Over 98% of Hampshire Kids Nab Secondary School Place of Their Choice!
Local MP Caroline Dinenage has hailed the news that more than 98% of parents applying for Year 7 places in Hampshire got a spot at one of their selected secondary schools. Even better, 93.3% landed their top-choice school, according to Hampshire County Council data.
What Happens If Your Child Misses Out?
Don’t panic if your child didn’t make it into any of your preferred schools. Pupils will be offered places nearby where space is available. Parents still have options — they can appeal the decision and put their child on waiting lists for their favourite schools.
Hampshire’s School Places Boom
- In recent years, Hampshire has added 6,300 new school places to keep up with demand.
- The county is a popular spot, boasting 84% of schools rated good or outstanding.
- This popularity causes family migration in and meets a national birth rate surge.
- By 2019, Hampshire’s £308 million school building programme had delivered 17,300 extra places—the biggest in three decades.
Caroline Dinenage praised the progress: “These figures are encouraging. Hampshire County Council has worked tirelessly to create new school places ahead of its growing population. I’m especially proud that Bridgemary School recently earned a good OFSTED rating — a testament to the staff, headteachers, and students’ dedication.”
Council Boss on Rising Demand
Hampshire County Council’s Education Executive Member, Councillor Peter Edgar, added: “We’ve managed to offer most pupils their preferred secondary school despite a hefty increase of over 500 applications this year. Hopefully, this shows how our ongoing investments keep pace with the rising birth rate and ever-growing demand.
“Of course, there’s disappointment for some parents missing out on their first choice, but every child whose parents applied has been offered a place somewhere in Hampshire. The high demand for certain schools just proves how well they teach.”
