Commenting on National Offer Day for primary school places, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, which represents the majority of primary school leaders, 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.

“Yet it can be an uphill struggle for parents, and not all will get the place they wanted for their child. Local authorities are responsible for ensuring there are sufficient school places, but they no longer have the powers and resources necessary to do so.

“The result is a messy, fragmented system, in which new schools and new school places are not always being commissioned where they are most needed. This leaves families at the mercy of a postcode lottery when it comes to getting their first choice of school place.

“We urge the government to fix this broken system and create a national strategy to guarantee there are enough school places for every child in England and take away the worry and stress for parents.”