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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Delay over for parents on places | Delay over for parents on places |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A website used by parents in the London area to find out if their child got the secondary school place of their choice has become operational again. | A website used by parents in the London area to find out if their child got the secondary school place of their choice has become operational again. |
| The e-admissions site was unavailable for more than seven hours earlier, affecting about 34,000 applicants who registered online in London and Surrey. | |
| The site went down at 0400 GMT but was up and running again by about 1140 GMT. Parents will also be receiving letters. | The site went down at 0400 GMT but was up and running again by about 1140 GMT. Parents will also be receiving letters. |
| In London and Birmingham a third of pupils have not got their first choice. | In London and Birmingham a third of pupils have not got their first choice. |
| In London thousands of anxious parents have been trying to log onto the e-admissions website for online applications. | In London thousands of anxious parents have been trying to log onto the e-admissions website for online applications. |
| A statement on the website said: "We apologise for the disruption to the eadmissions site caused by an overarching network issue un-related to the eadmissions site itself. | A statement on the website said: "We apologise for the disruption to the eadmissions site caused by an overarching network issue un-related to the eadmissions site itself. |
| "The system is now working correctly and applicants should also be receiving emails with their outcomes." | "The system is now working correctly and applicants should also be receiving emails with their outcomes." |
| Local councils across the country are sending letters, e-mails and text messages to parents with details of the places they have been offered. | Local councils across the country are sending letters, e-mails and text messages to parents with details of the places they have been offered. |
| National picture | National picture |
| As the wait goes on for many, figures show 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. | As the wait goes on for many, figures show 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. |
| The proportions getting their first choices are slightly lower than last year in London and Birmingham. | The proportions getting their first choices are slightly lower than last year in London and Birmingham. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
| 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 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 attention given to getting a first preference school place. | Mary Bousted, general secretary of the ATL teachers' union, attacked the attention given 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." |
| 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. |
| "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. |
| Did your child get a place at the school of their choice? You can send us your experiences using the form below: | Did your child get a place at the school of their choice? You can send us your experiences using the form below: |
| The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions | The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions |