More pupils given their first choice of secondary school

The number of pupils who have been accepted into their first choice of secondary school has increased from last year.

In 2021, 82% transferred to their first choice, and this has risen to 89% in 2022, with a further 6% getting their second preference. All 2,415 applicants from Bury residents have been offered a place at secondary school.

This increase also shows how Bury’s education is recovering from the pandemic. Last year in England, 81% of pupils got accepted into their first choice, which was a decrease on previous years. The pandemic caused delays in applications and selections but, as restrictions have been removed and relaxed, the education system in Bury has been able recover from the pandemic and continue working to provide opportunities and high standards of education for pupils across the borough.

Councillor Tamoor Tariq, cabinet member for children’s services, young people and skills, said: “I am delighted that even more pupils this year will studying at their preferred choice. All our schools across the borough have been working incredibly hard over the last couple of years to continue providing a high quality of education and I’m sure that pupils starting high school later this year will benefit from that hard work and be excited to begin their secondary school career at their first choice.”