Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, which represents the majority of primary school leaders in England, said: “This can be an anxious time for families. Choosing the right school and securing a place there is a huge moment in a child’s life and not everyone will get their first choice today. Support must be in place for families to navigate what can be a daunting process. For those families not getting their first choice of school, the appeals process will be going ahead.

“The problem is that in an increasingly fragmented school system we lack a co-ordinated approach to place planning. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring sufficient school places, but the powers and resources necessary for them to do so have been removed. Instead, planning is haphazard; decisions are being made in isolation and new schools and new school places are not always being commissioned in the areas they are most needed. Until the government creates a national strategy to guarantee there are enough school places for every child in England, the annual anxious wait for families will continue.”