More than 1,742 parents in the borough are due to be sent secondary school offers for their children today.

The number of applicants has increased by more than 100 on previous years, with two-thirds of applicants receiving a first preference offer and 86 per cent one of their first three preferences.

Council cabinet member for schools, Paul Hodgins, said he was delighted that all on-time applicants have received an offer of a place but wanted the first preference percentage to improve in future years.

He said: "This will be done by increasing choice further and seeing further improvements across our schools.

"Inevitably some schools are more popular than others and the challenge for us is to ensure that all local schools improve to the point where parents will be happy to state their closest school as their first preference."

Coun Hodgins said Richmond Council was doing its utmost to help the Education Funding Agency to find a site for the Turing House free school, and is progressing plans for a new secondary school on the Richmond College site by 2017.

He said: "With this added choice and continued performance improvements our schools are set to become even more popular over the next few years."

  • Are you happy with your offer? Email george.odling@london.newsquest.co.uk.