Slight drop in first picks - but councillor is upbeat about state of secondary education in borough
DESPITE the opening of three new secondary schools in recent years, including a first 'full' new intake at Orsett Heath School last September, the number of pupils across the borough who have been granted a first choice place in September this year, has dipped slightly.
So too has the number who received one of their top three preferences.
Figures released today (Monday, 3 March) revealed that 76% of students will be able to attend their first choice of school, with 90% of children being allocated one of their top three preferences.
There were a total of 2,436 applications for secondary school places for September 2025.
Last year 77.7% of students were able to attend their most preferred school, with 91.1% of children being allocated one of their top three. And there were more than 2,500 applicants last year.
The dip reverses a trend over recent years of an annual increase in the number of first and top three picks. In 2023 the first-choice percentage was 73.5%
However, education portfolio holder Cllr Vikki Hartstean, is upbeat about the latest figures said: "It is terrific that three quarters of children in our borough are going to their first choice of school and that 90 per cent have been offered a place at one of their top three secondary school choices. We are proud of our services, which have worked hard to offer school places to over 2,400 young people in our borough.
"If you applied online for a secondary school place, you can use the council's online system today to check which school place has been offered. For those who did not apply online, this will be sent by post and you should receive an offer letter shortly.
"I would like to wish all of the pupils who are checking their applications today the best of luck as they take this exciting next step in their educational journey."
Parents who have applied for Primary school places starting in September 2025 will receive their school offer on Wednesday, 16 April.
As well as Orsett Heath, Thurrock has seen the building in 2022 of a new secondary school, Thames Park, in Grays, while the new Treetops Free School has increased the secondary options for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).
And Harris Academy Riverside was a new secondary that opened in 2019.
For more information on the school admissions process, go to thurrock.gov.uk/admissions
Also see:
2022: https://thurrock.nub.news/news/local-news/parents-learn-if-they-have-got-their-secondary-school-pick
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