Parents are finding out whether they have got their preferred primary school place, as for the first time a National Offer Day allocates places across England on the same day.
Primary places have been put under increasing pressure, with many schools adding extra classes to keep pace with a fast-rising birth rate.
Between 2012 and 2013, primary pupil numbers grew by almost 100,000.
Councils are calling for more powers over the opening of new schools.
This year sees the first co-ordinated allocation of primary school places across England, with emails and letters being sent out with details of where children will be starting school in September.
In Bristol, 94% of children will be allocated one of their three preferences - with 82% getting their first choice.
It means that almost one in five families there will miss out on their first choice - even though an extra 230 places have been created.
And in Manchester, where there has been population growth, some 87.5% were offered their first preference school. A total of 4.5% - some 303 children were offered places at schools which they had not chosen.
In Kent and in Medway, where more children applied this year, around 85% have got their first choice.
Moving homeAn online poll of 1,051 people by the Netmums parenting website suggested that many parents were planning and worrying about getting a place years before children reach school age.
It found that one in six parents had been thinking about primary places before their child's first birthday and more than one in five had moved house to be closer to a school.
End Quote Siobhan Freegard NetmumsCompetition for what parents perceive to be the best schools is now so tough they will do almost anything to gain their child a place"
Netmums co-founder Siobhan Freegard said: "Competition for what parents perceive to be the best schools is now so tough they will do almost anything to gain their child a place.
"Some ways, like moving house to be close to the school, can cost tens of thousands of pounds."
The rising population has put particular pressure on primary places in some areas - with the shortage being tackled by a mixture of additional temporary classes, rebuilding projects and new schools.
The Department for Education published "scorecards" this week showing how local authorities were meeting this rising demand.
By summer 2013, it shows councils had "firm plans" for an extra 300,000 places - with a further 57,000 needed to meet the expected demand in autumn 2015.
It shows that the numbers in primary school rose from 3.9 million in 2012 to more than 4.01 million in 2013.
The figures show how steeply pupil numbers have risen in some areas - and how much more they are expected to increase.
In Croydon, pupil numbers are expected to have risen 44% between summer 2010 and autumn 2015. In Barking and Dagenham there is an increase of 43%.
There are also areas which still have to create many more places. By 2015-16, there is a need for an extra 2,280 places in Greenwich in south London and another 2,130 in Essex.
But the figures also show how this population surge is not reflected across the whole country - with more than 430,000 places empty in 2013.
Opening schoolsA Department for Education spokesman said: "Making sure there are enough school places for the growing population is one of the department's top priorities. We know that creating those places is a big challenge, but the scorecards published today show we are on track."
Shadow education secretary Tristram Hunt said earlier this month that the government was failing to create school places where they were most needed.
Mr Hunt said the government had created a "crisis in school places" with more children in "temporary and unsuitable classrooms and children forced to travel further and further to get to school".
The Local Government Association wants councils to have power over building new schools to meet local demand - and it says that a survey shows such a change would have widespread public support.
"By returning the power to create schools to councils, government could ensure school places for children of all ages can be delivered according to local demand, and in line with the local needs of parents and young people," said Apu Bagchi, deputy chair of the LGA's children and young people board.
Natalie Evans, Director of New Schools Network which supports the opening of free schools, said: "The hundreds of thousands of parents waiting anxiously to find out which primary school they have been allocated demonstrates the depth of concern about the availability of places, let alone good school places.
"Free schools are playing a vital role in helping address both quality and quantity in primary school places. Ninety per cent of new primary free schools opening this September are in areas where new school places are needed."
Have you been allocated a place for your child in your preferred primary school? If not how will it affect you?
If you would be happy to speak with the BBC please email haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk using subject 'Primary Schools'
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