Two leading Sutton grammar schools have formally ruled to cut the number of places allocated to local children.

Earlier this year Wallington High School for Girls announced 2010 admissions proposals that would have halve the number of places set aside for local children to just 60 compared to 130 in 2009.

But the engingeering status school for 1,306 pupils has now ruled that there will be 80 places set aside for children within a 6.7 radius of the main front door.

Nonsuch High School for Girls had also planned to axe all 80 per cent of places currently allocated to children living within a five kilometre catchment area.

But after lengthy consultation and dozens of letters in objection to this newspaper, the science specialist school for 1,220 girls has now ruled that 100 places will be set aside for local children.

Speaking about the Wallington proposals, Wallington and Carshalton MP Tom Brake said: “It is better than the original proposal but it still means that the borough will struggle to find the new places that will be required at the local education authority schools for displaced pupils.

“It will still mean that a large number of school girls miss out on the opportunity to attend a very good school.”

Under the Greenwich ruling catchment areas are not legally enforceable in LEA-maintained schools.

Both schools were listed in the top 50 state secondary schools by the Sunday Times 2008 league table.

Wallington High School for Girls chairwoman of the governors Alison Myerscough said: “As a school in the London borough of Sutton, we very much value our relationship with our local community.

“We have listened to what was being said about our original proposals and we have increased the number of places available to those living within 6.7km of our school.

“We would also like to emphasise that many of the places allocated to girls in the top 100 in the entrance test will undoubtedly also go to girls living in this area.”

Nonsuch deputy head Jo Pomeroy said: “The proposed admissions arrangements for Nonsuch, published for consultation in December 2008, advocated, in the interest of transparency and objectivity, selection by ability alone, admitting students on the basis of rank order in the admissions tests.

“Concerns voiced subsequently about the potential impact of the proposed arrangements on the availability of school places in Sutton, have influenced a decision to re-instate a distance criterion for a proportion of the available places.”

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