IT PAINTS a telling picture that while a record number of children are celebrating being offered a place at their first choice of primary school, the percentage of youngsters getting allocated their number one option has dropped.

Everyone knows the crippling pressure Reading’s schools are under – in recent years we have brought you stories of parents who have missed out, children facing long trips to schools miles from home and demands for more to be done to stop youngsters being ripped apart from their friends.

But at the same time dedicated parents who give up their time to set up free schools are running into red tape or battling planning appeals against

developers trying to build homes on the limited land left in the borough.

The West Reading Education Network (WREN) is still waiting for a decision on whether it can build a secondary free school at the former Elvian site in Southcote, while Maiden Erlegh’s bid for a 900 pupil free school was given permission to open next year – but politicians are still playing political football over where it should be.

While battles erupt every time the row over school places arises, it is children who pay the price and parents who face the uncertainty of not knowing where their child will be educated.

As the number of children continues to spiral, we hope political differences and red tape can be put aside so parents can rest easy knowing their children are not only guaranteed a school place, but a place at the school they are desperate to go to.

We need to provide the best possible education for the future generation, and it is about time Reading’s political leaders came up with a winning formula.