The controversial lottery system of allocating school places, first tried in Brighton and Hove this year, is expected to be implemented by 40 per cent of councils.

Les Lawrence, chairman of the children and young people’s board at the Local Government Association, has predicted the change could happen as early as next year.

The new admissions system in the city’s secondary schools has been hailed as a success by Brighton and Hove City Council.

Recent statistics revealed the number of children directed to a school which was not one of their parents three preferences had dropped to a record low of 38.

But some parents say the reduction in the number of directed pupils is a result of more being resigned to having limited options because of the catchments, rather than getting what they really want.

Mr Lawrence told The Times: "When you are trying to balance competing influences around popular schools, dealing with equity between different types of community, a ballot seems to be the only fair way of justifying to parents that every child has an equal chance where places are oversubscribed."