the past; we have driven up standards in failing and under-performing schools and expanded the best." | "We are now pushing all secondary schools to improve, not let them wither like in the past; we have driven up standards in failing and under-performing schools and expanded the best." |
| The Conservatives say their plans to allow parents to set up their own schools more easily would ease the situation. They are also calling for a simplified admissions code. | The Conservatives say their plans to allow parents to set up their own schools more easily would ease the situation. They are also calling for a simplified admissions code. |