Latest news with #NationalOfferDay
Daily Mail
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Comedian Romesh Ranganathan hits out at local council over school 'shambles' after his son offered place on the 'other side of town'
Romesh Ranganathan has criticised his local council after they offered his son a place in a secondary school on the 'other side of town'. The comedian, 47, says he begged West Sussex County Council to look into his youngest child's case after not being offered any of his preferred choices, including the same school as his two elder brothers. A clearly frustrated Mr Ranganathan said he had to ask his local MP to intervene when he received no response, but was later told by the council 'they can't do anything'. The Weakest Link host told the BBC he would be forced to put his son in a taxi when he starts in September to get him to the classroom on time due to the distance between his children's schools. In a post to his Instagram account, Mr Ranganathan described it as a 'shambles' and accused the local authority of 'no longer giving a s**t' in giving priority to children who have siblings at a school. 'So the school that we put down that is the same as his brothers, they've [the council] said you are not having that,' he said. 'Not only you're not having that, you're not having any of the schools you put down as a preference. In fact, we placed you at a school the other side of town. That's it. So I'm like, well no. I don't want that.' He said he had sent a 'beggy' email but only received a response two weeks after his MP got involved. Mr Ranganathan said: 'I wait two weeks and West Sussex says they've looked in to it they cant do anything. They have conducted an investigation of their placement procedure and they found it to be satisfactory. I bet they have. a 'And then he said to me 'i'm sure it's disappointing'. It's more than disappointing. It's not the football. It's my son's school placement.' Famiies are able to appeal if their child is not offered one of their preferred choices. Mr Ranganathan said they are now on the waiting list and will have their 'fingers crossed'. 'It's school. School's important, isn't it?,' he said. 'Isn't your kids' education... aren't you allowed to be worried about it? Anyway, f***ing annoying.' A council spokesperson told the BBC: 'We don't comment on individual matters, but we acknowledge the disappointment when students cannot be placed at their first choice.' MailOnline has contacted West Sussex County Council for comment. What are the chances of securing a first choice in your area? Use our interactive map below. More than a third of pupils missed out on their first choice secondary school, according to data. Figures released by National Offer Day showed up to 36 per cent missed out in parts of London, while elsewhere in the country it was up to 26 per cent. Experts said in March competition was still fierce for places at the best schools, leading to a high number of rejections. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'Some families will be disappointed. 'The demand for secondary school places has been rising for a number of years and is expected to increase again this year. 'Highly sought-after schools - often in more affluent areas with strong Ofsted ratings - face intense demand, while others struggle with lower pupil numbers, creating financial challenges.'
Yahoo
17-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Majority of Bradford families offered preferred school places
Almost all families in Bradford have been offered a place at one of their preferred primary schools. On National Offer Day, Bradford Council informed thousands of families about their children's reception place for September. More than 99 per cent of children have secured a spot at one of their top five preferred schools, with more than 95 per cent of children offered a place at their first-choice school. Councillor Sue Duffy, Bradford Council's executive member for children and families, said: "I'm really pleased that almost all families who applied for a primary school place for September have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools. "Starting primary school for the first time is a major milestone for every child. "With more than 95 per cent of families being offered their first preference, this is great news for families in Bradford district." She acknowledged that a few families may not have received the news they hoped for and assured them that the admissions team is ready to assist with any queries. More details about contacting the team can be found on the Bradford Council website. Families could log into their online accounts from midnight to find out which school their child would be attending. Those who applied online received emails from 9am, confirming the outcome and providing additional information. Parents and carers who did not apply online were sent letters by first-class post. Additionally, parents who applied online but opted not to receive an email have also been sent letters. Parents expecting letters have been asked not to contact the admissions team before Wednesday, April 23, to allow time for their letters to arrive. Allocations will not be disclosed over the phone.
Yahoo
03-03-2025
- General
- Yahoo
The part of Greater Manchester where 97% of kids got their first choice secondary school
It's been a nerve-racking day for families across Greater Manchester finding out which school their Year 6 children will be attending from September. March 3 is National Offer Day - the day that all secondary school places in England are allocated. While many schools are often oversubscribed, this year there are signs that more children are gaining places at their first choice of secondary school in a number of areas in England. READ MORE: LIVE M62 traffic updates after man dies in horror crash with motorway shut 'all day' READ MORE: LIVE: Multiple cordons in place after shooting - updates The early indications come from a PA news agency survey of local authorities. The survey, sent to councils in England, excluding London, suggests that a number of local authorities have seen a rise in the proportion of children securing their first choice compared with last year. Those early figures, from the 44 councils which provided comparable data, show that 29 have seen an increase in the proportion of pupils getting their first choice, 14 have seen a decline, and one has seen no change. Among the areas where high proportions of pupils have obtained their first preference are Tameside in Greater Manchester, where 97.2% were offered their first pick. In comparison, in Manchester, only 74% of children got their first preference, which is down from 76% last year. Elsewhere in Greater Manchester, the percentage of pupils receiving their first choice school are 89% in Bury, 85.7% in Rochdale, 79% in Trafford and 74.1% in Oldham. England's school system has been put under pressure in recent years as a population bulge has been moving into secondary schools. Pepe Di'Iasio, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: 'We know that National Offer Day is an exciting but also anxious time for many families. 'While most children will receive a place at their first-choice school, we understand that some families will be disappointed. 'The demand for secondary school places has been rising for a number of years and is expected to increase again this year. 'However, the impact varies across different areas, with factors like new housing developments influencing local pressures. 'Highly sought-after schools – often in more affluent areas with strong Ofsted ratings – face intense demand, while others struggle with lower pupil numbers, creating financial challenges.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, has predicted there will be 'too many cases' where a specialist place is the parents' preference for their child with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) – but they will be given a mainstream school place instead. He warned that families face an 'unfair postcode lottery' to secure specialist school places for their children with additional needs. Speaking on National Offer Day, Mr Whiteman said: 'There is a lot of pressure on secondary school places at the moment, as we are experiencing a population bulge in that age group that is due to peak in 2026/2027. 'Although the majority of pupils will still get their first choice of secondary school, that doesn't take away from the difficulty and disappointment experienced by those families who have missed out. 'There is also a concern that overall national figures mask quite big regional variations – there will be areas where the proportion of pupils not getting their first choice of secondary school are much higher. 'This can be due to regional volatility in populations, for example areas with major house building, or places like London where populations are decreasing rapidly.' Official data shows that, last year, 82.9% of pupils were offered their first choice of secondary school – which was up slightly on 82.6% in 2023. Despite only 74% getting their first choice under Manchester City Council, 91% of parents have been offered one of their top three preferences, a figure that's similar to last year, when it was 92%. A total of 93% were offered one of the schools they preferenced on their application form, again similar to last year's 94%. Did you get your first choice of school for your child? Are you happy with your child's place? Let us know in the comments here.
