THOUSANDS of children across the city will be offered places at secondary schools today (Monday 2 March) – with an increase in the percentage being offered their first choice.
Today is National Offer Day, when children up and down the country learn which secondary school they will attend for the 2026/27 academic year.
In Leicester, 4,622 city residents applied for a secondary school place. Of these, 3,876 (83.9%) gained a place at their first-choice school, compared to 82.3% in the previous academic year (2025/26). Overall, 94.9% of applicants were offered a place at one of their top four preferred schools, with the remaining 5.1% offered an alternative school place. Every applicant who applied on time received an offer of a school place.
Cllr Elaine Pantling, assistant city mayor for education, said: “I’m really pleased to see that the vast majority of applicants – 94.9% – gained a place at one of their preferred schools, with an increase in the percentage getting their first choice.
"We know starting secondary school can be an anxious time for families, and we do all we can to make the applications process as straightforward as possible. We have made sure that, once again, no-one who applies on time is without a place.”
Ninety-five per cent of parents made an online application, meaning they can view their results online on offer day, rather than having to wait for a letter to be posted out to them.
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