MORE than 40 per cent of pupils attending Bournemouth's two grammar schools don't even live in the town and this is destroying community spirit, claimed parents.

They also told education bosses last night that current admissions policies at Bournemouth School and Bournemouth School for Girls are fundamentally unfair and open to abuse.

The borough education and life long learning panel had invited parents along to air their views about the controversial grammar school admission rules following a sustained campaign.

Parents say they are unhappy at the increasingly high number of youngsters from out of the borough getting places at the two schools leaving local children out in the cold.

They point to a new system in neighbouring Poole that allows parents there to apply for the grammars in their own borough as well as in Bournemouth.

This option is not available to Bournemouth parents. Malcolm Jefferies, a grandparent whose own children attended Bournemouth's grammars said: "Parents living 30 miles away don't get involved in the school's fundraising activities. They're just not interested.

"It's only local children who stay behind for after school activities so the grammars are losing that whole school ethos."

Father-of-two, Don McQueen, said: "With so many children coming in from out of the area, it is destroying the community.

"The situation is disgraceful and is a slippery slope. The system is open to abuse."

He admitted he was sending his son to a private primary because he believed it would give him a better chance of getting a place at the grammar.

Panel members voted to send a deputation to a joint governing body meeting on November 14, to outline parents' views and ask governors to consider a scheme like Poole's.

As both grammars are foundation schools they have the power to determine their own admission policies.

First published: October 19