PARENTS across Somerset last week received confirmation of where their children will be going to primary school.

Somerset County Council says that nearly 98% of the 5,851 Somerset children secured a place at one of their top three choices of primary school.

A spokesperson for Somerset County Council added: “Over 92% of children have got their first choice of primary school.

“This is an improvement on the last three years, and with almost 100 extra primary school-age children applying for a school place for the 2015-16 academic year than for 2014-15.

“Over the last two years Somerset County Council has invested £6million in 1,320 places across the county and plans to invest in new schools in Yeovil and Bridgwater – this is a reflection of our continued commitment to providing school places to all pupils applying for them within the county.”

The figures are up on last year when Somerset County Council reported that 91.45% of 5,755 children did get accepted into their first choice school, while 97.12% were given one of their top three choices.

One of those happy mums is Maria Scantlebury of Taunton, whose three-year-old son Charlie Newman got in to his first place – St George’s School.

Maria, 27, said: “I was really happy and excited when I found out Charlie had got into St George’s.

“I went there and so did my mum so now we will have had three generations at the school.

“It’s a good school and Charlie goes to the nursery there so he’ll know some of the other children in his class.”

However, another Taunton parent, who wished not to be named, said she was “extremely disappointed” after her daughter was not accepted at any of her top three schools.

She added: “I was extremely disappointed when I found out my daughter had not been accepted into any of three top schools we had chosen especially as many of her friends had been.

“She was also very upset as she was looking forward to going to the same school as her friends from nursery and now we have to look elsewhere.”