A MOBILE classroom may be installed at one of two Worcester primary schools to cope with a "bulge year" for school places in September.

Worcestershire County Council has said it is in discussion with Northwick Manor Primary School and Claines CE Primary to see whether a temporary class for 30 extra children could be created at one of the schools.

We reported how pressure for schools places in Northwick and Claines this year had led to some children in the two catchments being offered places at schools across the city.

18 families who were refused places at all three of their choices - Northwick, Claines and Perdiswell - have banded together to fight for a local school place.

They were instead offered places at Stanley Road Primary, off Wylds Lane, Oasis Academy Warndon and Fairfield Community Primary in Warndon, Cherry Orchard in St Peter's, and Chawson in Droitwich.

However, the parents say the travel across the city is impractical and would ostracise their children from friends who live nearby.

In a statement, the council revealed Northwick was the most over-subscribed school in Worcestershire but said 2016 was a 'bulge' year and the peak year for the amount of children starting primary/first school.

It said pupil numbers were predicted to decline to previous levels making any expansion of one or both of the schools problematic.

The mobile classroom would remain in place for six years specifically to accommodate the large year group as it moved up through the school.

John Edwards, strategic commissioner for education and skills said: "We are committed to enabling parents to send their children to good quality local schools and want to work with our community to find the right resolution to this issue.

"Providing a mobile classroom is certainly a workable option that we are proposing, but no decision has been made as yet.

"There is much work still to do in agreeing the details and we will continue to work with schools to reach the best possible outcome.

"We appreciate this is a difficult and stressful time for the parents involved and we want to reassure them that we are listening.

"We will be in touch with those parents affected as soon as a decision has been reached."

The news was given a cautious welcome by the campaigning parents.

Melissa Jones, whose son Harry missed out on a place at Northwick, said: "We are pleased with this update which is an indication the council are listening to the community in exploring all viable options in the best interests of our children.

"However, at this stage these are merely options under consideration with the related anxiety and concerns for those affected families remaining.

"We still await confirmation of a solution as soon as possible for this year's children and our efforts to engage local support and raise awareness will continue as this problem will be faced year after year until a permanent solution is reached.

"An improvement in primary school provision for our local area is desperately needed and we are pleased this appears to be have been recognised by Worcestershire county council."

This year, Northwick Manor received 41 more applications than its 90 places.

30 of the rejected children live in catchment - meaning an entire class were unable to attend their local school.

Claines received 19 more applications than its 30 places, of which four of the rejected children live in catchment.