Appeals rise over Dudley secondary school places as one in five miss out on first choice

The number of appeals lodged by parents rose from 287 in 2013 to 323 in 2014, according to a Freedom of Information request by UKIP.

Latest figures show 2,809 children, around 82 per cent, were able to get in to a place at their first choice secondary school in the borough.

But that meant one in five pupils failed to secure places at their preferred secondary schools in September.

A total of 298 got their second choice, while 70 students got their third choice school.

West Midlands MEP and Sedgley councillor Bill Etheridge said schools are coming under ever increasing pressures.

"The increase in the number of appeals from parents is very worrying as it makes you question how our schools can cope with ever increasing pressures on places and resources," he said.

"Children have a right to a quality education in their locality and I believe strongly in parental choice but sadly more and more parents are failing to get their children accepted by their first choice schools."

Councillor Etheridge said public services were facing pressure, at a time when the government had failed to meet its immigration targets.

"How can our schools, hospitals, and indeed local authorities plan service delivery when the Government promised to keep numbers down to 'tens of thousands' he said.

Dudley councillor Tim Crumpton, who is in charge of children's services in the borough refuted claims the appeals rise was associated with immigration into the borough.

"We have nothing that points to immigration being a factor on this in Dudley, on the contrary, we have sufficient secondary school places to meet the needs of all our children," he said.

"Eight two per cent of Dudley children are being allocated their first preferred school while 94 per cent have been allocated a place at one of their preferred schools and 100 per cent have been offered a place at a borough school.

"I am pleased that the great majority of parents have been allocated a place at a school of their choice. Unfortunately, there inevitably is some disappointment for a few families, particularly where parents have selected popular schools some distance from their home address as school places are allocated in strict accordance with the admission arrangements for individual schools and in line with the statutory admission code.

"For those few children who are not getting any of their preferred schools, we have been able to allocate them an alternative school within a reasonable distance."