CHILDREN starting school in Gloucestershire for the first time in September will find out where they are going today.

Parents of pupils starting primary or infant school in September this year will today be allocated a school place from Gloucestershire County Council.

All parents and carers throughout the country will be offered one school place on the same day and will have until April 30 to return their reply form.

Those who applied online will receive an email after 9am confirming their allocation. All other parents and carers will receive a letter in the post.

The online application process continues to be popular with parents, with 95 per cent of applications being made using this system. Parents who have applied online will also be able to accept their place via the website.

Senior admissions and transport manager Charlotte Jones said: "This is always a particularly stressful time for parents but our admissions and transfers team continue to work hard to ensure that as many pupils as possible get one of their preferences.

"Of the 6966 children that have been allocated a primary school in Gloucestershire, 96 per cent have received one of their preferred places, and 88 per cent have been offered their first preference'. 

Cllr Paul McLain, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "This is a really exciting time in a young child's life - the first step into formal education. I wish everyone well for their first day at school and I hope each and every young person in the county settles in well into their new schools."

Parents and carers who ask for their child's allocation to be reconsidered will be placed on the waiting list for their preferred school(s). If places then become available, they will be allocated in strict accordance with the published admissions criteria for the school.

People are encouraged to keep their allocated place even if they plan to appeal to make sure that, whatever the outcome of the reconsideration, their child will have a place at a school in September.

The Admissions & Transfers Team will write to parents with the result of the reconsideration stage after May 15.  Parents who are still not satisfied with their allocated school will be advised of the appeals procedure.

Information about waiting lists for every school is also available at www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/schooladmissionsOpens or within the booklets available at all schools, children's centres and libraries.