Admissions to schools are being reviewed in the light of the Bradford education re-organisation and concerns expressed by parents.

Two joint working parties are to be set up to look at schools admissions in north Bradford, Keighley and Bingley, in time for the new secondary intake in September 2003. This follows informal discussions between Council officers and the schools following the new primary and secondary schools opening last September.

Many parents are appealing against decisions on which schools their children have been allocated after they were turned down for all three preferences.

Last year there were 769 appeals out of 16,500 parental preferences processed. Some parents are also claiming they were mislead over the admissions policy at new flagship Church of England Immanuel College in Thackley.

The problems since the reorganisation have led to the Bishop of Bradford, the Right Reverend David Smith, being called in to broker talks on how to deal with them. A meeting with education representatives from the three main political parties and the Bishop will be set up to discuss the situation.

Meanwhile the working parties looking at admissions will be co-ordinated by Bradford Council's Education Department and will include representatives from schools in north Bradford, Keighley and Bingley. Draft proposals will be drawn up by the end of this year to be put out to consultation next year in time for admission to schools in 2003.

Dennis Williams, assistant director for pupil and community services, said: "We are aware of the concerns raised by some parents and head teachers and are doing our best to deal with them.

"We identified areas that could need a review earlier in the year and work will get under way shortly. Carrying out a review of admissions takes a lot of time because it involves working out draft proposals which need to go out to consultation.

"It would not be possible to carry out a review of the whole district in time for admissions in September 2002. It is expected that things will change as the schools reorganisation settles down. I have written to all head teachers in the district making them aware of these two reviews."

He said the reviews aimed to provide greater clarity on admissions policy for parents and carers and promote more effective links between primary and secondary schools in the area.

The review in Keighley and Bingley will also consider the advantages of a feeder school admissions policy for the new Parkside School in Cullingworth.

The Bradford review could involve setting up a feeder schools admissions scheme to the schools involved, which are Carlton Bolling, Immanuel CE, Hanson and Laisterdyke.

Mr Williams added: "We anticipate there might be a need to look at admissions policy in the light of schools reorganisation but we have decided the best way to do this is with working parties for each of the two areas."