I was sorry to read of the Mann family's disappointment with their school places (Letters, April 20) but I must emphasise our admissions team acted entirely correctly.

Admissions booklets setting out the applications process and time-scale were sent out in November - three months before the closing date.

The council has a legal obligation to follow its published admission arrangements and this includes the closing date.

This means we cannot consider late applications until we have dealt with those received on time.

If we did not act in this way we could be challenged by other parents who returned their forms on time and potentially by the local government Ombudsman.

The appeal panels on school admissions are independent of the admissions service and the panel that considered this case upheld our decision.

We have offered an alternative school for both children close to the family's home address.

We hope this will help with any problems the family may feel they have with getting their children to school on time.

-Councillor Pat Hawkes, Chairwoman Children, Families and Schools committee