PARENTS in Hampshire can now apply for a place in a school’s reception class for the next academic year.

They have between now and midnight on January 15 to make an application for their child’s first year in schools in the county council area.

Children who turn four between September 1 this year and August 31 next year are entitled to start school next September.

In 2014, the county council’s admissions service processed almost 15,000 applications for primary school places.

Just under 90 per cent of parents applying were allocated a school place for their child at their first preference school, with over 97 per cent being offered a place at one of their three preferred schools.

County education boss, Councillor Peter Edgar, 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 £149m planned investment to build new schools and expand others to create an additional 8,000 primary school places over the next three years.”

Hampshire residents can apply for a school place online at hants.gov.uk/ admissions.