A RECORD number of appeals were lodged in the Cumberland Council area last year following the refusal of school place applications, new figures show.

Most appeals are made when an applicant has not received an offer of a place at their first preference school.

However, appeals relating to other transfers at the start of the school year are also included.

Figures from the Department for Education show 49 appeals were lodged in the Cumberland Council area by the start of the 2023-24 school year – up from zero the year before and the highest since comparable records began in 2015-16.

Across the country, 56,684 school admissions appeals for 2023-24 places were lodged, up 7 per cent on the year before.

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Of the appeals lodged in the Cumberland Council area, 33 were heard by an appeals panel – 17 of them were successful.

Nationally, 8,490 of the 42,345 (20 per cent) appeals heard were successful.

A Department of Education spokesperson said: "It is the responsibility of the local authority to ensure there are sufficient school places for pupils who need them."