THE parents of four-year-old Bethia Pillinger are desperately fighting for her to have an education in the town where she lives after being told that every primary school’s reception class is full.

The youngster is one of a few to be unsuccessful in securing a spot at any of the eight schools in and around Corsham due to large number of pupils starting this September.

On their application form, Mike and Jenny Pillinger, of Stone Close, put their three top choices as the Corsham Primary Broadwood site, the Corsham Primary Pound Pill site and Neston Primary School when they applied last year through Wiltshire Council’s schools admissions process.

However, they were devastated to find out Bethia had missed out on a place at all of them.

They live only a three-minute drive from the Corsham Primary’s Broadwood site and moved to the town ten years ago specifically so they would be in the catchment area for the schools when they had children.

“This should be the time that we are enjoying the build-up of her going to school,” said Mr Pillinger, 33, a self-employed barber. “But we’ve just been writing letters fighting for her to have a place.

“We are not trying to be unreasonable or difficult. We just assumed we would get into our local catchment school.”

The couple are now running out of options and last week lost their appeal to win a place at the Corsham School Broadwood site. They face either home-schooling her or sending her to a school in Chippenham alone in a taxi every day, paid for by the council.

Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan has written to Wiltshire Council with her concerns on behalf of the family.

The parents don’t yet have the heart to tell Bethia she won’t be starting school with her friends.

Mrs Pillinger, 32, added: “The council said it’s the first time the school haven’t been able to accommodate their own catchment and there’s been a baby boom for that year apparently.

“We feel so isolated. I don’t know any other children in this position. We’ve done everything we can and don’t know what else to do.”

A spokesman for Wiltshire Council said: "Corsham Broadwood is an academy so sets its own admission policy and unfortunately in this instance the family were not successful in gaining a place as they were not high enough up the school’s criteria. The family also had their appeal considered by an independent panel.

"We understand the family’s concerns and we’d now like to work with them on ensuring their daughter settles in well at her new primary school. Mrs Pillinger’s daughter has been offered a place at Frogwell Primary School which is the next nearest school to the home address with available places.

"We are aware there is pressure on places in the Corsham area and we’re having discussions with the academies regarding their individual admission policies because of this."

The number of school places is being kept under review in light of planned new housing in the area and the council is currently carrying out work to look at creating additional places through the expansion of existing schools in line with new housing developments.