A SCHOOLBOY is celebrating after being told he can go to the secondary school of his choice -- just a week before the new term starts.

Until this week, 11-year-old Aaron Grimshaw had been told he would have to go to Accrington's Moorhead High School, despite the fact Norden High School, which all his classmates were going to, is much closer to his Rishton home.

His mum, Joanne Swinby, of Albert Street, Rishton, first appealed against Lancashire County Council's decision to offer her son a place at Moorhead -- which she said would have meant he had to travel four miles to school by himself every day -- in April, but an independent panel refused to overturn County Hall's original decision.

Joanne, who vowed to teach her son at home rather than make him go to Moorhead, then appealed to the Local Government Ombudsman, who demanded a second panel hearing take place.

That hearing, on Tuesday, resulted in the appeals panel deciding Aaron should be allowed to join his classmates from Rishton Methodist School in moving on to Norden High School.

Delighted Joanne said: "This is the news we have been praying for. Aaron has been a totally different boy since he was told he would have to go to Moorhead. "He is now back to his old self. He is absolutely delighted to be going to school with all his friends."

But she added: "What really annoys me is that it has taken so long. This has been like a cloud hanging over our heads for six months. I was preparing to teach him at home.

"It seemed very daft from the start that Aaron should have to walk to a bus stop in front of Norden to catch a bus to Moorhead High School which is four miles away.

"The last six months have been a nightmare for us. Hopefully Aaron can put it all behind him. His friends are really stoked for him too.

"We are going to celebrate by going out and buying him a new uniform."

Joanne said: "I am very grateful to everyone who has helped us, including Hyndburn MP Greg Pope and the Lancashire Evening Telegraph."

A spokesman for Lancashire County Council confirmed the decision and said: "As the local education authority, we place pupils in secondary schools in accordance with nationally-accepted guidelines.

"Wherever possible we try to place a child in the school a parent prefers but this is not always possible."