A PARENT who moved house so her little boy would be in the catchment area of a popular primary school has now found he has been refused a place there.

Pippa Astbury found a property near Burnham Copse Primary School and moved house, just in time to apply for a place for her son to go to school there in September.

But she was dismayed to discover that her application was refused, and her son Luke was instead offered a place at Bishopswood Infant School in Tadley – around an hour’s walk away in Barlows Road.

She is joining 12 other parents who were also refused places for their children at Burnham Copse – and they are attending appeal hearings this month seeking to overturn the decisions, made by Hampshire County Council.

The case highlights the increasing competition for school places in some areas.

Burnham Copse in Newchurch Road, Tadley, which has 200 pupils, is oversubscribed and can only take 30 new pupils each year.

So even though the children live within the catchment area, preference is given to those who have a sibling already at the school.

Miss Astbury, 32, said: “It’s the only school which we can walk to, and in this day and age we are all told ‘make sure you walk your child to school’.”

Her four-year-old son already attends Saplings Pre-school, which is within the grounds of Burnham Copse and just a 15-minute walk from her home.

The mother-of-two, who works part-time at Tesco, said: “We moved as soon as we could so he could settle before starting there.

“He’s not very good with changes. Now I’m going to have to tell him he can’t go to Burnham Copse.”

Parents Marion and Simeon Woodhouse moved to Forest Close in Baughurst when Mrs Woodhouse was pregnant with her son Toby, who is now three, with the hope that one day he would attend Burnham Copse. But those hopes have been dashed. Her son also attends Saplings Pre-school, but has been given a place at Bishopswood.

The 37-year-old nurse said: “It’s really sad. Not a single child from Baughurst has got in unless they have a sibling there already.”

When Burnham Copse Infant and Junior schools amalgamated in 2008, the number of new admissions was reduced from 60 to 30.

Councillor Roy Perry, Hampshire County Council’s deputy leader and executive lead member for children’s services, said there is a small shortage of places across Tadley.

He added: “Extra places have been offered at Bishopswood Infant School. This was the most straightforward option to ensure all Tadley’s children have a local school place.”