Thousands of children are expected to miss out on their first choice of primary school this year.

As more than 540,000 families in England await the results of applications, figures suggest that up to a quarter of parents in some areas may be disappointed.

The problem appears to be worst in London and the South East. In the Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames, in southwest London, only three quarters of parents have been offered their first choice of school.

The council also admits that it has been unable to find any places at all for 10 per cent of children. This has left 200, double the number last year, with no school place for September. The council said that it was in talks with schools to build emergency classrooms in playgrounds.

Among local authorities that have sent out offers, many suggest that more than 10 per cent of parents are likely to be disappointed.

The figures range from only 74.5 per cent of children in Hammersmith and Fulham being offered their first choice to 98 per cent in Hull.

Other figures are: 87.5 per cent in Birmingham, 89 per cent in Bristol, 81 per cent in Bromley, 85 per cent in East Sussex, 89 per cent in Kent, 94 per cent in Lancashire, 88 per cent in Leeds, 90 per cent in Manchester, 89 per cent in Newcastle upon Tyne, 82 per cent in Richmond upon Thames, 86 per cent in Surrey, 96 per cent in Suffolk and 91 per cent in Warwickshire.

A spokesman for Kingston council said that the number of primary school applications received this year had exceeded all expectations. “The current situation is unprecedented in recent years and the demand for places has exceeded the projected need based on the usual indicators, such as increased birth rate and local housing developments,” he said.

He added that the surge in applications appeared to be a result of an unusually high number of newcomers to the borough. He also suggested that the economic slowdown was affecting the numbers choosing independent schools, leaving the state sector to absorb greater numbers.

The shortage of places has angered local parents. Vicky Grinnell-Wright, whose daughter Alexandra, 4, has not been offered a place at local school, said that the council's poor planning was down to negligence. “We are prepared to take this a long, long way should we feel that our children are not being given access to the primary education that they deserve,” she added.

A spokesman from the Department for Children, Schools and Families said that he know of no other local authority with such a shortage of places as Kingston.

Projections from the Office for National Statistics suggest that the school-age population is rising, with numbers of children aged under 15 expected to grow by 200,000 to 10.9 million by 2011. The rise is expected to be unevenly spread across the country.

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