MORE than 90 per cent of families across Cheshire West and Chester, and Cheshire East, received their first choice primary school place for this September.

Hundreds of thousands of parents and carers across England found out what primary school their child will be joining this autumn, on what is commonly known as National Offer Day on Friday.

In Cheshire West and Chester, 91.3 per cent of children gained a place to study at their preferred primary school.

This is the equivalent of 3,114 children.

Meanwhile, in Cheshire East, 92.8 per cent of families received their first choice, with 98.4 per cent given a school on their preference list.

Ged Rowney, Cheshire East Council interim director of children’s services, said: "We have a superb record for children and their parents being offered a place of their choice in one of the borough’s many primary schools.

"Our vision is that all children and young people, including our most vulnerable, have choices in their education and onto employment and training.

"In short, we want them to have an enjoyable education that supports them to achieve to their full potential.

"Our role is to ensure that we have enough school places for our growing population.

"Approximately £84 million has been invested in schemes that are either completed or committed, into schools for additional places or to improve their condition.

"Providing additional places also helps more children attend a local school reducing the need to travel and promoting a healthy lifestyle by walking or cycling."

If your child has been refused a place at one or more of your preferred schools, you are entitled to appeal against that decision.

The type of school will determine who will consider your appeal - this could be the academy trust, local authority or governing body.

Your appeal should be lodged as soon as you receive a refusal letter, and should be submitted no later than 5pm on May 14, 2021.

Mike Pemberton, partner and head of the civil liberties and public law team at Stephensons, specialises in education law.

His advice to parents whose children have not received a place at their school of choice is: "When you consider that the initial allocation is going to have an effect on the next seven years of your child’s life as they develop through Key Stage One and Two, it is not surprising that national offer day can be stressful.

"The main thing though, is not to panic.

"Parents’ starting point should be to firstly look closely at the school your child has been given a place for – there may well be more merits in that option than you first realise."