More children will be off to their first choice Suffolk secondary school in September than last year.

Today is National Offer Day, when Year 6 pupils find out which secondary schools they will be attending last this year.

This year, 7,652 applications were received for new September starters in Suffolk.

Suffolk County Council said around 93% of pupils received a place at their first choice school, while 98.16% received a place at one of their top three options.

Both figures represented an increase from last year’s figures.

In 2020, 91.4% of children received offers from their top choice of secondary school, while 97% were allocated a space at one of their top three schools.

Families who applied online for their place will be able to log on to the admissions portal to see their child’s offer.

They will also receive an email to confirm this offer.

Letters will be sent to parents who made a paper application by second class post.

Mary Evans, cabinet member for children’s services, education and skills, said: “I am pleased that this year more families have once again received their first choice of school and that the vast majority of families have been offered a preferred school place.

“We use published criteria to decide who has priority for places so that the process is fair and clear.

"I appreciate that not all families will have received a place at their preferred school and where a parents’ preference for a Suffolk school is refused, we will automatically add their child’s name to the waiting list for that school.

"We will also advise them how to lodge an appeal should they wish to do so.

“Starting secondary school is an important moment for any child, and the more we can do to make the transition to a new school smoother for them, the better.”

Once school places have been confirmed, parents need to consider how their child will get to and from school.

If their child is eligible for council-funded school travel, they will receive an email by the end of March 2021 with details of how to opt-in.