BBC News
03-03-2025
- General
- BBC News
Secondary school places: How to handle disappointment
March 3 is National Offer Day - the day that Year Six's across England and Wales find out what secondary school they are going to in you are in Year 6, you and your parents/guardians will receive an email or letter with an offer from your new year, 83% of applicants in England got their first choice of school, and 94% of applicants got offers from one of their top three some of you may find out you are going to a different school from the one you wanted to go to, or a different school to one where your friends are going. Secondary school is a new start and can feel exciting but also might make you feel a bit nervous. Laverne Antrobus and Dr Radha Modgil shared some tips with Newsround about how to tackle any concerns you might have. 1. Take timeTake time to think about how you're feeling. "We can often feel the need to move on straight away or ignore our feelings, but if we take time to process them and talk them through, we can move forward in a healthier way," says Dr Radha.2. Some things are out of your controlLook at the decision as an "opportunity" not a "failure".Dr Radha says: "Nothing is ever a failure if it doesn't work out the way we want it to. It's actually an opportunity for things to move and develop in a new and potentially exciting way."Laverne says: "Don't be too quick to blame yourself when things don't happen the way you want them to. Sometimes things are simply out of your control."3. Talk it outTalking to an adult you trust about how you're feeling might make you feel says: "Don't bottle up these feelings, talk to friends and family as sad and angry feelings can be easier to manage when you talk about them."You can tell a friend, parent, teacher, or another trusted adult. Whilst Year 6's in England and Wales will get offers today, it isn't the same for all children across the UK. In Scotland, no offers are made, as the decision is made by the council. And for pupils in Northern Ireland, you have a little bit longer to wait as places aren't sent out until 10 May. But if you did find out if you are going to your preferred today, or maybe you have some advice for those who haven't, share your thoughts in the comments below.
The Independent
03-03-2025
- General
- The Independent
Hundreds of thousands of families in England to find out secondary school places
Families face an 'unfair postcode lottery' to secure specialist school places for their children with additional needs, an education leader has warned. Hundreds of thousands of families across England are finding out which secondary school their child will be joining this September, on what is commonly known as National Offer Day. Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union the NAHT, has predicted there will be 'too many cases' where a specialist place is the parents' preference for their child with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) but they will be given a mainstream school place instead. He said: 'This can be an anxious time for families. 'Choosing the right school and securing a place there is a huge moment in a child's life and not everyone will get their first choice. 'There is particular concern this year for children with special or additional needs, where families are trying to navigate a broken Send system. 'There remains a hugely unfair postcode lottery when it comes to support for pupils with the most severe needs.' Mr Whiteman added: 'Without action, we risk a whole generation of young people missing out on the first-class support and education they deserve, and the anxious wait for families uncertain whether they will get a suitable school place for their child will continue.' England's school system has been put under pressure in recent years as a population bulge has been moving into secondary schools. Meanwhile, the number of children and young people on support plans for Send has risen over the past decade. There were 575,963 children and young people in England with education, health and care (EHC) plans, which set out the provision of Send support needed, in January 2024 – a 140% increase since 2015. Speaking ahead of National Offer Day, Mr Whiteman said: 'There will be too many cases across the country where a specialist place is the parental preference for a child with Send but, due to lack of capacity, mainstream schools are being asked to provide a place instead and support them. 'Any pupils in such circumstances deserve the full provision they would have received in the unavailable specialist place but clearly, for this to succeed, the mainstream school would need the full funding that the specialist place would have received. 'Simply asking mainstream schools to support more pupils with Send without providing the essential staffing, funding and resources they require could have a detrimental effect on those children and young people with Send, as well as their peers, especially if schools have to redirect funding they had previously committed elsewhere.' Official data shows that, last year, 82.9% of pupils were offered their first choice of secondary school – which was up slightly on 82.6% in 2023. A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: 'Families should be confident their child can go to a good local school, that meets their needs, so they can achieve and thrive. 'The Send system this government inherited has been failing to meet the needs of children and families for far too long, with a lack of early intervention and support in mainstream schools. 'Through our Plan for Change, we are determined to improve inclusivity and expertise in mainstream schools, making sure special schools cater to children with the most complex needs and restoring parents' trust that their child will get the right support.'
