Number of students not able to get first choice secondary school

WQ.184/2025

WRITTEN QUESTION TO THE MINISTER FOR EDUCATION AND LIFELONG LEARNING

BY DEPUTY J. RENOUF OF ST. BRELADE

QUESTION SUBMITTED ON MONDAY 28th APRIL 2025

ANSWER TO BE TABLED ON TUESDAY 6th MAY 2025

Question

"In respect of students in secondary schools, will the Minister –

1. publish figures for the last 5 academic years, including 2025, showing the number of students who did not receive a place at their first choice secondary school;
2. state the number of these students who lived within the catchment area for their first choice secondary school;
3. provide the capacity figures for each secondary school; and
4. for each school, provide the current total number of students and, if any schools are at capacity, advise whether the option to increase student numbers has been considered?"

Answer

(a) and (b)

Annual Admissions for Year 7 are completed during January to March prior to transition in September. In the first round of this process children that require a place at a non-fee-paying secondary school are allocated their catchment secondary school. In the second-round families can request a different school than their catchment, we call these out of catchment requests.

2025

• First Round - 27 children were denied their catchment school (following the published criteria).

• Second Round – Fewer than five of the children denied a catchment school place in the first round were also denied in the second round. 11 children were denied an out of catchment request

2024

• First Round – Fewer than 5 children were denied their catchment school (following the published criteria).

• Second Round – Fewer than 5 children were denied their catchment school. 7 children were denied an out of catchment request

2023

• First Round – 9 children were denied their catchment school (following the published criteria).

• Second Round – fewer than 5 children denied their catchment school in the first round went on to receive their catchment school in the second round. 31 children were denied an out of catchment request

2022

• First Round – 0 children were denied their catchment school

• Second Round – 28 children were denied an out of catchment request

2021

• First Round – 0 children were denied their catchment school

• Second Round – 11 children were denied an out of catchment request

(c) and (d) As of the Spring Census 2025:

Les Quennevais is the only school currently over capacity. This is due to an extra form of entry in the current year 9. This has limited further numbers to the school due to already being over the maximum capacity.