Two Worcestershire families are furious after their children were refused places at their first-choice schools and instead offered ones much further from home.
One parent, from Martin Hussingtree, said he is among 90 families who have been let down by Worcestershire County Council after his daughter was offered a space in Droitwich.
Another, from Warndon, told the Worcester News that their child has been allocated a place in Malvern, almost 13 miles away, for the coming school year. Neither of the parents wished to be identified.
The Martin Hussingtree parent had wanted his daughter to stay closer to her home and friends as they move on from North Worcestershire Primary Academy to Tudor Grange Academy.
The father-of-two said he is aware of around 90 families in Worcestershire who have been declined their first and second choice and offered places further afield in the county.
Primary children given school places up to 12 miles outside of Worcester
The man's 10-year-old daughter is due to leave the academy this year, and the first choice had been Tudor Grange, but the family was instead offered seventh-choice Witton Middle School, two miles away in Droitwich.
“My daughter’s in the Worcester system, but she’s been kicked out and put in the Droitwich system instead,” the parent said.
“They must have known about the numbers in her year group for 10 years, so I don’t know why they haven’t done anything about it.
“It’s grossly unfair when you consider how long this would have been known about.
“I’ve been to two online appeals processes, one for Tudor Grange on May 20, who sent a rejection email, and another for Bishop Perowne on May 18, who I haven’t heard anything back from yet but I’m almost certain will be another rejection.”
The parent claimed nothing has been done to accommodate leavers from the academy, which has been gradually expanding its numbers after opening in 2019
“The panel can only consider if the school is following their process correctly or not, there’s no involvement from the council, and the schools haven’t done anything wrong,” he said.
“I’m absolutely staggered that there’s been nothing to tell parents that will be a shortage of places by such a margin when the numbers must have been around for so long.
“It might just be two miles to us but it means splitting my daughter up from her friends and a 45 minute journey across the county.
“What’s happened to us and other families who are in a similar situation is disgusting.”
The second parent said their child has been allocated a school almost 13 miles from their home in Warndon.
"I have pulled together evidence to contest the council's decision,” the person said.
"However, appeals are held individually with the schools and the school can only comment on whether they have applied their own admission process correctly.
"So us parents have no forum to challenge the council."
'Dozens more city children were at risk of getting school places up to 12 miles away'
Pupil numbers have been growing since 2017 and are expected to continue ticking upwards due to “significant” housing growth in and around the city, according to the council.
A Worcestershire County Council spokesperson said: “We recognise it can be disappointing for families who are not offered one of their preferred schools on National Offer Day [March 2].
“In Worcester, all secondary schools were full, and where preferences could not be met, children were offered places at the nearest school with available capacity, in line with national admissions rules.
“A relatively small number of Worcester pupils were initially affected, and this reduced quickly as places became available through waiting lists.
“We have already taken steps to increase capacity locally; with additional Year 7 places agreed for 2026 to support growing demand.”
Share