Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, what plans his Department has to ensure more students are allocated places at their preferred schools.

On Secondary National Offer Day on 1 March 2019, the vast majority of parents will have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools. The 2018 data showed that last year more than nine in ten pupils got a place at one of their top three choices, setting them on the path for a successful future. Standards have also risen since 2010 with 86% of schools now judged as good or outstanding, compared to 68% in 2010, meaning there are more good schools for parents to send their children to - and that is in part down to the Government’s reforms.

The vast majority of new places are being created in the best existing schools or through good new schools. Data show 91% of places added in 2016/17 were in good and outstanding schools. Overall, the Government is on track to create 1 million new school places this decade (2010 to 2020), the largest increase in school capacity in 2 generations.