Published: Friday, 26th June, 2009 10:00am

Parents sound off over school places

by Emma Harrison

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THE plight of Thomas and Jack Cooper - two brothers forced to go to different schools - has brought a wave of support from News readers.

Parents added their experiences on the News website after our front page story last week in which worried mum Lisa Cooper told how four-year-old Thomas was not allowed to join his older brother at Harmans Water Primary.

Another parent, Chris Peters, wrote: 'I am in the same boat. My second child is just finishing nursery and school admissions say she cannot go up to reception (at Harmans Water) but they will place her in Great Hollands. This is unacceptable. How can I be in two places at once?' Jean commented that her son is due to start secondary school in September but has been allocated a place at Easthampstead, around 20 minutes away, rather than their first choice Brakenhale or the much closer, Garth Hill.

She said: 'The statement from the local authority saying they believe their selection is based on your local school is rubbish. In my son"s year six approximately 16 children did not get their school choice. Somehow I have to get two children to schools at the same time, any suggestions?'

A mother and nanny, R Sussex, commented: 'I find the education authorities in this case have no heart whatsoever - all this business about schools for local children is a load of rubbish. These are two small children who can"t speak for themselves and all they want to do is be together at a school they love and are familiar with. How could you tell a four-year-old that he can"t be at school with his brother?'

Someone signing off as 'A disgusted granddad" added: 'Schools have not kept up with the expansion of Bracknell"s population.'

Bracknell Forest Council also wrote in defending its schools admissions criteria: 'Parents are always made aware there is no guarantee of a school place and this becomes more likely if the school place they have chosen is not their designated area school.'