VALE council cabinet members have voted for an amended feeder school system policy, following a public consultation.
The Authority originally wrote to all parents attending Vale primary schools that it intended changing the current feeder system to a catchment system.
Cabinet member for children's services at the local authority, Cllr Chris Elmore said, in February this year, the current feeder system, where children generally move to the secondary school "linked" to their primary school regardless of where they live, had "several flaws".
But the LA received 785 written responses with 22 respondents in favour of the change with the rest opposing or expressing serious concerns.
Two 1015 signature petitions, expressing opposition, were also submitted.
In her report, put before cabinet on Monday (April 8), Vale Council chief learning and skills officer Jennifer Hill said: "The proposals have been amended to retain the feeder school system as an oversubscription criterion for entry to secondary schools with minor modification to address certain anonmalies within the system ensuring that local children who do not attend a linked feeder primary school are enabled to attend their local secondary school."     
Vale MP Alun Cairns said he found it "unbelievable" the cabinet member would appear to have backed down once again on a proposal put forward to the Council - this time regarding the feeder school policy.
"The annual statutory consultation exercise was run at the same time as parents were distressed to find out about the proposals for potential closure of three Vale primary schools," he said. 
"Thankfully, those schools have all been saved.
"It is hard to understand why the council would want to change a feeder school system that clearly is accepted by parents as playing a significant role if a secondary school is over-subscribed.  
"I am pleased that the council have listened and taken note of the representations from parents, teachers and governors and decided to maintain the existing policy.
"From trying to justify the closure of any school based on a self-imposed school places surplus target to now backing down on their aim to change the school admission policy makes no sense to me.
"The Vale Council and Cllr Elmore as cabinet member for children's services seems to swing from one chaotic saga to another.
"What is clear to me is that parents can win the day when their arguments are sensible and logical.
"The local authority need to be as open as possible and should lobby the Welsh Government for greater freedom in organising schools. Ultimately it's the pupils that need to be at the centre of all decisions."