A total of 93.55 per cent (6,729) of applicants have been awarded their first choice for starting infant or primary school in Oxfordshire.

Last year’s figure was 91.49 per cent (6,459), which means a higher number of parents across the county have been offered their first choice of primary school for 2023/24.

A total of 99.01 per cent (number 7,120) have been offered one of the four choices they listed on their application.

The percentage receiving a first choice of primary school in England in 2023 is not yet known. However, Oxfordshire’s percentage receiving a first choice is generally better than the national average.

This year there are 7,189 Oxfordshire children who need school places for September 2023. This is 129 more than last year when 7,060 Oxfordshire children needed school places.

Hayley Good, Oxfordshire County Council’s Deputy Director of Children’s Services (Education), said: “Our school admissions team has done an excellent job in ensuring that so many parents and children have been offered their first choice.

“I am grateful to the team for all its hard work. Our aim as a council is to give every child a good start in life and our school admissions team play an essential part in that year in, year out.”