PARENTS’ nail-biting wait to find out whether their tots had made it into their primary school of choice ended today as places were allocated.

Swindon Borough Council said that more parents – 93 per cent – who applied for their four and five year olds to start at primaries this September were given their first of three choices, compared to 92 per cent last year.

Meanwhile, 98.1 per cent of parents were given one of their top three preferences, compared to 98 per cent in 2014.

Ian Francis, whose daughter Amelia, four, starts school this autumn, was celebrating a first-choice allocation.

“We received an email at 9.20am confirming that Amelia will go to Even Swindon Primary School, our first choice,” said the 42-year-old, from West Swindon.

“When we visited and spoke to the head we had a good feeling about the place. When we went around the playground she spoke to the children and knew their names, which always says good things about a school.

“They’ve also done very well in their Ofsted report, so we’re delighted she has been allocated to go there.

“In Amelia’s case, she’s going to be five when she goes to school and she’ll be there during her most formative years.”

Parents applying to primaries under Wiltshire Council’s authority were also celebrating after 97 per cent got their preferred choice.

The council received 5,313 applications, and 90.3 per cent of children given a place at the first choice school, five per cent at their second choice and 1.5 per cent at their third choice.

This year parents also had the option of applying for places online and 82 per cent, 4,398 applications, were made this way.

Laura Mayes, cabinet member for children’s services at Wiltshire Council, said: “Starting school is an important milestone in every young child’s life and I’m really pleased that once again we can offer so many families the places they want. There may be pressure on places nationally but here in Wiltshire we continue our good track record in ensuring children can attend a school of their choice.”

Every year schools undergo scrupulous research by parents anxious to get their babes into the best schools, and a survey by comparison website Confused.com revealed that as many as 68 per cent in England would consider moving home to ensue their youngster was in a catchment area for a good school.

Meanwhile 18 per cent of parents admitted they started thinking about where to send their child to school before they are even born.

“I don’t think we were ever too worried about whether or not she would get into Even Swindon or not,” said Ian.

“But I understand why parents might move to try and improve their chances.”

More parents applied for primary school places compared to last year after Swindon Borough Council had 2,847 applications before the January 15 deadline compared to 2,729 last year. The council received 2,298 applications online.

Applicants who submitted their preferences to Swindon Borough Council after the deadline were offered a place at the next nearest school with a place available, if their preferred school was oversubscribed.

Priority for places was determined by the admission criteria for the school in question.

While the majority of parents in Swindon and Wiltshire have been allocated their preferred choice for schools, up to one in six youngsters missed out on their first choice across the UK.

Andy Woolley, south west regional secretary of the National Union of Teachers, damned the figures.

He said: “Since state education began, governments have had two essential responsibilities: to train and employ a sufficient number of teachers, and to secure school places for all pupils. The signs of a crisis in teacher supply are already unmistakeable.

"Today’s news that 20,000 children are being denied a place at any of their preferred schools is more evidence that the government has failed also to match pupil demand to an adequate supply of places."

“This situation could have been avoided by allowing councils to build and run schools in areas where additional school places are needed. Instead the Government has poured money and resources into the wasteful and indulgent free schools programme.

"Overall the Government allocated £1.7bn of capital funding for free schools up to 2014-15 and yet, according to evidence provided to the Education Select Committee, 35 per cent of the first four waves of free schools were in districts with no forecast need and 52 per cent were in districts with either no forecast need or only moderate need.

“The Coalition’s obsession with free schools and its attempts to run 25,000 schools from Whitehall has done little to counter the growing school places crisis.

"It is obvious that whichever party or parties forms the next government must produce sufficient funding and powers for local authorities to open more schools. It is only through those measures that demand can be met.”