A 50 per cent increase in intake of infants to South Farnham School is being talked about for the future, after some Bourne parents were left fuming by a failure to secure a place there for their four year olds this September.

The infant school at the Bourne was amalgamated into top performing South Farnham Junior School in Menin Way in September 2011 and this year, of the 60 places available at the infant campus in The Bourne, 38 have gone to siblings of pupils already at one of the two campuses.

Two places went to special cases, leaving just 20 for children without brothers and sisters at South Farnham.

Those living more than 489 metres from the school gate have missed out and face a car journey to more distant schools, including St Polycarp's, Pilgrim's Way, All Saints in Tilford and St Mary's in Frensham.

In a letter to Education Secretary Michael Gove, frustrated parents Martin and Katarina Parr, of Bourne Grove Drive, said assurances that the merger would not lead to local children being excluded had proved "worthless".

For full story, see this week's Farnham Herald.