MORE than 88 per cent of children living in north and west Wiltshire were offered their first choice of secondary school this year.

And 96.8 per cent of applicants were offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

Every applicant could name up to three preferences and only three per cent have been allocated a place at a school which was not one of those.

Letters were sent out to 4,840 parents recently telling them if their child had been given their first choice place, with just 580 across the county being disappointed.

Bryan Cash, education officer for schools admissions at Wiltshire Council, said: “I am pleased we have handled so many applications on time and such a high proportion of children are being offered their first choice school.”

The only schools in west Wilts to turn away first choice applicants were St Laurence in Bradford on Avon and St Augustine’s RC College in Trowbridge.

St Laurence deputy headteacher Richard Clutterbuck said: “There were 52 students who were unable to get their first preference for a place at St Laurence.

“There were 217 who successfully gained their first place preference.

“We are very pleased to have the numbers joining us in September, but clearly concerned for those students who were unable to get their first choice.”

At St Augustine’s 24 parents who put the school as their first choice were turned down, with 147 getting their first place preference.

Clerk to the governors Sally Trout said: “It’s a very similar situation to last year. We always turn down a similar number.

“Because St Augustine’s is a voluntary aided school the governors are in charge of admissions.”

At the soon-to-beopened Melksham Oaks Community School, in Woolmore Farm, Bowerhill, which will replace George Ward School in September, there were 201 places allocated, compared to 192 last year, with all those putting it as their first choice getting in.

All parents who put Matravers School in Westbury, Kingdown School in Warminster and John of Gaunt or Clarendon Schools in Trowbridge as their first choice got their wish.

Lavington School near Devizes, which is also used by west Wilts children, turned away 21 first choice applicants.

In north Wiltshire, Sheldon School in Chippenham had to turn away 46 first choice applicants and Hardenhuish School rejecting ‘about 50’.

Hardenhuish Headteacher Colin Smith said: “I think the school’s performance year on year is why people want to come to Hardenhuish.

“Last year’s results were outstanding and parents have confidence in us.”

Wiltshire Council uses admissions criteria to allocate places, rather than the lottery system used in other counties.