HUNDREDS of parents trying to get their children into one of the region’s best comprehensive schools have been left frustrated after an independent watchdog ruled against them.

Parents have clashed with education chiefs and each other over admissions rules at Durham Johnston School, in Durham City, long before the comprehensive was rebuilt last year, at a cost of £23.8m.

Earlier this year, the Independent Schools Adjudicator gave priority to children living closest, leading to fury from families in villages around Durham with historic links to the schools and raising fears that wealthier parents would “buy” access to the school by moving closer.

A group of 175 parents, mostly from Bowburn, Shincliffe, High Shincliffe and Parkhill, filed an official objection.

Adjudicator John Simpson has thrown out their case, meaning the rules will remain unchanged for school entry in September next year.

However, Mr Simpson also axed a previous order that the rules remain for 2012, meaning more uncertainty for hundreds of families.

Roberta Blackman-Woods, Labour MP for Durham City and a governor at Durham Johnston, said: “It’s a strange judgement because it accepts that certain children have been disadvantaged by the admissions arrangements in place, but doesn’t really suggest how that should be addressed.

“I’ll be lobbying that the only way of dealing with this problem in the long run, and not having one or another set of parents making an objection, is to have catchment areas. It’s the only long-term solution which doesn’t disadvantage communities – either in the city centre or villages.”

Nigel Martin, Liberal Democrat councillor and school governor, said: “There is only nine months for the council to get to grips with a situation that has festered for the past three years at least.

“Work must start now or we shall find ourselves in the same situation again in 12 months’ time, waiting on an outside body to determine things instead of locally elected representatives.”

Both welcomed Mr Simpson’s decision to order Durham County Council to provide parents with maps showing the nearest school boundary for all areas of County Durham.