Ormiston Rivers Academy has given a reaction to news this week of the disappointment of a number of Dengie parents when their children were allocated secondary school places outside the district - many miles in some cases.

The school confirmed that it is working with Essex County Council to come up with a solution to the problem this year and of the hope that the academy will be able to expand student intake in future years.

A spokesperson for Ormiston Rivers Academy said:

"We are very proud to be an academy of choice for so many parents and we always do our level best to take as many children as possible.

"Unfortunately, however, there is only so much space at the school and we know that that can mean disappointment for some.

"That is why we have proposed that we increase the number of students per year from 180 to 210. This change will mean that we need to create extra space and new buildings to accommodate the extra numbers, so would come in from 2023 if agreed.

"We are working with the council in the interim to see if there are any solutions before then."

Yesterday afternoon, following a meeting with county councillors and education officials, MP John Whittingdale said the move to allocate some pupils from the Dengie area school places as far away as Brightlingsea and Rochford was a "mistake".

Mr Whittingdale said: "The Dengie is served by two secondary schools, Ormiston Rivers and William de Ferrers. While both are full, officials are urgently exploring with the schools ways of increasing capacity to allow a bigger intake this year.

"I am confident that on this basis parents will not be expected to send their children out of area.

"The county council has promised to be in contact early next week with further information for all those parents affected and I am grateful to them for acting so swiftly to correct what is clearly a mistake."