City of York Council's education chiefs are asking parents with children at Park Grove and Haxby Road Primary Schools to comment on proposals to change the catchment area for two local schools.

The two primary schools are currently included in a joint catchment area, feeding into both Huntington and Joseph Rowntree Schools. However, an increase in pupil numbers has meant that places for Huntington School are being filled by students from within its own catchment area and the majority of children in the joint catchment are having to go to Joseph Rowntrees', even if it is not their first preference.

Under the new proposals, the joint catchment area would be made part of the Joseph Rowntree intake area.

Parents will be able to discuss the issues in depth at a public meeting on Thursday, 17 July, at Grove Park Primary School at 7.00pm and will also receive a response questionnaire this week, in which they are asked to forward their views to the council.

Mark Ellis, education officer, City of York Council, said: "The original admissions policy was consulted on in 1999 and set up in 2001, but pupil numbers have risen considerably since then and it has become clear that the existing joint catchment area is not working as it should.

"If the proposals are agreed, children who have an older brother or sister at Huntington would get priority to attend the school. The idea is to make the local admissions policy clearer and easier for parents to understand, though in reality there will be very little difference for children living in the area.