PARENTS were celebrating last week when an overwhelming majority of children were offered a place at theirn first choice infant or primary school.

After a nervous wait, Hampshire County Council informed parents about their child’s preferred place. For the Hook and Odiham area, 99.63 per cent of parents got their child into one of the reception classes they were hoping for.

The area compares favourably with the figure for the county as a whole. In Hampshire, 97.3 per cent of children have been offered a preferred place. And just under 90 per cent got a place at their first-choice school.

For parents with older children, who are moving on to junior school, 98.8 per cent got one of their preferred choices. And 97 per cent will have a place at their first-choice school.

The figures for 2016 are similar to 2015 figures, despite the rising demand for places across the county. There were 260 more applications this year.

The children who did not get a preferred place will be allocated to the nearest school that can take them. Parents have the right to appeal against the county council’s decision – and a few have done so.

In nearby Reading, only 78.6 per cent of children were given a place at their favourite school, leaving almost 2,000 new pupils with their second choice or worse.

Official data from across the country shows that 3,807 primary schools are "full or over capacity". Some experts have warned the recent announcement that all schools will convert to academies by 2022 will fuel the shortage of school places.

Councillor Paul Carter, chairman of the County Councils Network, warned the government was pursuing change with "undue haste".

He told the BBC last week: “My concern is that the change will lead to a poorer education system operating across Kent – and more broadly England – because the value that local authorities generally provide to schools will be removed.”

The County Council Network say it is the future of small schools and high-needs pupils, which are most uncertain under the government’s plans.