A peninsula head teacher is looking forward to welcoming pupils back to his school, after being able to accept 100 per cent of those wanting to join in September.

Shotley Community primary school, and Stutton primary school, which are both run Asset Education Trust, will be accepting 32 new pupils between them after the summer holidays.

Richard Dedicoat, head at Shotley Community Primary School, confirmed: "We are able to accommodate all the applications to reception for September 2020 and we're looking forward to beginning transition as soon as lockdown is lifted for schools.†

Clare Flintoff, chief executive officer of ASSET Education added: "Twenty children have been offered places at Shotley which is slightly more than we expected and a good number given the local demographics.

"The school now offers a really good standard of education and children in the Reception class have a particularly lovely environment to work in, both inside and out."

Like Shotley, Stutton's primary school has undergone quite a transformation since last year, and will get a huge uplift in numbers.

"We are particularly pleased to say that Stutton have 12 children joining them in September, leaving only one place in that year-group as thirteen is their admission number or limit," said Mrs Flintoff.

"This will mean that the school will be running three classes in the next academic year which is a real transformation from the school of 19 pupils that we took on in June 2018."

It is understood, schools at Chelmondiston, Holbrook, Tattingstone and Brantham, were all able to take all of those who had made them their preferred choice.

In fact, 98.57% of Suffolk children were offered a place on National Offer Day at one of the schools preferred by their parents.

Suffolk County Council received 7,602 applications from parents indicating which primary school they would prefer their child to join in September 2020.

Some 7,116 children received offers for their first preference school and 7,493 children received an offer for one of their three preferred schools.

Families who applied online are able to log on to the Admissions Portal from today to see the school their child has been offered. They will also receive an email with details of the school place offered. Letters will be sent to parents who made a paper application by second class post and should arrive by Monday.

Councillor Mary Evans, Cabinet Member for Children's Services, Education and Skills, said:"We have a good track record of offering places at preferred schools and this year is no exception. I am delighted that we have been able to give most parents a place for their child at one of the schools they want."

"We use published criteria to decide who has priority for places so that the process is fair and clear. I appreciate that not all families will have received a place at their preferred school and where a parents' preference for a Suffolk school is refused, we will automatically add their child's name to the waiting list for that school. We will also advise them about how to lodge an appeal should they wish to do so."

Any parents or carers with a child born between 1 September 2015 and 31 August 2016 who have not yet applied for a school place should make an application immediately by downloading the CAF1 application form from the website www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions or contact Suffolk County Council on 0345 600 0981.

Once school places have been confirmed, parents need to consider how their child will get to and from school. If their child is eligible for SCC funded school travel they will receive an email by 15 May 2020 with details of how to opt-in.

For further information on how to view your offer online and guidance on what to do if you have not received your preferred offer, please read the School admissions FAQ page on www.suffolk.gov.uk/admissions