The county council has given an explanation of how some children living in the Dengie Peninsula were this week allocated secondary school places as far away as Brightlingsea.

It appears that the potential demand for places in September this year was calculated on the basis that the need would be exactly the same as that for 2020. Officials are now looking into why that has not been the case.

An Essex County Council spokesperson said: "We are aware that a number of parents in the Dengie area have not obtained a place at their preferred school(s) and it is always regrettable where this is the case.

"With regards to school place planning, schools are grouped into geographical planning groups. In respect of this part of Essex, Ormiston Rivers Academy and William de Ferrers schools are allocated into one single planning group.

"Pupil forecasts are produced for each planning group and the forecast data for this planning group did indicate a potential deficit of places for September 2021. Analysis completed after the closing date for applications for September 2021 indicated that the places available in year 7, across the two schools, would be sufficient to meet the expected demand.

"This view was based on the application data for September 2020 being virtually identical and sufficient places being available for that year.

"We will be undertaking further analysis on the data to establish why the situation is substantially different this year compared to last year, creating the current issue."

The spokesperson also went on to reassure parents that solutions are being sought, adding: "We absolutely recognise the concerns of parents. We are aware that 22 children in the area who have not been offered one of their parents' preferred schools have been offered a place outside of the planning group.

"This is because where nearer schools are fully subscribed, the Council has a statutory duty to offer an alternative school place where there are vacancies, even if that school is many miles away.

"It is entirely understandable that parents are dissatisfied with the present situation and we empathise. We are currently in discussions with both Ormiston Rivers Academy and William De Ferrers schools to establish extra capacity in the area for September 2021".