Frustrated parents of children who have missed a place at their preferred secondary school are fighting to have transport fees to their second choice school in Millom quashed.

About 30 children from the villages of Gosforth, Seascale and Eskdale failed to secure a place at West Lakes Academy in Egremont. Instead, they were awarded their second choice of Millom School – which is more than 20 miles away.

But, because Millom is not their catchment school, the parents say they will have to pay almost £400 a year for their children’s school transport fees. They are now pushing for the three villages to become dual catchment areas of Millom School and West Lakes Academy, which would mean transport costs would also be waived for Millom.

Helen Sibbald’s son missed out on a place at West Lakes Academy this September.

“Because we are not in Millom’s catchment area (we live in Seascale) we are responsible for getting our son to school each day,” she said. “Luckily, Millom do provide an out-of-catchment, subsidised bus, but we still need to pay £390 per year to get him to school. In two years’ time this will become £780 when our younger son will go to secondary school.”

A parent group, which Mrs Sibbald is part of, has been formed and is driving the proposal forward to the county council. “This will enable real choice for our children – many people rule out Millom as a choice of secondary school because of the cost of transport,” she added. “Also, the issue with over subscription is only going to get worse for forthcoming years.”

Sarah Fawcett’s niece has not got a place at the Egremont academy and her eldest child will be considering which secondary to go to in a couple of years.

“Before this I just always assumed we would get into West Lakes Academy as we are in catchment and have no other school closer,” she said.

“The impact has been far greater than just those that haven’t got placed, as it has also had a negative effect emotionally on children who have got into WLA as they have been split from their close friends.”

A petition has gathered more than 300 names, calling on the admissions policy to be changed. The parents want a clause reinstated, saying when over-subscription within a catchment school occurs, children who live the furthest away from alternative schools will be given priority over children who are “geographically better situated” to attend an alternative school.

A spokesman for Cumbria County Council said: “We have received the request for a dual-catchment area for Millom and West Lakes Academy.

“The feasibility and associated costs of this are currently being considered.”

The petition can be found at www.change.org/p/west-lakes-academy-we-should-count