Nearly 90 per cent of all pupils applying to secondary schools in Medway have been offered their first choice school.

In total 3,181 pupils applied to Medway Council for a secondary school place in Medway for September, with 88.98 per cent of those getting their first preference school - that’s a 2.47 per cent increase on the number of pupils who got their first choice last year.

That compares to 78 per cent of Kent County Council pupils getting their top preference.

More than six per cent in Medway were offered their second choice with just 1.66 per cent being offered their third choice.

The big difference this year is that parents had the chance to see the results of their children’s 11-plus Medway Test before choosing their preferred schools.

The total number of applications consisted of 3,008 applications from Medway pupils and 173 pupils from elsewhere in the county.

Last year there were 3,453 applications from Medway pupils and 169 from other areas of Kent.

A Medway Council spokesman said: "In allocating places, we need to follow our admission process fairly, balancing the aspirations of parents who want a popular school against the need to avoid schools being overcrowded, as this would reduce standards.

"There is then an appeal stage, which is also organised by the council, though those deciding the appeals are independent of it."