18/01/10 Primary Schools In Kent - Online admissions

More than 13,000 families applied for their child’s primary school place online.

Reception year and Year 3 school applications for admission in September 2010 closed on Friday 8 January 2010. Kent County Council received 11,737 online applications for Reception year, (79.57% of all expected applicants) and 1,829 online applications for Year 3, (73.16% of all expected applicants).

This is a significant increase on last year when 5,966 (40.46%) online applications were received for Reception year.

Since the introduction of the online facility, Kent has consistently exceeded the government targets. This year’s target was 40%. 

KCC Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education Sarah Hohler said: “It is pleasing to see so many families applying for a school place online. Kent County Council has tried to make sure that this facility is available to all parents. We actively encouraged schools to open their computer suites to parents so they could submit online applications.

“All those who applied online and provided an email address have the benefit of receiving an email of their child’s school offer the day before receiving their formal letter.”

Last autumn 13,000 families applied for their child’s secondary school place online. This was about 80% of all expected applications. This was a significant increase on the previous year of 5,467 (33.5%) online applications.

Last year (2009) was the fourth year that parents could apply for their child’s school place online. Families can submit online applications for entry to primary school (Reception year), transfer to junior school (Year 3) and transfer to secondary school (Year 7).

Kent’s school admissions website is www.kent.gov.uk/ola.

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