POLL: Are children being taught in small enough classes to be beneficial?

The new figures, published by Labour, came as a poll revealed that parents are picking nurseries, moving house or even attempting to win teachers over with friendliness in an attempt to gain a place at a favoured primary.

The survey, conducted by Netmums for the Press Association, also shows that mothers and fathers are increasingly thinking about what school their child will attend before their baby turns one - with some considering their options when they are expecting, or even before they fall pregnant.

Hundreds of thousands of four and five-year-olds across England will today learn which primary school they will be attending from this September, on what is commonly known as primary National Offer Day.

While for many the day will bring excitement and relief, for others - particularly those in big cities - it is likely to bring disappointment at learning they have missed out on a coveted place at their first choice of school.

England is facing continued pressure on school places, particularly for primary-age children, fuelled in part in recent years by a rising birth rate, combined with the effect of immigration in some areas.

Ahead of Offer Day, Labour released new statistics which it said shows that the numbers of young children being taught in classes of over 30 pupils has reached its highest level for 15 years.

The party's analysis of data obtained from Freedom of Information requests to local councils, indicates that around 102,615 pupils aged between five and seven are being taught in classes with at least 21 children.

This is up from 93,345 infants being taught in large classes last year, and 31,265 children in 2010. In 2000, there were 176,962 pupils in classes of over 30.

Labour blamed the rise on the Conservatives, which it said had spent millions on setting up free schools, rather than focusing funding on areas in need of more places.

Shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt, said: "The crisis in school places is yet more evidence that the Tory plan is failing working families. It is thanks to David Cameron and his decision to spend hundreds of millions of taxpayers' money on a few free schools in areas where there are no shortages of places that the number of young children in supersize classes has more than tripled since 2010 and parents are finding it harder to get a place for their child at a local school."

Labour plans to bring back a strict cap on infant class sizes and prioritise spending on areas that need new school places, he added.

More than two in five (41.7%) of parents say that they found applying for a primary school places stressful, according to the Netmums poll.

Many are thinking about schools at an early stage - almost a fifth (18.2%) were considering their options before their child turned one, with a further one in 10 thinking about it when they fell pregnant and 7.5% saying it was on their mind before they were expecting.

The poll also reveals that mums and dads are not against resorting to underhand tactics to secure a spot at a favoured school.

Nearly one in four (24.7%) admitted they have bought a house closer to a particular school, while 17.6% said they have rented somewhere nearby.

Almost half (45.7%) have chosen a specific nursery because they think it will help them win a place at a specific primary - despite rules that say schools cannot admit pupils based on the nursery they attended.

And more than a fifth (22.6%) said they had visited their top school pick and tried to be friendly to staff.

Others admitted they had attended a church or other place of worship or volunteered to help with activities in a bid to improve their chances of a place.

Netmums spokeswoman Rachel Burrows said: "The ongoing baby boom has put unprecedented pressure on school places and that means it's inevitable some parents will miss out on the school they want.

"Primaries are a child's first taste of school life and most parents feel it's vital to find the right one their child will feel secure and thrive at. But the competition for coveted schools is so intense that nationally an average of one in 10 children don't get into the school their parents hoped for, rising to four in 10 in some parts of the UK.

"With National Offer Day this Thursday, parents who miss out on the school they want will either be forced to go through the stressful appeals process or accept their child starts education in a different school to the one they wanted. Either option is difficult and parents will face tough choices to decide what is best for their family."

Last year, 87.7% of youngsters were were awarded a place at their first-choice school, suggesting that about 76,600 children lost out on their top pick.

The Netmums poll questioned 1,015 parents through its website.