KNUTSFORD Academy has been able to offer places to 100 per cent of prospective Year 7 pupils who selected the school as their first choice.

The Academy received 538 applications – the second highest number in east Cheshire behind Wilmslow High School’s 597 – and was able to offer all 159 who marked it as their ‘first preference’ a place for September and the start of the 2017/18 academic year.

Under the direction of Cheshire East Council due to high demand in the north of the borough, the Academy has also offered 42 places more than its guideline 180.

Knutsford Acacdemy Trust executive principal Mike Cladingbowl said: “We are absolutely delighted that so many parents and students selected Knutsford Academy as part of the secondary school allocation process managed by Cheshire East Council and in preparation for starting in September 2017.

“This is such an important decision and for the Academy to be so popular is something we are very proud of.

“We are currently awaiting the final acceptance numbers as the numbers are for offered places at this point.

“If it does exceed our current capacity of 180 then we will ensure that we do everything to meet this additional demand and continue to deliver the high class education and opportunities that our students, and parents, expect and deserve.”

Across the borough, schools were able to offer first preference places to more than 93 per cent of secondary school applicants – almost 10 per cent better than the 2016 UK average.

In total, 4,866 applications were received for school places in east Cheshire, with 3,878 of those coming from residents of the borough.

Cllr Liz Durham, Cheshire East Council cabinet member for children and families, said: “Our schools in Cheshire East have a well-deserved reputation for excellence, with 95.1 per cent rated good or outstanding by Ofsted.

“This leads to a significant number of applications from outside the borough.

“Because of this, and our desire to offer parents places in a local school of their choice, extra resources are being made available to make this possible.”