RIBBLE Valley schoolchildren may have to travel as far as Walton-le-Dale for secondary school education as places for pupils look set to cause crisis yet again.

Parents from the Hurst Green, Copster Green, Clayton-le-Dale, Salesbury, Mellor and Balderstone areas are being strongly advised to consider Longridge High School as a first choice for their child to avoid places at Clitheroe's Ribblesdale High School being over-subscribed.

But if both Longridge and Ribblesdale High Schools are full, pupils, particularly in the Mellor and Balderstone areas, may end up having to travel to Walton-le-Dale High School.

Last year, local parents' most popular choice of Ribblesdale High School was largely over-subscribed.

The problem was solved by extra places being offered at Bowland High School to those living in the north Clitheroe area and extra funding offered to accommodate the rest at Ribblesdale.

But the situation looks set to get worse for the 2002/2003 intake, with the number of children transferring from Ribble Valley primary schools increasing by more than 40.

And parents fear the influx of new families to live in housing developments planned for the area, particularly at Barrow, where developers want to triple the size of the village, could send secondary school education into an even deeper crisis.

This year, the local education authority has pledged 132 first-year places at Bowland High School and an additional 165 at Ribblesdale High School.

But Stuart Finch from the Ribble Valley Schools for Ribble Valley Children Campaign said: "The view of the LEA is that every Ribble Valley pupil seeking a Ribble Valley secondary school should be able to be offered a place. But we feel that this could only be achieved by filling the 12 reserved places at Longridge High School.

"Problems could occur unless parents take up places at Longridge, but this is unlikely to happen."

Mr Finch was speaking after a meeting of parents and pupils at Salesbury CE Primary School.

He added: "The vast majority of parents at the meeting all said they have or will put Ribblesdale down as their first choice.

"But this means, as they are seen as living in least priority areas for Ribblesdale.

He accused the LEA of "refusing to tackle the situation."

He said: "They just wait and see what happens at the end of the day." Ribble Valley Schools for Ribble Valley Children Campaign has set out guidelines for helping parents make the right school choice.

They say that pupils living outside the priority area who do not already have a brother or sister at the school, are "very unlikely" to be offered a place at Ribblesdale High School.

A spokesperson for the LEA said: "Our aim is to provide all Ribble Valley children with a place at a Ribble Valley secondary school.

"But for parents who do not obtain a place for their child at the school of their choice, they have the opportunity to appeal to an independent panel who can offer places, if the case is seen as been sufficiently strong.

"In the meantime, the admissions team at the Area Education Department is on hand to advice and assist parents throughout the allocations process."

For more information ring 01772 254868.