Youngsters in Clacton are missing out on their education because the town's primary schools are full.

A total of 17 pupils are at home because they cannot be found places in local schools.

And they could be off school for weeks and even months while a place is sorted out for them. The main reason behind the crisis is the town's booming primary school population.

Despite the creation of new places, some children are still not being found a place at school.

And in some cases they may not be getting home tuition while they wait for the situation to be resolved.

Children trying to get a place in their nearest school are sometimes being turned away and cannot find a place at other schools either.

The situation is in flux as people move in and out of the area.

But parents still have to wait for weeks and sometimes months at a time to go through the lengthy appeal process to get their children into packed schools.

Essex education spokesman Mike Barnett said: "The pupils we are currently unable to place range between seven and 11-year-olds.

"The system fails those children who miss out on school for weeks or months but if we work carefully with all schools, the delays can be reduced."

He said the situation could be even worse than it appeared with even more pupils without a school which the education authority do not know about.

And he urged any parents in this position to notify them as soon as possible.

However, he said, there were signs the problem was easing. He said: "It has got better." Mr Barnett said the decline in the birthrate had helped ease matters.

'Let me go to school' - Alan

Ten-year-old Alan Charlton wants to go back to school.

His mum Jacqui Marrs and her partner Craig Fairweather want him to go back to school and so does the education authority.

But he does not have a place.

The problem started when Alan left Frobisher School in Jaywick when his family moved to Pallister Road in Clacton.

The family hoped he could go to Holland Park School which was the nearest school, but there were no places. No places at alternative schools have been offered either. The last time he saw the inside of a classroom was in June.

Previously the education authority promised if nowhere could be found within two miles of their home, free transport would be provided.

And Mr Fairweather said they had even offered to pay for his fare. But despite repeated calls to the education authority, the reply remains the same: "You'll just have to wait."

Alan said: "I am not learning anything and I have no friends."

No tutoring is being offered. Mr Fairweather said: "All he gets is what we can teach him."

He added: "If he was playing truant, they would have come down on us like a ton of bricks but when we want him to go to school we can't get him in."

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