TWO Yate schools are in the top 10 most over-subscribed primaries in South Gloucestershire, with 20 children missing out on a place at one of them.

St Mary’s CE Primary School in Church Road and Broadway Infant School on The Ridge estate both made the list.

Broadway was chosen as first, second or third preference by the parents of 159 children, while St Mary’s was selected by 137.

Broadway offers 60 reception class places, and 50 of the 55 applicants that chose the school as their first preference received a place for their child in September.

At St Mary’s there are 45 places available, but the parents of 65 children selected the school as their first choice meaning that 20 children missed out. The primary was picked as second choice for 42 parents.

At Broadway, the successful applications for the school are decided by the council, with a number of different factors helping the local authority to make the decision.

At St Mary’s, the board of governors decide which children are accepted by the school.

Acting headteacher at St Mary’s, Bethan Scrivens said she was delighted that so many parents favoured the school but regretted that there wasn’t enough space for all applicants.

“We are a school for the community and we have always worked with the parents to maintain that,” said Mrs Scrivens.

“Yate has some really good schools that all offer different things, I think the people that live here are very lucky.

“The parents come to the school and meet the amazing children themselves.

“We work hard to develop the children in a good way and they never leave, they remain part of the St Mary’s family.

“It is a shame that we can’t have more but we aren’t going to breach our numbers. There aren’t any plans to expand here as that sort of thing takes a lot of planning.”

With 20 children choosing St Mary’s as their top choice but failing to get in, the school was among those with the most first preference rejections in the county.

One mum who was disappointed to discover that her daughter had been rejected by St Mary’s told the Gazette she was surprised by the decision because her two other children attend the school.

“It is a shame because we live within 0.5 miles of the school and have had links with them there for over a decade,” said the woman, who asked not to be named. It is a really good school and we were shocked that we didn’t get in. We have also been part of the church for two generations.”

South Gloucestershire Council revealed that 91 per cent of people were offered their first choice school this year, with all on-time applications allocated places at one of their three preferences.

The headteacher at Broadway Infant School, Juliet Lambert, said: “It is a real shame (that some children didn’t get in here), but the popularity shows that we are doing good things here at the school. We have a really good relationship with the Ridge (Junior School).”