More than 95 per cent of children due to start school this year have been offered their first choice school, according to Cornwall Council.

The council received 5,486 applications for reception places for pupils to start school in September.

Of those, 5221 - 95.2 per cent - have been offered a place at their first preference school, which the council says is an increase on last year’s figure of 93.4 per cent.

And nearly 99 per cent have been offered a place at one of their three preferred schools.

Sally Hawken, the council’s cabinet member for children and wellbeing, said: "Thanks go to the School Admissions Team for their hard work in co-ordinating this process and to schools for their support in ensuring as many children as possible attend their preferred school.”

However, the council said it recognised that some families might be disappointed by their allocation, with Newquay and Bude seeing particular pressure for reception places this year.

The number of oversubscribed schools is also expected to increase as late applications for places are processed over the next few weeks, with more than 130 being received after the deadline so far this year.