A third more children than last year have been left without a reception class place at one of their preferred schools in September, but the council said they would be found places in the coming month.

Parents heard this week that 94 per cent of children would be able to attend a school they chose, down from 96 per cent in 2009, while the proportion offered their first choice place fell slightly from 84 to 83 per cent.

This leaves 94 children still waiting, but the council said: “There are nearly 200 places still available in borough schools and it is expected within the next month, once families make their decisions about whether or not to accept a place, this will create additional vacancies.”

According to Councillor Patricia Bamford, executive member for children and young people’s services, there were no geographical clusters of children without places in areas where parents have raised concerns about lack of schools.

She said: “There is a wide spread of schools across the borough where there are still places, even some where you would not expect. The choices for those who do not have offers are quite good.

“As far as I am aware the concerns about Berrylands should have been allayed. There is not a particular hot spot.”

Kingston Council has had to provide 810 additional school places in 27 bulge classes in the past three years to cope with increased demand for school places.

It is currently consulting on plans to permanently expand 14 primary schools for September 2011, and build a new two form of entry school in Surbiton.

See tinyurl.com/yj3v3ke for dates of public meetings.