Home-schooling parents who refused to send their children to a failing school have been thrown a lifeline by a senior politician.

Holly O’Toole and her son Harry Hulstrom were among the group who travelled to meet Essex County Council leader Lord Hanningfield at the House of Lords.

The meeting was arranged to discuss their options after they turned down places at Bishop’s Park College in Clacton, which is in special measures.

The parents of five children, all living in St Osyth, were told they could only get places at the school.

Mrs O’Toole said: “It seemed like a good meeting – we hope it was.

“We will just have to wait and see.

“We thought we were going to be talked down to, but Lord Hanningfield really did listen to us.

“He said he was really going to look into all of the schools that we had appealed to.

“We said we are adamant we are not going to be forced into a school we do not want to send our children to.

“It is our children this year, but there is next year as well.

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