DEMAND is outstripping supply at two of Tendring’s secondary schools.

New figures show how more students are applying to go both Clacton County High School and Manningtree High School as their first choice school than the total number of spaces available, meaning some will lose out.

Clacton County High School was top choice for 353 people, but there are only 279 spaces. The school was one of the six choices of 499 people for the coming intake in September, and 518 last year.

Manningtree High School was top choice for 215 people, with 174 spaces available. The total applications for this year was 474, and 423 last year.

Manningtree headteacher Sally Morris said: “We know that we were first preference for a significantly higher number of year 6 students than we can take.

“It is very pleasing to know that so many parents and carers feel they want entrust the education of their child to us.

“The number of students wanting to come to Manningtree has been increasing over the last four years.

“Our current intake number of 174 does accommodate all the students in our main feeder primaries that want to transfer to us as their local school this year.

“After our next phase of building work is complete, we will be in a position to take more students into year 7 should the pressure for places still be there, as we anticipate it will, given the amount of new homes being built nearby.”

At the other end of the table is Clacton Coastal Academy and Harwich and Dovercourt High School which have more spaces than the total applications received.

Clacton Coastal Academy was top choice for 150 students and was one of the six choices in 259 applications this year - but there are 270 spaces available.

Harwich and Dovercourt High had 170 first choice applications this year, and 199 in total, with 260 spaces on offer. Last year it had 217 applications in total.

At Colne Community School and College, Brightlingsea - 203 parents picked it as a first choice, with 248 places available. The number of parents applying to Colne dropped by 114 since the previous year.

The latest Ofsted report rated the school inadequate.