The wait is over – Year 6 pupils in Medway are finding out which secondary school they will be going to in September.

For most it was good news as figures show almost 87% of children will be going to their first-choice school.

Nearly 99% have been offered a place at one of their named secondary schools. This is slightly up on 98.14% last year and up a further two per cent up on 2010.

Parents who applied online and provided an email address will receive an email of their offer after 4pm today.

Other families across the Towns will receive news of their child’s offer for September 2012 by post after letters went out today, National Offer Day.

The council’s admissions team processed secondary or grammar school applications for 2,828 Medway children and more than 320 children from outside the area this year.

More than 82% of families submitted their preferences online this year, using the council’s online application form – up from 58% of families that used this method in 2011.

Cllr Les Wicks, Medway Council’s portfolio holder for children’s services, said: "I’m pleased to see so many children gaining a place at one of their preferences and such a high number being allocated a place at their first-choice secondary school.

"Moving from primary to secondary school can be quite a leap for children and their families and I understand that waiting to hear the news about their school place can be an exciting but also stressful time for those involved."

Parents could select up to six schools when they applied and the closing date was October 31.

Anyone unhappy with their selection can ask to go on waiting lists for another school and/or appeal their offer. Appeal decisions are made by a panel independent of the school or the council.