PARENTS desperate to get their children into Otley's Prince Henry's Grammar School may have won their fight, it emerged this week.

Governors at the school met this week to discuss a temporary increase in admission numbers.

If governors are sympathetic, a formal request will be put to Leeds City Council's chief education officer, Keith Burton, who can employ delegated powers to allow the children in.

At the moment, the parents of eight Bramhope children are fighting to get into the school and it is believed more than 20 are appealing for places.

Having had their first appeals turned down, they have all been given another chance.

Meanwhile, parents of children expected to start at Prince Henry's in September were sent home with a letter on induction day on Wednesday to say form places had not been allocated because the appeal procedure was still taking place.

Town councillor John Eveleigh, a governor at Prince Henry's, was not at Tuesday's meeting but said he had every sympathy with the parents.

"The problem we have here is parental choice and the inevitable consequence it brings as schools like Prince Henry's are going to get more and more popular.

"I don't want to come out against parental choice, but we should be going back to a school's catchment area. This is a daft situation we are in - the whole issue needs to be looked at."

Coun Clive Fox (Con, Otley and Wharfedale) said he believed the Bramhope children were in with a good chance of getting places at Prince Henry's.

"If there is an increase in numbers at Prince Henry's, they will be taken straight off the priority list.

"And I believe all of the Bramhope children are in the top ten. It seems to me someone has come up with an exit strategy.

"I would be very surprised if Prince Henry's did not apply for a temporary increase in admission numbers and I can't see Keith Burton not accepting it.

"I think the eight Bramhope children will be getting in."

Parent Paul Humphries welcomed the chance for a second appeal.

"It is good news, the first appeals have been declared void, so we will be starting again. Everybody who failed the first appeal will get a second chance."

But he added it would only be fair if admission numbers at Prince Henry's were put at 216 for the coming year.

A Leeds City Council spokeswoman said: "The governing body at Otley Prince Henry's Grammar School met on Tuesday to discuss making a proposal to the Local Education Authority to temporarily increase this year's admission figure. We are currently awaiting their letter.

"In the event that the governing body does make this proposal, the chief education officer, Keith Burton, can use his delegated powers to agree to take appropriate action within a short period of time, with due regard for all policies and procedures."

The spokeswoman further confirmed that second appeals would now take place for those parents refused a place at the grammar school.

"After a review of the first appeal, the council's legal department advised that it would be appropriate to offer fresh appeals to all parents or guardians who were unsuccessful.

"These fresh appeals have been arranged for July 16, July 17, July 19 and July 22. They will be heard at Leeds Civic Hall."