Of the 8,555 children applying to Lincolnshire secondary schools this year, 86% (7,358) will receive a place at their first-choice school.

Because of appeals and movement on the reserve list, it is likely that further children will be offered a place at their first-choice school by the time they start in September.

Currently 8% have been offered a place at their second preference, with 2% receiving a place at their third choice, resulting in 96% of all applicants receiving one of their preferences.

The 4% who haven’t got one of their preferred schools will be offered a place at the closest school in Lincolnshire with spaces available.

Councillor Mrs Patricia Bradwell OBE, executive councillor for children’s services, said: “It‘s good to see so many families receiving offers at one of their preferred schools again, especially with it being such a large cohort this year. This figure is likely to be even higher by September. It is always our intention to support parents to make the application process as easy as possible, and it’s nice to see an increasing number of parents using the online parent portal to make their application and receive their offer on national offer day.”

Parents who applied using the online application system will have been emailed their offer letter on 1 March – go to www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions and log on to the parent portal if you cannot access this email. Parents who applied by phone or paper form will have been posted their letter today (1 March), first-class.

Parents have until noon on 28 March to lodge an appeal if they are unhappy with the offered school.

If parents return the appeal form by the deadline, it will be heard before the end of the summer term. If it is received late, it will still be heard but this may be in the last week of term or even into September.

Parents who wish to apply for school transport will find information on this in their offer letter or can go to www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/school-college-transport for eligibility information and how to apply. For travel arrangements to be in place by September, parents need to apply by 31 May.

For further details about school admissions, go to www.lincolnshire.gov.uk/schooladmissions.