Parents whose children have been refused a place at a popular primary school have started a petition and campaign against the decision.

More than 20 children who wanted to begin their school career at Barkerend Primary School this autumn have been told there are no places for them.

The 26 children are already attending the school's nursery but face the prospect of having to switch to another school.

Parent Khalid Alam, whose four-year-old son Adil is at the nursery, said: "He enjoys the nursery and knows the schools. His cousins go there already and as children, all the family went there. My wife takes our nieces and drops them off at school so it would be very inconvenient if he went somewhere else.

"We should have been told when Adil attended nursery if he wouldn't get a place in school there. It's very late in the school year.

"The children have got used to going to that school and are settled there. His cousins being there gives extra reassurance and most of the children in the street are at that school."

Mr Alam, a 29-year-old sales advisor, also has a younger son who will face the same problem. He said the school was only a few minutes from their home.

Parents will meet education chiefs tomorrow to try to find a solution.

Head teacher Margaret Hall said it was the Council which was responsible for the allocation and there had been 86 children wanting places, but only 60 places available.

Negotiations between the school and the authority were under way, she said.

"I have agreed I would take the children if I had the accommodation."

She said she was pleased that the parents wanted their children to attend the school.

Coun Mukhtar Ali (Lab, Bowling), who arranged the meeting with Council education chiefs, said: "Hopefully, we will be trying to see what can be done for the best. I wanted the officers to listen to the parents themselves and look for a possible solution."

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