MORE children will start school in their preferred choice in September despite the number of new pupils rising.

A total of 117 pupils in Brighton and Hove will not start at one of their top three choices.

But the number of pupils offered their first preference school is up by 117 this year at 2509 or 87.8%, compared to 2392 or 82.5% in 2014.

The proportion of pupils offered one of their three preferred schools is also up at 95.9% from 94.2% last year.

Where the council has not been able to offer any of the three preferred schools, parents are promised they are being offered a place at the nearest school that has places available.

This figure is also an improvement on last year, with only 4.1% missing out this year compared to last year’s figure of 5.8%.

There is a similar picture in West Sussex where a total of 11,571 parents or 97.5% have been offered one of their top three preferences of schools compared to 10,867 last year.

Overall, 11,864 places have been offered compared to 11,216 last year. This year 10,528 parents received their first preference compared to 10,063 last year.

Jeremy Hunt, West Sussex County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and Skills, said: “Finding out about your child’s school is always an anxious time for parents.

“Our allocations team at West Sussex have done a tremendous job and I’m delighted that so many parents have been offered one of their preferences.”

Over the last year the council has created hundreds of additional school places for youngsters to meet the unprecedented growth in pupil numbers.

Mr Hunt added: “I know there will be some parents who are disappointed today and unhappy with their allocated places.

“Our team will work with parents where this is the case.”

In East Sussex, 4,864 or 84.7% got their first choice, 393 or 6.8% second choice and 127 or 2.2% third choice, with 360 or 6.3% missing out.

An East Sussex County Council spokesman said: “We are pleased that this year 94% of parents have been allocated a place at one of their preferred schools, and 85% got their first choice.”

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LABOUR candidate for Hastings and Rye, Sarah Owen, said: “The number of young children in large classes has more than tripled since 2010 and parents are finding it harder to get a place for their child at a local school.

“The shocking forecast that there will be 1,818 more primary pupils than places by September 2018 in East Sussex if sufficient school places are not provided demonstrates that this trend is going to continue.”

A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservatives have created over 400,000 school places.

“There are fewer children in overcrowded primary schools and most importantly, one million more children in good or outstanding schools since 2010.”