PARENTS of pupils who are due to move schools next year are being warned that the transfer process has begun.

Worcestershire County Council wants to highlight the need for prompt correspondence in a bid to cut the number of admission problems experienced each year.

Information packs outlining the procedure should have been received by thousands of parents.

The packs were distributed to each primary and middle school across the county and passed on to pupils to take home.

Parents are being urged to read every document in the pack thoroughly before returning their forms before Friday, November 23.

Any forms returned after this date will be given lower priority for a place at a preferred school.

Last year, around 200 parents either returned forms after the closing date, or not at all.

The council has to operate to strict Government criteria when dealing with pupil transfers and cannot guarantee it will find everyone a place at their preferred school.

The council says that if parents understand the rules then more people will be satisfied and the number of appeals could be reduced.

"Every year the county council makes sure as many transferring pupils as possible are found a place at the parents preferred school," said a county council spokesman.

"We want to increase that number and we need parents' help at this stage to do that."

Parents of children currently being educated outside Worcestershire or in independent schools, but want their child to be considered for a place in one of the council's school, should contact the Pupil Admissions and Transfers Section for a transfer pack as soon as possible.

Parents who would like to obtain a transfer pack call County Hall on 01905 763763.