THOUSANDS of children across Hampshire have found out if they have been offered places at their preferred secondary school.

In Hampshire 97.6 per cent of students were offered a place at their first or second choice school for September. In Southampton 93.9 per cent got their first or second preference – with 86.4 per cent of youngsters being granted their top choice.

Of the 2,191 children applying for places in the city, 7.5 per cent got their second preference and 2.3 per cent their third.

That left 3.8 per cent unable to get any of their three preferred schools, who will now be offered another school.

City council education chief Dan Jeffery said: “There has been a ten per cent increase in the number of good and outstanding schools in Southampton since last year, so I am not surprised that significantly fewer parents in the city have applied for secondary school places outside its boundaries.

“We were well prepared for the increase in demand for places at our secondary schools this year and are pleased to confirm that once again the majority of pupils have been awarded a place at their first choice school.”

Hampshire education boss Peter Edgar said: “Once again we have been able to offer a high number of pupils a place at their preferred secondary school and that’s a significant achievement considering the size of our county.”