CHILDREN in Bournemouth are less likely to get into their "first choice" school this year than those in Poole, it has been revealed.

Nearly nine out of 10 Poole children moving to secondary school this autumn are going to their "first choice" school compared with seven out of 10 in Bournemouth.

But both boroughs have performed well in comparison to the national average, which has shown increasing difficulties in the schools admission system.

Up to a third of youngsters in some boroughs have been denied a choice, leading to fears that the education system is in need of a major overhaul.

In Bournemouth, 71 per cent of children got their top choice. In Poole, it was 88 per cent. Figures for Dorset County Council are not yet available.

Felicity Draper, from Bournemouth Borough Council, said: "Families who have not yet received an offer of a place at the school they most want will have the opportunity to join a waiting list and many places become available as parents make their final decisions."

In Brighton, a controversial new selection system will see places at the most popular schools allocated by lottery.

Although the government is backing the idea, it has also come in for criticism from education experts.

Margaret Morrissey, the Dorset-based spokeswoman for the National Confeder-ation of PTAs said: "If we allow schools to place children on a lottery basis there is something desperately wrong with the education system."

Brighton took action after it became clear that well-off parents were paying over the odds for houses within certain school catchment areas.

But Mrs Morrissey added: "Why are we condemning parents for trying to do what they think is best for their children?"

The government said a lottery system would make admissions "fair and transparent".