THOUSANDS of parents across Dorset and the New Forest will receive offers for primary school places tomorrow.

The anxious wait is almost over for those waiting to find out whether they have been allocated places at their chosen schools.

Parents and guardians of those due to start school in September were asked to select three schools in order of preference and to submit their application to their local authority before January.

Traditionally the majority get their first choice school but hundreds are left disappointed when the allocation is revealed.

Last year 82 per cent of children in Bournemouth were given places at their first choice schools with 84 per cent successful in Poole and 94 per cent in the Dorset County Council area.

The process is complicated by the mixture of schools run by the local authorities, academies, faith schools and special schools. The area also has a mix first schools, infant schools, junior schools and primary schools.

Recent years have seen huge pressure on school places due to a rising birth rate and migration.

But the pressure has been eased with the expansion of many schools, particularly in Bournemouth, and the opening of new primary schools including Avonwood and St Peter's.

Parents in Dorset who have applied online should be able to find out whether their application has been successful from 9am with those who submitted paper applications receiving their offers in the post on Friday. Parents in Poole will find out at 10am. 

Those in Hampshire who applied online will find out tomorrow via email, while those who submitted paper applications will also receive their offers in the post on Friday.