A QUARTER of 11-year-olds in the Bradford district will not be going to their first choice secondary school this September, new admissions figures have revealed.

And almost 400 children will be going to a school that was not even in their top five choices.

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Secondary school allocation figures show that 5.4 per cent of pupils (392) were allocated a secondary school that they showed "no preference" for.

Pupils in their final year of primary school, and their parents, found out on Sunday which schools they had been allocated.

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And now Bradford Council has revealed details of how many got their first choices.

Just over 75 per cent, 5,481, will be going to their first preference school. Meanwhile, 10.66 per cent were allocated their second choice, 4.71 per cent their third, 2.3 per cent their fourth and 1.41 per cent their fifth choice.

Bradford Council encourages parents to give details of their five preferred schools, but there are still hundreds who will miss out on any of their choices.

Last year, 311 children missed out on any of their preferred places.

Michael Jameson, Strategic Director of Children’s Services, said: “Our staff work hard to ensure that as many families as possible are given their preferred choice of school and it is welcome news that at least three out of every four applicants have received their first choice secondary school this year.

“But we recognise that a number of families will have been disappointed that they did not get their preferred choice. We are doing everything in our powers to ensure that all children receive a high quality education, whatever school they attend in the district.”