BROTHERS and sisters are being forced to attend different primary schools, sparking a row over the schools admission policy in South Gloucestershire.

Siblings at Trinity Primary School, in Acton Turville, face lessons apart and parents do not know how they will be able to drop their children off and collect them from two different schools at the same time.

Belinda Delargy, who lives in Hinton, said she was ‘infuriated’ after being told her youngest son Harry, four, could not join his brother Charlie, six, at Trinity school in September.

Instead, Harry has been offered a place at Wick Primary School.

"He was not even been given a place at our nearest local school of Pucklechurch," said Mrs Delargy.

"I wanted my two boys to go to school together and we even registered an interest with the school for Harry when he was six months old. But that counts for nothing.

"We have no idea how we will manage in September."

Sharon Taylor, of West Littleton, has two children at the school but her youngest daughter has been refused a place.

Jake, 10, and Libby, six, are both pupils at Trinity School but four-year-old Isabella will have to attend Marshfield Primary School.

Under council policy, priority for places is given to children who live within two miles and have siblings at the school. After that, priority is given to children living in close proximity to the school.

Northavon MP Steve Webb has met with parents at Trinity Primary School but said the problem is not exclusive to Acton Turville.

He said: "I am aware of between 20 and 25 cases of siblings being split up in South Gloucestershire, including some in Yate but the problem is particularly acute in rural areas.

"Schools become much more for parents than just somewhere they drop their children off and this is breaking a much deeper bond."

He added: "I have tried in previous years to get the rules changed but I am not going to let this rest.

"I intend to make a case to get this rule changed so all siblings are given priority."

A spokesman for the council said 90 per cent of people applying for a place this year were awarded their first choice of school and 96 per cent were given a place at one of their preferred schools.

"Siblings are given a high priority when allocating places if a family lives within a certain distance of the school or where the family live in an area of prime responsibility for a particular school or schools," he said. "The council also has to take into account a legal ruling which would make it unlawful for an authority to treat applicants living outside the local authority area less favourably than those living within it.

"The council reviews and consults on its school admissions policy annually and considers any responses to the consultation before the policy is agreed."