A LEIGH school has been told it must change its admissions policy after a row over which children can be taught there.

Twelve parents joined fee-paying school St Michael’s to complain about Belfairs Academy after it drew up a list of six Leigh primary schools which would be given priority for secondary school places.

These “feeder” schools were Blenheim Primary School, Chalkwell Hall Junior School, Darlinghurst Primary School, Fairways Primary School, Leigh North Street Junior School, Westleigh Junior School.

Children who attend any of those six schools were to be given priority over children from other schools from September 2016.

But the Office of the Schools Adjudicator upheld the parents’ complaint and the school will now be forced to change is policy by the end of this month.

The deadline for applying for a secondary school place for 2016 is the end of October this year.

The adjudicator, Deborah Pritchard, said the preference given to some schools and not others was “not fair”.

Mrs Pritchard said because Leigh primary schools were oversubscribed, it meant parents living in Leigh, but forced to send their children to other areas for primary school would have no chance of attending their closest secondary school.

Stephen Tompkins, headteacher of St Michael’s school, welcomed the decision.

He said: “I fully support the Academy’s ambition to serve the local community, and I welcome the adjudicator’s decision that all local children should have a fair chance to gain a place at this popular school.”

Belfairs now has until the end of the month to change its rules.

Parents have until the end of October this year to secure a place for their child at a secondary school in 2016.

Bev Williams, executive principal of the school in Highlands Boulevard, said they would be making the changes to admissions policy.

She said: “Belfairs Academy is a highly successful, high-achieving academy and many young people want to join us. In that context, we understand and acknowledge the disappointment of students and parents when they are unable to secure a place a Belfairs Academy.

“However like any school, choices have to be made about the academy's admissions criteria and inevitably, this will disappoint some families.

“The report from the Schools Adjudicator was received and our governors and senior staff will give its conclusions immediate attention.”