Apology over lack of secondary school places

Secondary school applications in West Sussex were up by nearly 200 this year

A council has apologised to families whose children did not receive any of their preferences for secondary school places.

West Sussex County Council said "the need for more places had been previously identified" in the Adur district but "the situation had not been resolved".

A group of parents in Shoreham had accused the council of letting them down.

More than a quarter of the children in Year 6 at Swiss Gardens Primary were told to attend a school six miles away.

West Sussex County Council had said its secondary school applications this year were up by nearly 200 pupils.

A spokesperson said in March that "nothing had gone wrong".

Now in a letter to parents the council's leader, Paul Marshall, reaffirmed the need to "provide support" and "rectify the situation for future years".

An independent review is being undertaken to provide a full understanding of the situation, the council said.

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