NINETY-SEVEN per cent of Devon families have secured a place for their children at their first-choice primary school this September, Devon County Council has said. 

The new figures show a 0.3 per cent rise on last year in families getting a place at their first-choice school. 

Of the 6,863 applications made across the county, 99.1 per cent were offered one of their three preferred schools. 

Andrew Leadbetter (Conservative, Wearside and Topsham) said: “It is very gratifying that we have been able to enable more families

 to achieve their first preference school this year and accommodate the vast majority of children in one of their preferred schools. 

“We anticipate this will see Devon as one of the highest performing local authorities nationally and we expect to see these figures rise still further during the run up to the new academic year as people’s plans change and appeals are heard.” 

Parents were notified of their places on Tuesday, April 16.