Parents of children starting primary school in September 2015 can start applying for places this week.

Children who are four years old between September 1 2014 and August 31 2015 are entitled to start school next September (2015).

Parents have until midnight on January 15, 2015 to make an application for a reception year school place.

This is also the closing date for applications for a junior school place.

In 2014, Hampshire County Council’s Admissions Service processed almost 15,000 applications for primary school places.

Just under 90 per cent of parents were allocated their first choice school and more than 97 per cent were offered a place at one of their three preferred schools.

Peter Edgar, Hampshire County Council's executive member for education, said: “I urge Hampshire parents to ensure they have completed, and submitted their application by the deadline to ensure their child is able to start school next September. Missing the deadline could mean missing out on a place at your local school.

He added: “In common with the national picture, demand for school places is growing. We want to be able to ensure children can go to a school near to where they live and we have been working hard to increase capacity at primary schools in areas where demand is highest. To this end, earlier this year, we committed to a £149 million planned investment to build new schools and expand others to create an additional 8,000 primary school places over the next three years.”

Parents can apply on line or use a paper application form which is available from all Hampshire maintained schools and academies or they can call 0845 603 5623 for a form.