Parents and carers have until the end of this month to secure their child’s place at their first choice secondary school for September next year.

Suffolk County Council received 7,652 applications last year from parents and carers hoping to get their child into their preferred secondary school, including middle schools, high schools and upper schools.

The council is urging all parents of every child requiring a Year 7 place at a high school, a Year 5 place at a middle school or a Year 9 place at an upper school to get their applications in before the Saturday, October 31 deadline.

With 93 per cent of applicants receiving offers for their first preference school and 98 per cent of applicants receiving an offer for one of their three preferred schools last year, before making a school application, parents and carers need to consider how they will get their child to and from school.

Applications can be made at www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions