Tens of thousands of youngsters are set to miss out on their top choice of school as Infants across England are today learning what school they will be attending this autumn
Early indications suggest wide differences around the country, with up to one in six missing out on their first preference in some areas, compared with almost all getting their number one pick in others.
A continuing squeeze on places, particularly at primary level - fuelled in part by a rising birth rate in recent years, combined with the effect of immigration in some areas - means that some parts of England are struggling to accommodate every child.
Ahead of what is known as National Offer Day, Labour released new figures which it claimed showed that a growing crisis in school places means that more than 100,000 five to seven-year-olds are being taught in "supersize" classes".
The party said its analysis of data obtained from freedom of information requests to local councils reveals that the numbers of young children being taught in classes of more than 30 pupils has reached its highest level for 15 years.
It blamed the rise on the Conservative Party, which it said had spent millions on setting up free schools rather than focusing funding on areas in need of more places.
Initial results from a survey of town halls shows that families in some areas are more likely to gain a place at their top choice than in others.
Children raise their hands in class
In Kirklees, 90.4% of youngsters have got their first place, along with 90% in Oldham.
Results from Birmingham show that 84.7% of children starting reception have got their first preference, while 94.8% got one of their listed choices. Around 5.2% - 826 children -- were given a school that was not one of their preferred options, while a further 3.3% - 532 youngsters - have been offered a school outside the city.
Figures from East Sussex show that 84.68% got their first choice, while in Southampton the percentage was 85.4%.
Other early results include Derbyshire, where 93.4% of youngsters have their first pick, Torbay was 86.2%, Bristol was 84%, up from 82% last year, and Cornwall was 90.7%.
In Kent the figure was was 85.81%, up from 84.9% last year.
Patrick Leeson of Kent County Council said: "Our schools admissions team has been working hard, as usual, to ensure that as many pupils as possible get a school from among their preferred choices and we are pleased to see that the number of both first and second choices has increased.
"However, we will not lose sight of the fact that 4% of pupils have not been given a school from their preferences. While many will secure places through waiting lists and reallocation, I am aware that this will be a difficult time and we will do what we can to offer a good outcome.
"Local authorities across England face significant challenges because of a lack of primary school places. In Kent, however, the combination of good forecasting, careful planning, and close working with schools means we are able to sustain a high proportion of children starting at a school of their preference.
"We are also creating hundreds of additional places - both for the start of the academic year 2015/16 and from September 2016."
Labour's figures indicate that around 102,615 pupils aged between five and seven are being taught in classes with at least 31 children.
This is up from 93,345 last year, and 31,265 in 2010. In 2000, there were 176,962 pupils in classes of over 30.
Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said: "The crisis in school places is yet more evidence that the Tory plan is failing working families. It is thanks to David Cameron and his decision to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money on a few free schools in areas where there are no shortages of places that the number of young children in supersize classes has more than tripled since 2010 and parents are finding it harder to get a place for their child at a local school."
Labour plans to bring back a strict cap on infant class sizes and prioritise spending on areas that need new school places, he added.
Children at school raising their hands to answer a question as more than 100,000 infants are now being taught in "supersize" classes, amid a growing crisis in school places, it has been claimed
A Conservative Party spokesman said: "Labour cut over 200,000 primary school places - and even ignored official warnings to provide extra school places after a baby boom.
"The Conservatives have created over 400,000 school places. There are fewer children in overcrowded primary schools and, most importantly, one million more children in good or outstanding schools since 2010."
The survey results show a mixed picture, while some areas have seen a rise in youngsters gaining their top choice, others have seen a drop.
Southend has seen a 3% rise, with 87% of infants offered their first preference, up from 84% last year, while Hull has seen a rise from 89.34% in 2014 to 92.04% this year.
But Stoke has seen a fall, with 89% of youngsters getting their first choice for this September, compared to 92.2% last year, and in Wokingham first choice offers have dropped one percentage point to 85%.
Education law firm Match Solicitors said it has seen an unprecedented level of inquiries this week from parents around the country seeking advice and representation for appeals against school places.
Director Anita Chopra, said: "It's clear that local authority cuts have put extra pressure on school places, many councils have told us that they are already under capacity across all their schools, so pressure on the best rated schools will be even fiercer this year."
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