A MOTHER has vowed her son will be educated at home because he has been refused a place at a school just 100 yards from their doorstep.

Victoria Collier, 24, has alleged Kidderminster's Franche First School still has spaces and accused the Local Education Authority of manipulating the entry system to fill less popular alternatives.

An LEA spokesman denied the claim and said he "assumed" the school was full.

He pointed out headteachers decided on intake and added only the independent Schools Appeal Panel could force them to increase numbers.

Miss Collier applied to place her four-year-old son Ethan into the Franche school earlier this year but was refused and lost her appeal.

The family only moved to Kidderminster in February and made a late application to the school - just 100 yards from their Wilton Avenue home - as they did not know where Wyre Forest Community Housing would rehouse them.

Ethan has attended Franche nursery since March and his younger brother Morgan will join in September and will probably go to Franche First the year after.

Miss Collier will keep Ethan - due to start school in September and currently on the Franche waiting list - at the nursery for the next two terms.

She said she will arrange home tuition from next summer, when he turns five, unless he gains a place.

"I'm not prepared to be sending them to two different schools for the next 15 years. And there's no way I'm going to take Ethan to another school when he's got one 100 yards away," she said.

"It seems ridiculous. He's getting to know teachers and he's got his group of friends. It was a big enough move in the first place."

Miss Collier added: "In my opinion Franche First School has got room and the LEA wants to fill other schools up."

She has ruled out Marlpool First School, a 20-minute walk away, which does not have an attached nursery for Morgan. "I'd have to cross three main roads to get there and Morgan would be waiting for me at Franche to pick him up."

The LEA spokesman suggested it would be sensible if Wyre Forest Community Housing checked availability of school places before it rehoused tenants.