By Kelly Eve Education reporter

Last updated 05:19, Friday, 28 November 2008

SEVERAL families in the north of Carlisle have had to send their children to primary schools elsewhere in the city because those near their homes are full after the closure of Belah School.

Carlisle MP Eric Martlew believes the problems will only get worse if new housing developments go ahead and attract more families into the popular area.

Stanwix School is full to capacity as are Kingmoor infant and junior schools in Lowry Hill.

Children who were at Belah when it closed in July were guaranteed places at the Kingmoor schools following a shake-up of primary school places.

Now new details show that six children, who were not at Belah School, were refused places at their favoured schools despite living in the catchment areas and had to go elsewhere.

Cumbria County Council said four youngsters were refused places at Kingmoor infant and junior schools.

Two were offered alternatives at Caldew Lea, another was placed at Brook Street and the fourth offered Stanwix.

Meanwhile, two catchment pupils were refused places at Stanwix and offered Caldew Lea and Houghton instead.

Carlisle MP Eric Martlew said: “They have closed Belah School, filled the other two and we’ve now got the situation there are not enough spaces for the children in that area.

“There could be plans to build new houses at the St Augustine’s club and part of the Belah School site could be given over to housing too. We also have the new housing up at the old Newfield Hotel and Barratts continue to build up at Lowry Hill.

“Logic says that Belah should not have closed, now they have this capacity problem. I’m not blaming this current administration at the county council, it’s the previous one. They’ve deceived people. It now begs the question, what is going to happen in the future?”

Cumbria County Council has insisted there are enough places in the reception year groups for all children living in the north of Carlisle but added that the provision of places is always under review.

The local education authority also said it never guarantees a school place for any child and that all parents have the right to appeal.

It also said that it dealt with all requests for school places in accordance with the School Admission Code and its own admissions scheme.

A spokesperson said: “There are enough places in each year group for children currently living in the north of Carlisle in the reception classes. Provision for places is constantly under review.

“Currently, the schools north of the river are popular and full due to the number of out of area pupils attending them. This is in line with the national Code of Admissions where schools have to allow up to their published admissions limit when there are applications.”