Parents will found out today which secondary school their child will be attending from September.

School allocations will be announced via email from 6pm tonight by Hertfordshire County Council.

Nearly 95 per cent of Hertfordshire children have been allocated a place at one of their preferred secondary or upper schools.

Despite the number of applications increasing by more than 400 on last year, more children have been allocated a place at one of their ranked schools.

This year 12,488 Hertfordshire children have a place at a preferred school, with 10,232 children, nearly 78 per cent, gaining a place at their first ranked school.

Chris Hayward, cabinet member for education and skills at the county council, said: "We all want the best possible education for children in Hertfordshire and we know that the county has excellent schools that perform well above the national average.

“While I appreciate that a small number of parents may be disappointed with the school they have been allocated,

"I would encourage them to visit the school and speak to the headteacher before dismissing the offered place. They may be pleasantly surprised by what they see.”

All applicants who have not been offered their first preference school will automatically be placed on the continuing interest list for any Hertfordshire schools named higher on the application form than the school offered.

Parents and carers who applied online will be able to accept the school place offered online, as well as pursuing a continuing interest place and lodging an appeal.

Parents were also able to apply for Year 10 places at the Da Vinci studio schools in Stevenage and Letchworth, The Elstree University Technical College (UTC) and The Watford UTC.

School places must be accepted by March 16. This is also the last date to 'opt out' of continuing interest for community and voluntary controlled schools.

The deadline to submit an appeal is 4pm on April 2, 2015.

For more information, visit: www.hertsdirect.org/admissions