More than 97% of primary school children across Medway will start school at one of their preferred school choices in September.

Families across the Towns will start find out which primary school their child has been offered, by email, from 4pm this afternoon and letters will also be posted first class today.

This year more than 89% of youngsters secured a place at their first choice school, up 2% from last year, 6% at the second choice and just under 1.5% at their third choice.

The council received applications for 3,375 Medway children and 130 out of area children.

Cllr Andrew Mackness, Medway Council’s head of children’s services, said: “It is wonderful to see so many children in Medway offered a place at one of their preferred schools, and such a high number at their first preference school.

"This is a really exciting time for families and I’d like to wish all children starting their education this September the very best of luck.”

Head of educational attainment and improvement, Cllr Martin Potter, said: “I am pleased that a vast majority of children have been offered a place at one of their top preference schools.

"I’d like to encourage the youngsters receiving their offer today to enjoy their time at school, have fun and work hard to reach their full potential.

“Through the work of our School Organisation Plan we have successfully identified the need for school places and those places have been provided through a programme of school expansion.

"We will continue to meet the challenges presented by our growing population by providing additional school places, and in particular the larger number of secondary applications we forecast we’ll receive as larger primary cohorts progress through academic years. This will continue to be achieved through our School Organisation Plan.”

Ian Sutherland, director of Children and Adult Services, said: “Our admissions team works hard to make sure as many children as possible are placed at one of their preferred primary schools in Medway.

“I’d like to wish the children receiving their school offer today all the very best, and hope they enjoy the next exciting stage of their schooling.”