BIG differences in the demand for places at local secondary schools have been revealed in a Gazette survey.

Certain schools in north Hampshire are significantly over-subscribed as pupils prepare for the leap from primary to secondary school in the autumn, while others will be left with vacant places.

The most over-subscribed schools in The Gazette circulation area for this September are Robert May's School, in West Street, Odiham, and The Clere School and Technology College, in Burghclere.

Both had 40 more applications from families citing them as their first preference than they have places. Robert May's has the capacity for 240 new pupils each September and The Clere has a maximum intake of 145.

The third most over-subscribed for first preference places is Bishop Challoner Catholic Secondary School, in St Michael's Road, South Ham, Basingstoke, which had 155 applications for its 124 places.

The two schools that attracted the least number of first preference applications for the number of places they have were Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College, in Wessex Close, Basingstoke, and Aldworth Science College, in Western Way, Basingstoke.

Cranbourne had 188 first preference applications for its 260 admission places, while Aldworth had 135 first preference applications for 200 spaces.

Claire Cafrine, principal admissions officer at Hampshire County Council, said: "It is important to remember that this was the picture on March 1.

"There will have been movement since that date as families move away from the area or accept places in independent schools, which means some pupils who were initially unsuccessful will now have been offered places.

"All first preference applications to the catchment school were successful.

"Those who were unsuccessful were out-of-catchment applications, possibly with a sibling at the secondary school or attending a linked primary school."

When applying for secondary school places for their children, parents must name first, second and third preference schools.

If all three preferences are unsuccessful, the county council allocates a place in the school closest to the child's home that has an available place.

Appeals from parents whose children have been declined a place at their preferred school are heard from mid-March. Last year, 53.8 per cent of appeals in Hampshire were successful.

First published: Monday, April 24, 2006