THE number of Wirral parents forced to send their children to less popular secondary schools has risen.

Last night, the annual increase in disappointed applicants was blamed on “the gamble backfiring” for parents wasting first choices because their children had failed entrance tests at the borough’s grammar schools.

But elsewhere in Merseyside, the percentage of parents getting one of their first three choices rose or stayed the same as last year.

The annual statistics, published by the Department for Children, Schools and Families, showed 97.7% of parents secured one of their first three choices of secondary schools earlier this month, compared with 98.3% the previous academic year. The percentage getting their first-choice school also dipped from 79.9 to 76.5% in the same period.

Steven Peach is headteacher at Wallasey secondary The Oldershaw, which more parents than ever put down as a preferred school.

He said the slight dip might be down to the “unique” make-up of Wirral due to its mix of grammar, faith and community secondary schools.

Mr Peach added: “For that reason, I think the figures are skewed.

“As a parent, when you put down a grammar school on the application form, you cannot be certain how your child will do in the entry test.

“If they do not pass, then in effect you waste a choice and the gamble backfires.”