Astonished parents at York primary schools have reacted with fury to news that their children have been allocated secondary school places miles across the city.

At Fishergate Primary, the shock announcement last night has "driven a wedge" through the community as parents come to terms with the controversial decision to send some pupils to Burnholme Community College.

Fuming parents today called for a rethink by education bosses, who face a deluge of appeals on behalf of pupils who put down Fulford School as their first choice, with Millthorpe second, but have ended up with Burnholme, and in some cases Archbishop Holgate's School.

Wendy Cochrane, whose daughter Laura, 10, is affected by the decision, said: "We are about to move to within 150 yards of Fulford School, but they wouldn't take account of that.Geographically, it is ludicrous. There are three schools nearer."

Dennis Warriner, whose son Jack is in the same position, said history was repeating itself: "The same thing happened to me when I lived at Clifton. I had to bike five miles to Burnholme and I don't want Jack to have to do it, especially with all those dangerous roads like Hull Road and Fulford Road on the way."

And another mum said: "The council is supposed to be committed to ensuring children have a safe journey to school but they are now trying to send my son to a school which would mean a dangerous daily journey crossing several main roads and with no buses available."

The chairman of governors at Fishergate, Howard Dickenson, said: "Parents are very distressed and upset. They don't seem to have had any choice in where their children go to school.

"I have no wish to denigrate Burnholme at all, because I think it is very good, but there are no buses there whatsoever. They have driven a wedge through the Fishergate community in the way this has been done."

At Heworth CE Primary School, there was also disappointment for parent Linda Collis, whose son Daniel, 11, has been allocated a place at Burnholme Community College.

Linda, of Dodsworth Avenue, said: "We put Huntington School first and would have been quite happy with Joseph Rowntree because buses go that way.

"To get to Burnholme he will have to walk a long way - we didn't even put Burnholme down on our list of six."

And it is understood that a number of parents in Badger Hill, adjacent to Archbishop Holgate's School, are fuming after their children were allocated to Burnholme.

There was disappointment too at St George's RC Primary, where parent Jayne Fern, whose daughter has been allocated to Burnholme, said the situation was ridiculous.

York MP Hugh Bayley said: "People talk about parental choice but it seems that the schools are choosing the parents and not the other way round."

Liz Jones, assistant director of education, said: ""There is a situation this year where there is a high demand in the catchment area of some schools.

"There are also a high number of children who already have siblings in such schools, and this situation applies to Fulford School. It is just a question of demographics."

see COMMENT 'Pupils' safety is paramount'

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