A PRIMARY school is set to expand after parents in North Swindon were not allowed to send their children to the same school as older brothers and sisters.

The decision may have come too late for parents who made the original complaint because Catherine Wayte Primary School will not enlarge until September 2005.

The Office of the Schools Adjud-icator upheld the objections of 10 parents and recommended that the number of places should increase from 30 to 38.

The Evening Advertiser has reported how Abbey Meads parents were told that requests for places at their nearest primary schools were refused as they were over subscribed.

Nicola Parker, 34, of Oberon Way, faced this situation because she wanted her four-year-old daughter Sophie to go to Catherine Wayte Primary School but she wasn't given a place there.

Sophie will attend Haydon Leigh from September.

Nicola said: "The expansion is too late for us but luckily we have resolved the situation.

"It will help people in the future.

"When you move into an area you expect your children to go to the local school."

North Swindon has an expanding population and has five primary schools.

The council is addressing the problem by building two new primary schools by 2006.

But Coun Owen Lister (Con, Abbey Meads) thinks that a solution should be found now so children do not have to travel long distances to school.

He said: "I have every sympathy for these parents. Young children at the start of their education should be given the best possible chance.

"The catchment areas have been changed earlier this year meaning children were not give places at the same school as older siblings."

"Expanding Catherine Wayte School is a step in the right direction."

Coun Lister thinks that mobile classrooms should be used to create more places at the new £2.6m Bridlewood School for children in the area.

Lead member for education Garry Perkins (Con, Shaw & Nine Elms) said that 97 per cent of children in Swindon go to their first choice school.

"I am pleased there will be extra places at Catherine Wayte," he said.

"Some parents want us to put temporary classrooms at the oversubscribed schools like Bridle-wood but that would cost £1.25m.

"There are a large number of surplus primary school places across Swindon.

"When we say to the Govern-ment that education in Swindon is badly funded, it is pointed out we don't manage our funds properly because there are so many empty spaces.

"The problem in north Swindon will be resolved when the new schools are built."

Minister admits many have been wrongly refused

DOZENS of Swindon children have been wrongly refused entry to their first choice school, a government minister has admitted.

According to official figures, in 31 separate cases last year youngsters were incorrectly denied access to the school of their choice. In each case, parents battled the authorities over the decision and won on appeal, forcing headteachers to accept their children. The number of children told they could not register with top choice schools in their area was made public by education minister David Miliband.

Bhavani Vadde