The extent of parents’ struggles to get their children into the right school has been revealed.

Figures released by Oxfordshire County Council reveal that 197 primary schoolchildren and 92 secondary pupils across the county failed to get places at any of the schools they had chosen to go to in September.

For the past three school years, up until June this year, 1,776 appeals in relation to school places were made to Oxfordshire County Council, the local education authority.

A total of 576 of those appeals were turned down and just 78 allowed, with most of the others withdrawn or allocated prior to an appeal hearing. In 187 cases, the reasons for refusing a place were “not proven” and children got a place at their chosen school.

For the academic year beginning in September, 402 appeals have so far been made.

Roy Leach, Oxfordshire County Council’s school organisation and planning officer, said 91.3 per cent of parents and children received places at their first choice school — more than the national average of 81 per cent.

He said: “There will always be cases throughout the entire country where it is not possible to meet a first choice.

“There is a full appeals process for those who are not happy with initial judgements.

“It is difficult to please everyone, but the council is happy it does meet the requirements of the vast majority.”

Earlier this year, the Oxford Mail highlighted the plight of Tracey Richens, of Goslyn Close, Headington, whose son was allocated a place at Botley Primary School — despite there being 36 schools closer.

She is now planning to resubmit son Robbie Cowley’s application in January.

HOW THEY PRIORITISE THE PLACES Oxfordshire County Council controls admissions arrangements for all community and voluntary-controlled schools in the county.

Parents can apply for a place at any school in the county.

Where a school is over-subscribed, they are offered places according to the following priorities: Children with special needs Children who are looked after by a local authority Disabled children who need to be admitted to a school on the grounds of physical disability Children who live in the catchment area, with children who have brothers or sisters at the school chosen first, followed by those living closest to the school Children from outside the catchment area with a brother or sister at the school Children from outside the catchment area who live closest to the school.

The county’s 64 voluntary-aided schools, foundation schools and academies can set their own admission rules.

At Our Lady’s in Cowley, for example, non-Catholic children with a brother or sister at the school are seventh on the list of priorities, below baptised Catholic children from anywhere else.

BROTHERS SEPARATED Kitty Leech’s eldest son, five-year-old Gabriel, has just finished his reception year at Our Lady’s Primary School in Cowley, Oxford.

She felt confident her other son Beau, four, who was in the school’s pre-school, would also secure a place there — only to find he was turned down. An appeal against the decision was unsuccessful.

Beau was offered a place at Larkrise Primary School, in East Oxford, so Mrs Leech tried to get Gabriel into the same school.

Her application and appeal were both turned down, and the family now face £140 a month in fees for before- and after-school clubs for Beau at Larkrise — along with 15 miles of walking to and from school a week for Gabriel.

Mrs Leech, 38, of Campbell Road – pictured with her sons and husband Alex – said: “I just want them to be able to go to the same school in walking distance of our home. I don’t care which one.”

She understood Beau’s application had initially been turned down because the family is not Roman Catholic — something which is given a higher weighting in Our Lady’s admission policies than other factors.

Aided schools like Roman Catholic primaries have their own admissions arrangements.

Mrs Leech has now taken her case to the Local Government Ombudsman.

She said: “The council hasn’t done anything wrong administratively, which is all you can appeal on, but they don’t seem to take into account common sense.

“Although the council is very sympathetic, there appears to be nothing they can do.”