THE number of appeals for secondary school places in Bolton has dropped dramatically.

This year there were just 29 appeals against the secondary school places allocated to youngsters by Bolton Local Education authority -- compared to 136 last year.

For the past five years there have been at least 100 appeals each year, made by parents unhappy with the school place their child has been offered.

Admissions bosses say they have not introduced any new policies or criteria this year and are claiming the drop in appeals is because there are fewer pupils moving up, so parents are more likely to get their child into their preferred school.

Val Fogg, Manager of Pupil and Student Services, which oversees the admissions process, said: "We have been able to make more offers to parents that they have found acceptable.

"What I think is probably relevant is that there are 200 fewer pupils applying to go to secondary school than last year, due to a falling birth rate." Mrs Fogg said it was a pattern that looks set to continue.

This year 11 of the 29 appeals were upheld.

For primary schools admissions there were 16 appeals last year, and 17 appeals are scheduled to be heard next week.

Under the appeals process, when parents are sent a letter offering them a place at a school they also receive an application form to appeal against the decision, so they can appeal if the offer is not in line with their preferences.

If parents want to appeal, they fill in the form and return it to the Town Hall where administrators arrange for an independent appeals panel to consider the appeal.

Parents, the local education authority and the school in question will have the chance to put forward their side to the panel. The panel then makes a decision on whether to uphold the appeal or not.

A new co-ordinated admissions system is set to be introduced next year whereby the LEA will administer admissions to all Church schools. This will mean parents will stop receiving multiple school places for their children and just receive the one offer.

Currently, St James School and Canon Slade administer their own admissions.