Reading's schools appeals procedures are creaking under the pressure as hundred of pupils' parents appeal against decisions to send their children to distant schools. With the closure of Ryeish Green by Wokingham Council, pupils normally sent there have flooded the admissions procedure resulting in children being forced to travel half way across the Borough for their secondary education. Children from New Christ School who would normally expect to be sent to its catchment school the John Madejski Academy has seen absolutely no pupils admitted to it because of the admissions chaos.

Suspicions abound that the problems have been deliberately engineered by Wokingham Tories to boost their league table results at the expense of Reading children, but one parent told us: "as with all conspiracy theories, you should look for those who have most to gain." Reading Buses were unavailable for comment.