HUNDREDS of families were left disappointed when primary school places were allocated across Dorset and Hampshire.

More than 500 children in Bournemouth missed out on a place at their first choice school.

And dozens in Dorset were denied places at their favourite schools despite living in the designated catchment areas.

A total of 16 catchment children in Mudeford were refused places at Mudeford Infants but offered places at Somerford instead.

And Christchurch Infants School was so over-subscribed that 33 catchment children did not get in. They will be accommodated at Twynham.

Seven catchment children missed out on places at places at St Ives Primary near Ringwood and four were refused places at Colehill First School. All were offered places at other schools.

In Poole 87 per cent were given a place at their first choice school, seven per cent at their second choice and two per cent at their third.

Vicky Wales, Head of Children, Young People and Learning, Borough of Poole, said: “Every Poole parent who applied for their child to attend reception by the closing date has been offered a place in a school and 96 per cent have been offered a place at one of their preferred schools.”

In Bournemouth just 76.5 per cent of the 2,101 applicants were offered their first preference with 10 per cent, getting their second choice, just under six per cent getting their third choice and nearly eight per cent failing to get a place at any of their top three schools.

Deputy Leader, Councillor Nicola Greene, Cabinet Member for Children and Education, said: “We have been faced with the challenge of providing a large number of additional primary school places. In the last eight years we have created a significant number of additional places through expanding existing schools and creating new ones.

“We have been able to offer 92 per cent of parents one of the three schools they requested. We understand the need for children to go a school local to them and have created places in areas of greatest demand. However, in some areas all schools remain oversubscribed and so we have had to offer the nearest alternative school with places available.” 

Dorset County Council received a total of 5,504 applications this year for the September 2016 intake, a one per cent increase in the number of applications compared to last year.

Overall, 92.4 per cent of families secured their first preference, four per cent secured their second preference and just over one per cent secured their third preference. Two per cent were allocated an alternative school.

Cllr Toni Coombs, the county council’s Cabinet member for children and young people, said: “We work very hard to try and place children at their preferred school and recognise the importance of children going to local schools. However, with increasing pressure on schools to provide more places, it is a harsh reality that we can no longer accommodate every single family’s wishes.”

In Hampshire nearly 90 per cent of those applying for a reception place were offered their first choice, with 97 per cent getting one of their top three. There were a total of 15,600 applications, 260 more than last year.