A GROUP of mums took their fight over primary school places in Beaconsfield to county hall yesterday.

Distraught and angry parents have criticised Buckinghamshire County Council after 16 children were left without a place at any of the primary schools in Beaconsfield (see link below).

The children have been offered places at primary schools in neighbouring villages up to five miles from their homes.

Sara Littlewood, 42, handed over a paper to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee asking for help to “resolve the crisis”.

The committee agreed to use its power to demand schools boss Steven Adams respond to their questions and concerns within five days.

She has called for a 'bulge class' to be set up at one of the town's three primary schools to take the 16 children in September.

Mrs Littlewood told the committee there were 'blind spot' roads in Beaconsfield that are within the catchment for one of the primary schools but too far away from it to secure a place.

Her four-year-old son Max has been told he must travel four miles from their home on Woodside Avenue to The Curzon School in Penn Street next year.

They live within the catchment area for The Holtspur School, yet live closer to St Mary & All Saints on Maxwell Road and Butlers Court on Wattleton Road.

She told councillors yesterday: “We recommend eliminating catchment areas altogether like other counties do - use straight line distance calculation.”

The mums were praised for their campaign and the committee said they would consider at the issue.

Steven Adams, the council's new cabinet member for learning and skills is currently looking at solutions and told the Bucks Free Press he expects to sit down with members and hear their thoughts.

He said: "The issue is pressing and I'm fairly confident. But before we can make a decision about bulge classes I still need to make sure the figures will stack up."

Butlers Court School has expressed interest in taking on another class, but headteacher Jeanette Marshall has said she would need 30 pupils to secure the necessary £60,000 yearly funding from the council.

Cllr Adams said he could not comment on school catchment areas until there was more detail from the Government on its proposals for parents and teachers to set up 'free schools'.

John Bajina, a parent governor member of the committee, said: “I just wish the whole of Buckinghamshire, particularly inner urban areas of Buckinghamshire, including Aylesbury and High Wycombe, have parental groups like yours.”