A YOUNG boy has told of his upset after being denied a secondary school place despite it being one road away from his home.

Logan Reeves, 11, from Bitterne Park, has been left devastated after being refused a place at his first-choice secondary school just 400 metres from his home.

Logan, who is due to start in September is unable to attend Bitterne Park High as Southampton City Council scrapped the catchment area for the school for September 2022 entries.

Logan, who is still desperate to attend Bitterne Park, said: “All my friends are at their secondary schools this week and I am the only one without a school.

“My best friends have schools and I’m worried that I will not get one.

“Seeing my friends go to school this week and I’m still here is making me very sad, and the teachers know this. I only live across the road and feel very worried about going to a school I don’t know or have any friends going to.

“I’m lonely this week.”

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His father, Ash, 32, said the catchment change was poorly publicised but did apply.

He did appeal the decision but was not successful. Ash added: "We will have to take him from school every morning and collect him every evening.

"Doing so takes us miles off our routes to work and will cause delays within our employment. He also has no friends attending that school and would have to get on two types of transport should he have to travel alone."

The family lives in Woodmill Lane.

Logan has been offered a place at Weston, which is over three-and-a-half miles away.

Bitterne Park High said its admission policy was subject to a consultation ending in January 2021.

A school statement said: "The local authority and governing body are fully satisfied that the published admission arrangements and policies meet all legal requirements.

“If, through the process of oversubscription, an applicant is not eligible for a place at any of their preferred schools, they are offered a place at the nearest school to their home with a space available.

“If a child has been refused a place at a preferred school due to oversubscription, they have the right to an independent appeal. Appeals can be submitted via the Southampton City Council website.”

A spokesperson from Southampton City Council said: “This policy also brings the school in line with all other secondary schools in the city.”

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