Fewer children have secured a place at their first choice secondary school for September 2019.

Around 72 per cent of children received their first choice preference, down from 74.6 per cent last year.

The number of children receiving their second choice rose from 9.5 per cent last year to 11 per cent, as did those getting their third choice; up to 4.5 per cent from 4.3 per cent.

Every child who applied for a place this year received a school place, the same number as last year.

The number of children moving into Year 7 has also risen by 353.

Councillor Imran Khan, executive member for education, employment and skills, said: “We have had an increase in the numbers of children applying for places so we’re pleased that the number of pupils getting their first or second preference is similar to last year.

“We know that choosing a school for their child is one of the most important decisions a family can make. The Council and schools do all they can so that parents and carers have the best chance of getting into a school of their preference.

“We are working to make sure that our secondary schools have the right capacity so they can meet demand for places.”

Bradford Council said a number of schools in the district have different admissions processes, including random allocation, fair banding, postcode bands and faith, which impacts on the number of students receiving their first preference.