WELWYN Garden City’s Applecroft School is the most over-subscribed primary school in Welwyn Hatfield, new figures have revealed.

Last week parents learned which school their children would be going to from September.

Of 1,670 applications in Welwyn Hatfield and Potters Bar, 1,342 got a place in their preferred school.

The other children were all awarded places at their second, third or fourth choice.

Applecroft School, in WGC, was the most sought-after school in Welwyn Hatfield, receiving 235 student applications for just 60 places.

But Oaklands School, in Welwyn, filled just six of its available 30 spaces.

This week Vicky Parsey, head at Applecroft, said the school was proud of its achievements.

She said: “This year we had around the usual amount of parents list us as one of their choices. We are proud of Applecroft and delighted people want to be a part of it.

“What is good is that with fewer siblings automatically getting places, children will be coming to us from a wider geographical area.”

The second most popular school in the borough was Green Lanes Primary in Hatfield Garden Village, with 200 applications for 60 spaces.

Creswick Primary School and Nursery, in Sir John Newsom Way, WGC, came a close third with 194 for 60 places. And The Ryde School, in Pleasant Rise, Hatfield, received 171 applications for 30 allocations.

Oaklands Primary School, in Welwyn, received 53 applications, but only six of the available 30 spaces were allocated to pupils.

A spokeswoman for the county council said this may have been because Oaklands was put down as the fourth choice for many pupils who received a place at a higher preference school.

In a statement, Oaklands head Julia Hume said: “Oaklands is a great school and I am proud to work with such fantastic children, parents, teachers and governors.

“Our current infant classes are well-subscribed and we have a ‘good’ Ofsted rating.

“The initial number of children allocated a place at the school for September is disappointing.

“I will be working closely with the local authority over the coming months and very much hope that – as the allocation process continues – numbers will increase.

“Any parents who would like to speak to me or visit the school are welcome to do so. My door is always open.”

As a county, more than 95 per cent children in Herts were offered a place at one of their preferred schools.

For the first time this year, parents were allowed to specify four establishments they would rather send their children to.

Previously only three choices were allowed.

Parents must now respond to their children’s offers by Thursday, May 2, and the deadline for appeals is 4pm on Friday, May 17.

> For a full breakdown of applications, see this week’s Welwyn Hatfield Times, on sale now.