It should be the biggest day in any child's life. And that is no different for four-year-old Haiden Watts who is only too glad to pose proudly in his new uniform.

But it's not one his parents thought he would be wearing a year ago.

For Haiden is one of 34 boys and girls who missed out on a place in this year's three oversubscribed reception classes at Whiteley Primary School.

And the same scenario of too many children for too few places looks set to be repeated for the next two years.

Figures released by Hampshire County Council based on the number of children living in the school's catchment area predict 118 children chasing 90 places for September 2003.

The following year, based on the same set of figures, there will be 113 children trying to get into the school.

The council has refused to release the predicted figures of neighbouring schools to The Daily Echo.

But with ever more houses being built in Locks Heath and a question mark hanging over the future of the Coldeast site Whiteley parents fear surplus places will be snapped up quickly in years to come.

Now Haiden, like his fellow classmates rejected from Whiteley Primary, will be travelling 80 miles a week to get to and from his new school - Sarisbury Infants.

The trip across the busy M27 is something mum Caroline, 24, never imagined she would have to do after moving last year to be within walking distance of the local school.

"I just feel let down and upset by the whole system," said Mrs Watts.

"I am really disappointed that in the local community and in the local school something could not be done.

"Haiden has to get into a car every day for the next seven years. That is not the way we want to bring up our children. I never dreamed that there would be more than 90 children applying for places."

Just three years after being built, with the help of substantial funding from developers, it is evident the over-subscribed school in Yew Tree Drive cannot cope with the population of Hampshire's newest town.

And if there are already problems, with just 1,900 homes completed, the long-term future looks bleaker. There are still another 600 homes to be built to complete the development.

Earlier this year a planning appeal was thrown out paving the way for 350 family homes to be built off Sweethills Crescent - something planners had not taken into consideration when predicting school places.

The unusual demographics of Whiteley also means the county council's formula for predicting the number of children does not match reality. There is a higher than average percentage of primary school aged children living in Whiteley making the council's formula of 0.25 children per house inadequate.

Mum Debbie Casey, 35, of Andalusian Gardens, helped spearhead the parents' campaign after her four-year-old daughter Jessica failed to win a place. She chaired the action group Parents Local Action for Children's education (Place) and blames the shortage of primary places on a lack of planning.

"There was not enough communication between the groups - Hampshire County Council, Winchester City Council and the developers.

"They must have known the facilities were not available to cope. Everybody has to take a proportion of the blame.

"It's not them who suffer, it's not even the parents, it's the children."

Mrs Casey is now preparing for the eight-mile round trip to take Jessica to Sarisbury Infant School. She will also have to take two year-old younger sister Niamh with her.

"When I start driving past Whiteley and see everyone walking I know I will feel quite choked.

"I am going to stop off at a spot near Sarisbury Infant School so Jessica and Niamh still get some exercise.

"It will also help us meet other parents and children on the way."

Despite the ups and downs of the last year Mrs Casey and the other parents are far from downhearted.

They have nothing but praise for the staff at Sarisbury Infant School who have been sympathetic and welcomed them to the school.

Ex-Whiteley Primary School governor and Fareham Council leader Sean Woodward also condemned the lack of foresight and planning.

"There are imbalances in education provision in Fareham's western wards and this seems to be the county council's philosophy: to bus children about.

"Instead of building classrooms to schools in the wrong place temporary classes should be used in schools in the right place."

However the county council insists the over-subscription at Whiteley is a temporary blip.

Chris Holt, Hampshire County Council's education officer, said: "There is potential for Whiteley Primary School to receive more applications than it can cater for over the next year and this will be made clear to parents applying for a place.

"If this is the case Hampshire County Council school admissions team officers will endeavour to assist parents of children who may not be placed in their preferred school in finding an alternative place."

Mr Holt added that it was not unusual for new developments such as Whiteley to have initial peaks in the numbers of primary age school children.

The council must also take into account empty places in nearby schools.

However parents say this is far from ideal splitting the Whiteley community into the "haves" and "have nots."

"I moved to Whiteley in 1996 and knew that some of the money from the developers was going to the local school," said Mrs Casey.

"I didn't even put a second choice down on my application form because I never thought Jessica would miss out on a place.

"I would tell all parents to do their ground work, find out exactly what they want from a school, see if Whiteley has what they want and visit other schools."