Nearly 98% Get First Choice School in Cornwall

Parents and carers across Cornwall have found out today, Monday 2nd March, which secondary school their child has been allocated for September 2026, and the vast majority have secured their top choice.

Figures released show that almost 98% of children have been offered a place at their first preference school.

Strong First Preference Results

Cornwall Council received 5,555 applications for secondary school places for September 2026. Of those, 5,437 children have been offered a place at their first preference school.

That equates to 97.88%. The figure is higher than last year’s 97.58% and also above last year’s national average of 83.5%.

Almost every child in Cornwall, 99.62%, received a place at one of their top three preferred schools this year. That compares with 99.97% last year.

A Worrying Time for Families

Hilary Frank, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families at Cornwall Council, said:

“We know that National Offer Day can be a worrying time for families so it’s brilliant that so many received the news they wanted today. This is all down to the hard work of our teams who work closely with schools across Cornwall to make sure as many children as possible can attend their preferred school. I would like to thank everyone who played a part this year.

“We know that some families may be disappointed by the allocation for their child and there is an independent appeals process that can be followed. More information on this can be found on the school appeals page on the council’s website.”

Families who wish to explore the appeals process can find further details on the school appeals page on Cornwall Council’s website.