ST Andrew’s School was in the mood for celebrating on ‘national offer day’ after the previously threatened town centre school offered places to a full complement of children.

Uncertainty over the 150-year-old Ofsted ‘good-rated’ infant school’s route of progression to junior school led to fears it may struggle to fill a new reception class and be rendered unviable earlier this year.

However, these fears receded when St Andrew’s promised 41 parents a place for their child this September - exceeding the school’s Published Admissions Number (PAN) of 40.

The 41 offers made by the Farnham town centre school also exceeds the 30 pupils deemed financially viable by the local education authority Surrey County Council.

National Offer Day ended an anxious wait for schools as well as parents, coming after mums and dads across the UK applied for places at up to four schools for their children in January - ranking them in order of preference.

Of its 41 offers, St Andrew’s accepted 15 first preference applications, five second preference and seven third preference. The remaining 14 places were offered to a mix of fourth preference applicants, people who live outside Surrey and those unable to be offered a place at any of their top four schools.

Schools will not find out how many parents have chosen to accept their places until after the deadline on May 3.

But with talks to solve the key issue of which junior school its pupils will go to after graduating from year three ongoing, St Andrew’s is hopeful parents will keep faith in the historic school.

St Andrew’s parent teacher association spokesman Polly Laughton said: “Despite the recent anxiety, St Andrew’s infant school in Farnham is delighted to be offering a full intake for reception in 2016.

“St Andrew’s Infant School is a Voluntary Controlled Church of England School which has offered a fantastic nurturing introduction to education to the children of Farnham for over 150 years.”

Headteacher Monique Clark added: “The school is buoyant and buzzing, we are all excited to meet our new families.”

• Across Surrey, demand for primary school places reached a new high on Monday, April 18, as the number applying for reception class places across the county rose by 279 to a record 13,827.

However, last year’s dip in applications in Farnham was repeated to an extent, with only South Farnham Infants, Highfield South Farnham and All Saint’s in Tilford meeting their PANs with first, second and third preference applications alone.

South Farnham’s massively over-subscribed junior site in Menin Way filled its 76 pupil target entirely with first preference applications while Waverley Abbey Junior School in Tilford also filled all 120 places on offer with first preference applications.