The number of 11-year-olds getting their first choice of secondary school has dropped in Richmond.

National Offer day, on March 1, saw 62 per cent of the borough's children getting their first place of secondary school. In 2017, this figure was 68 per cent.

The Good Schools Guide warned that in 2018 up to 17 per cent in children could miss out on their first choice nationally, but in Richmond this is 38 per cent.

The council had seemed confident last year that more children, not fewer, would be getting into their preferred schools.

In 2017 leader of the council, councillor Paul Hodgins, said: “As our secondary schools continue to improve the demand for our schools is increasing - added to the additional attraction of the new sixth forms.

“More than two-thirds of our students have been offered a place at their first preference of school. I expect this figure to continue to rise as we increase choice and improvements across our schools.”

A Richmond Council spokeswoman blamed “the slight drop” on the baby boom of the early 2000s and said this problem was affecting London as a whole.

She added: “In addition, as our secondary schools become more popular, we have received more applications. Indeed over 100 more people applied this year.

“It is important to note that these figures will change over the next few weeks and months. This is as parents accept their offers, or indeed decline, if for example they have made arrangements in the private sector.”

Leader of Richmond's Liberal Democrats, councillor Gareth Roberts, said: "We warned this would be a consequence when the Tories chose to use the space in our secondary schools which had been earmarked for expansion to create their sixth forms.

“Now, for the next few years at least, it is quite likely that families will find it harder to get places for children in popular local secondary schools."