More than 150 children in south west Hertfordshire have not been allocated a place at a primary school.

Figures released by Hertfordshire County Council show that 155 children have not been given a place at any of the four schools their parents applied for.

But the authority is creating additional reception places – including 60 in Watford – to address this problem and if the nearest school is in a neighbouring town, the place won’t be allocated until next month.

This is to see if parents who have been offered a place at one school later reject it in favour of another.

Andrew Simmons, deputy director for children’s services and education, said: "Although allocations for these families will be delayed for a month, I am confident that every child not currently offered a school place will be offered one at the first run of continuing interest.

“I recognise this is always a difficult time for parents but firmly believe that delaying allocations for a small number of families is preferable to allocating a place at a school outside the local area."

The most children without a place at one of the four ranked schools selected by their parents are from Three Rivers.

Twenty-seven children from South Oxhey, Carpenders Park and Oxhey Hall are without a place. Eleven missed out from Rickmansworth and Maple Cross, while two missed out from Croxley Green and three from Chorleywood.

Forty-six parents in Watford and 41 in Bushey will also face an anxious wait while the search begins for a new school.

Emma Stratton, of Woodgate in Leavesden, said: “My daughter has not been offered a place at any of her first four choices.

“We do not need to worry because the school where she goes to nursery is one of those that is creating an additional 30 spaces.

“It is a bit of an injustice that new housing estates have been built, but not the facilities to go with it. It is not even just the personal situation you find yourself in. It is the fact that you are one of many that are affected by a council’s decision. They have shut down schools and built houses in their place.”

A petition has been set up to combat the problem in Abbots Langley - where 19 children are without a place.