Department for Education statement: National Secondary Offer day

A statement from the Department for Education on National Secondary Offer day.

Also included below are additional points to note as part of reporting:

• Families across the country will find out today (Monday 1 March) which secondary school has offered them a place for September 2021.
• The vast majority of families will be offered a place at one of their preferred schools – most will be offered their top preference.
• Last year, 93 per cent of applicants for a secondary school place received offers from one of their top three choices, while 82 per cent were offered their first choice secondary school
• Delivering the best quality school places is a top priority for this government. The proportion of schools judged as Good and Outstanding had risen from 68 per cent in 2010 to 86 per cent in August 2020
• The government has already committed £8.1 billion to creating new school places between 2015 and 2022, and on top of this has pledged nearly £500 million to provide places needed for 2023
• The latest data shows that one million additional school places were created between May 2010 and May 2019, the largest increase in school capacity for at least two generations
• The government provides local authorities with funding for all places that are needed, based on local authorities’ own data

A Department for Education spokesperson said:

“Last year more than nine in ten pupils received a place at one of their top three preferences of secondary school, with most being offered their first choice. Pupils are also vastly more likely to be receiving a place at a good school than they were ten years ago – with 86 per cent of schools rated good or outstanding now compared to 68 per cent in 2010.

“With all children set to return to classrooms from 8 March, delivering good school places in all corners of the country continues to be a priority for this government. We have already created over one million places in the last decade – the largest increase in at least 20 years - and are spending nearly £500 million to provide the places needed for 2023.”