PARENTS fear a complicated admissions policy might result in children failing to get places at their local comprehensive school.

School governors have criticised the admissions procedure for children starting secondary school in County Durham, saying it could result in children living next door to Wolsingham School and Community College, in Wear Valley, being refused places.

The local education authority, Durham County Council, gives priority to pupils from feeder schools who live a bus journey away from the comprehensive, over those who live within walking distance.

Until now, that policy has not posed a problem, but parent governor Anita Atkinson said there could be trouble ahead next year, because the council has followed Government guidelines and reduced yearly admissions at the school from 218 to 152. She fears that this could result in some children being refused places.

"They have got rid of too many places by physically cutting the capacity in the school by demolishing the prefabs, and classrooms where subjects used to be taught have been changed into laboratories," she said.

"This school has served the children of Wolsingham for nearly 400 years and now the ridiculous situation is that children from the village may not get in."

Chairman of governors Charlie Donaghy said: "We are very bothered about the situation as governors. The reduction of supposed surplus places has been too drastic."

Local education authorities can devise their own admissions policies, but most, inclduing North Yorkshire County Council, give priority to pupils who live within the immediate catchment area of the school.

In areas such as Middlesbrough and Darlington, pupils can generally all reach their schools on foot.

But a representative of the National Union of Teachers said it was confident that good sense will prevail when the education authority calculates how to accommodate next year's pupils.

A council spokeswoman said discussions on next year's intake were continuing.

She said: "Children living west of Wolsingham are entitled to attend Wolsingham school. After next year, age groups do fall quite significantly in following years.

"For this coming year, we will be looking at ways of dealing with the numbers when we know how many want to attend Wolsingham School, and in the meantime parents should not unduly worry.