South West parents most likely in England to get their first choice school

In Bristol and the West Country, over ninety percent of children got their top school — one of the highest rates in England.

Transcript

00:00In the West Country, including Bristol, parents had some of the best chances in England of

00:07securing a place at their preferred school. More than 90 percent of applicants were offered

00:12their first choice, making it one of only a handful of regions to hit that benchmark.

00:17Nearly 98 percent secured a place at one of their preferences overall, indicating strong

00:22availability and planning across most of the area. That stands in sharp contrast to London,

00:28where only around 70 percent got their top pick. The figures underline a growing divide in access

00:34between more rural or balanced regions like the southwest and high-density urban areas.

00:39Even within the West Country, pressure remains on individual schools,

00:43with some oversubscribed despite the broader success rate.

00:46But as a region, it offers a comparatively positive picture.

00:50Most families who applied this year walked away with the school they really wanted,

00:54something that's far from guaranteed in other parts of the country.