EIGHTY-six per cent of Surrey children who applied for reception class places this year were offered their first choice school - marginally less then last year.

Almost all applicants – 96 per cent – were allocated one of their top three preferred schools. However, more than a thousand Surrey parents missed out on a place at their preferred school for their child this September - almost one per cent more than in 2017.

Mary Lewis, Surrey County Council’s cabinet member for education, said: “There weren’t quite so many families applying this year as last, but there are parts of Surrey where demand for places is going up.

“We know that across the Surrey school system – both primary and secondary level – we still need to create thousands more places but that mammoth task is putting a huge strain on our finances.

“By the end of the decade we’ll face a funding gap of £100 million which is why we’re continuing to press for fair funding for Surrey and we hope parents will back us.”