Pupils around the county are due to find out today (1st March) which secondary schools they have been offered a place for ahead of September.

This year, 96% will receive an offer from one of their four preferred schools, the highest proportion of the cohort in the last five years.

A total of 22,479 parents and carers applied for a place for their child in a Kent school for September 2024. This is 141 fewer than last year, and the number of Kent pupils applying has decreased by 474, falling from the historic peak in 2023.

The proportion of Kent pupils offered a place at their first-preference school has increased this year to 78.6%, although the numbers are lower by 294 at 14,571.

The proportion of the cohort offered their second, third or fourth preference has also increased slightly on last year to 17.4%, or 3,219.

Kent County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, Rory Love said: “It is pleasing to see that 96% of children starting at secondary school in September will be going to one of their preferred schools.

“As always, I pay tribute to our dedicated officers in the KCC admissions team who have been working tirelessly to make sure we allocate school places to more than 22,000 pupils.

“Every year there is a small number of youngsters for whom it has not been possible to offer one of their preferences because their preferred schools are over-subscribed.

“Parents of those who have been offered a school they did not select are advised to speak to staff at that school before making a decision, as they may well find the school is the perfect match for their child.

“I wish pupils every success in the rest of their final year of primary school and I wish them well as they get ready for the move to secondary school.”

Families who applied online will receive their emails from 4pm today (Friday, March 1) and will be able to log into their accounts from 5pm to view their offer. Those who submitted their applications on a paper form will receive their offers by post, which will be sent by first class post today.

Every year a number of children cannot be offered a place in one of their preferred schools and KCC will support these families by allocating them a place at an alternative school. The proportion of children in that position this year is the lowest in the last five years, at just 4% or 743 children.

If families wish to request to join the waiting list of any school they want to continue to be considered for, they should do so by Friday, March 15. KCC will hold a second round of offers on Thursday, April 25, for any spaces that become available. Parents and carers can also appeal directly to the admissions authority of any school that could not offer their child a place.

The offer email will explain how to take up the options available.

For further advice about the admission process email: kent.admissions@kent.gov.uk. For more information on how to join a waiting list and/or appeal visit our website.

• Parents and carers have until Friday, March 15 to accept or refuse their child’s offer and return waiting list forms
• Parents and carers must lodge any appeals for their named schools by Thursday, March 28 to be heard on time
• KCC will reallocate places from schools’ waiting lists sending out a second round of offers on Thursday, April 25
• After Thursday, April 25 schools will maintain their own waiting lists and parents and carers can apply to schools direct to ask to be placed on waiting lists. Only children assessed suitable for grammar school can be placed on a grammar school waiting list