More than 95 per cent of Cambridgeshire children have been offered a place at their first choice primary school, new figures have revealed.

This means the proportion of Cambridgeshire children offered a place at their preferred primary school this September has risen again.

A total of 95.9 per cent will be going to their preferred school – up from 94.8 per cent last year and the highest percentage since 2021.

The proportion offered a place at their first, second or third choice school has also risen – from 98.7 per cent last year to 99.1 per cent this year.

This means only 0.9 per cent (58 pupils) have been allocated places at other schools, down from 1.3 per cent (84 pupils) in 2023.

This year saw a slight fall in the total number of applications for a primary school place – from 6457 in 2023 to 6418 this year.

Figures published by the Department for Education show 92.5 per cent of families in the UK received an offer from their first choice of primary school, up slightly from 92.2 per cent in 2022.

Meanwhile, 98.3 per cent received an offer from one of their top three choices, up very slightly from 98.4% in 2022.

It comes amid the creation of more than one million additional school places between May 2010 and May 2023, with a number still in the pipeline.

Cllr Bryony Goodliffe, Chair of Cambridgeshire County Council’s Children and Young People’s Committee said: “Our admissions and place planning teams work exceptionally hard to ensure as many children as possible are given a place at their preferred school this September.

“This will enable children to benefit from the best possible education at the school of their choice.

“However, it is vitally important that parents apply to their child’s local catchment school – they are much more likely to secure a place if they do.”