94 PER CENT of children will be going to their parents’ first-choice school in September.

Across Dorset parents found out yesterday if they had been successful in getting their preferred choice, and while most will be happy with their children’s’ places, there is still hope for parents left disappointed.

Dorset County Council announced yesterday that in their area 94 per cent of parents received the “good news” that their child has a place at their first choice of school. This is about a two per cent increase on last year, when 92.4 percent secured their first preference.

This year the county council processed fewer applications, just 5,437, compared to last years’ figure of 5,504. This number includes places for those starting school for the first time, those transferring from infant to junior school and those transferring from first to middle schools.

Director for Children’s Services, Sara Tough, said: “National offer day is a big day for children, parents and carers as they find out about their future education. We are really pleased that 94 per cent of children have received an offer of a place at their first preference school.

“Whichever preference they received, I wish all Dorset children the best of luck as they prepare to take the next step in their education in September.”

Home Start West Dorset is a charity which supports families and offers advice, friendship and support to those in west Dorset, Weymouth and Portland.

The group said yesterday afternoon that so far, they had not heard from any parents who had not had their first preference.

In the past, the charity has helped to support parents of families they work with, with the appeal process.

Despite the high percentage of first choice preference, hundreds of parents are likely to be disappointed by the decisions.

One west Dorset mum Jo Fry said her six and five-year-old are in one school, she said: “Now they’re expecting my four-year-old to attend a different school that starts and finishes at the same time.

“How on earth they think I’d be able to get all my kids to school on time is beyond me.”

Parents do have option to submit an appeal. This can be done online via the county council’s website and all appeals will be looked at by an independent appeal panel.

Parents will need to prepare documents to support their application to appeal and give a statement outlining their reasons for wanting their child to attend a particular school and the grounds for the appeal.

Advice from the Good Schools Guide aims to help parents whose children have not been offered their first choice school.

This includes, that parents should accept the offered place so that their child has a definite place to go in September, then get on the waiting lists for other preferred schools.

The group suggests taking time and seeking advice over the appeal and urged parents to remember that they can only appeal to the schools to which you applied.

Other advice includes not letting their child think the allotted school is a “disaster zone.”

The group said: “If you bad-mouth the school but then fail to get into another one, your child will start at the new school conscious of the black mark you have already given it.”