A NEW secondary school could be built in the Ribble Valley in a bid to end the annual scramble for places which has forced some pupils to travel out of the area for their education.

But education chiefs have been told the scheme, possibly involving a relocation of Bowland High School, will not be completed quickly enough to prevent at least 50 children being left without their first choice place in September next year.

A report, to be presented to members of Lancashire County Council's education and cultural services committee tomorrow, shows over-subscribed Ribblesdale High, Bowland High and Clitheroe Royal Grammar can take just 430 of the 481 children due to start secondary school in the year 2000.

And the document, compiled following consultation with local primary schools, warns that the actual number of children could rise to 500, leaving more than 70 without a place.

Members will be asked to agree to approach Clitheroe Royal Grammar about increasing its intake, as well as speaking to the governing bodies at Longridge, Ribblesdale and Bowland about admission arrangements for next year.

They will also be asked to agree to further reports looking at admissions in the year 2001/2002 and establishing a new school. The report reads: "Many difficulties would need to be overcome before a new school could be established, perhaps based upon a relocation of the present Bowland High School in a more accessible area of the Ribble Valley. "However this possibility merits further consideration and further report will be presented to members in due course."

The row over places erupted earlier this year when families who had put Ribblesdale and Bowland as their first choice were allocated places as far away as Accrington.

The report indicates that Accrington's Moorhead High will again be expected to offer places to children living outside its immediate catchment zone next year.

In 1996, the first year the Local Education Authority was unable to provide a place for everyone who had listed Ribblesdale as their first choice.

The school eventually took 166 children. Numbers have steadily risen and 264 were admitted this month.

At Bowland, the number of admissions has risen from 60 to 90.

Neighbouring schools in Rishton, Accrington and Oswaldtwistle have also admitted extra pupils to help cope with demand.

But parents living in the Ribble Valley are unhappy about children being faced with a daily journey to Accrington to attend school and have formed the Ribble Valley Schools for Ribble Valley Children campaign.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.