Thousands of puplis across Essex will find out today (March 2) if their child has received a place at their first-choice secondary school.

Essex County Council (ECC) said 86 per cent of parents have received places for their children at their first choice school, with another seven per cent offered their second choice, a small increase from last year.

Fewer than three per cent of the 15,000 parents that applied did not receive an offer from one of their six choices.

The county council recently received confirmation from the Department of Education of a £41.4 million grant, bringing the total funding to support the creation of new school places over a four year period up to 2017 to £137.7 million.