Commeting on National Primary School Offer Day, with parents and carers across the country learning which schools their children have been allocated for September, Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, which represents most primary school leaders in England, said:

"Choosing a school is a significant milestone for families. It's a pivotal moment in a child's life. While many parents will be happy to have found out that they have got their first choice, sadly, that won’t be the case for all.

“It remains the case that our disjointed school system continues to cause issues when it comes to school places.

"Local authorities are tasked with ensuring enough school places, but they don’t have the necessary powers commensurate with that responsibility.

"The result is an incoherent planning process where tight budgets are wasted, and decisions are made in silos, with new schools established in places where they aren’t so urgently needed.

"Until the government steps in with a national strategy to ensure there are appropriate places for every child, families will face worry, and an unfair postcode lottery.”