Commenting on national offer day for primary schools (Weds 16 April), Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders’ union NAHT, said:

“Primary offer day is a nervous moment for families. Choosing the right school and securing a place there is a significant milestone in a child’s life and it can feel fraught for many.

“While most parents will be happy to have found out that they have got their first choice, that doesn’t take away from the difficulty and disappointment experienced by those families who have missed out. And there is a concern this year that overall offer figures may mask quite big regional variations.

“Many primary schools are seeing falling pupil numbers, for example in cities like London, where primary age families are moving away. But in some schools competition for places will still be very high, for example in areas with large amounts of new house building.

“This regional volatility in populations means that unfortunately many families are still at the mercy of a postcode lottery when it comes to getting their first choice of school place.

“The current government has taken some steps to address this – for example restoring local authorities with the power to open new schools where they are most needed. However more could be done to shield primary schools from demographic fluctuations and protect their funding, to ensure all families have a suitable local school place available for their child.”