COMPLAINTS by a Foulridge primary school that their pupils were being overlooked for places at Colne Park High School have been upheld.

An objection was made to the Government-appointed Office of the Schools Adjudicator about the lack of places offered to pupils at St Michael and All Angels and this week it was decided new arrangements should be made to include Foulridge in the priority area.

But parents of children who were refused their choice of school this year say the decision has come too late for them.

Five youngsters who left the primary school this summer were told their request for a place at their nearest school, Park High, had been turned down.

Their parents' appeal against the decision failed and they were told they would instead have to travel to Primet High School in Colne, or as far as Edge End High School, Nelson.

In some cases, this would mean having to get two buses, getting up earlier and getting home much later.

Barbara Shepherd, of Skipton Old Road, was told her daughter, Amy, would have to go to Primet High, which is just under three miles away from her home. Amy is settling in at Primet, but still has difficulty with transport. Mrs Shepherd said: "It's good that this decision has been made, but five youngsters have missed out for their whole school life because it has taken so long.

"Amy has applied for a bus pass for the school bus and we were turned down because we live 2.7 miles away and not three. She can't use the special school bus, so she has to get the normal service, which doesn't get her home until 4.25pm. "Young girls are going missing all the time and it's scary for the parents of children that age.

"She's now slowly losing contact with her friends in Foulridge because they are all at Park High and her nearest friend in in Sough.

"I am glad that something has come out of all this and other children won't be let down, but it is a shame for our children."

Out of the five pupils that applied for Park High and were refused, three are at Primet, one is at West Craven High and another is being taught from home until something is sorted out for him.

The criteria for places originally stated that any remaining places should go to those pupils living within the priority area of Trawden and Laneshawbridge.

The adjudicator, Peter Neafsey, said: "It would be in the best interests of the parents and children if the admission arrangements for the High School were amended to include Foulridge in the priority area."