Record numbers of students have been offered their top preferences for Merton’s secondary schools in a year.

Figures revealed today show that 85.5 per cent of children in the borough have been offered a place in one of their top three preferred secondary schools.

Two-thirds of Merton children were offered a place at their first choice secondary school and 93 per cent a place at one of their six preferences.

Cabinet member for education, Councillor Caroline Cooper-Marbiah said: “Merton schools are deservedly more popular than ever with more and more families choosing them as their top preferences for their children.

"Our state secondary schools are in the top 10 per cent in the country for the progress young people make between the ages of 11-16, and all our schools are ‘outstanding’ or ‘good’.

This year has seen more families requesting Merton schools as their top choices from both inside and outside the borough.

Despite this a "small number" of applicants have yet to be given an offer.

The Council has said that "all families involved that it will be working to ensure that there will be a Merton secondary school place for every Merton child who wants one."

“We would like to remind parents that they should respond to their offer by March 15 and that our school admissions website gives further details to parents in different circumstances on what to do next," Cllr Cooper-Marbiah added.

"We would like to reassure everyone that we are working hard to make sure there will be a secondary school place for every Merton child who wants one, before the new school year starts in September.”