PARENTS plan to take Newport City Council to court because their children won’t be able to get a free school bus to Caldicot Comprehensive School.

In previous years, the majority of pupils at Llanmartin Primary School in Newport moved up to Caldicot Comprehensive and were given free transport to do so.

But in 2014 the council changed the catchment area so pupils will be offered a free school bus to Llanwern High School in Ringland instead.

Campaigners fighting against the changes are upset they may have to pay £400 a year to pay for their children to travel to the same school as their siblings. They claim the council did not follow the correct consultation procedure, although the council says it consulted before making changes.

Parents say the decision could result in siblings being in different schools and having different holidays, unless they are willing to pay for public transport.

As many of the children already have places confirmed for September, Caldicot Comprehensive is putting on a reduced cost bus to help parents.

Darlene Richards, a parent, said: “The changes to the secondary school catchment areas have come as a complete shock to all of the parents. It has always been the case Pupils from Llanmartin Primary School have always attended Caldicot Comprehensive School, and many of the pupils currently play additional sports at there.

“Many of the parents already have children at Caldicot Comprehensive School and it makes no sense not to provide transport to allow their siblings to attend the same school.”

To oppose the changes, parents have appointed Michael Imperato of Watkins & Gunn Solicitors, a specialist in administrative and public law.

Mr Imperato said: “We are concerned that by removing the free access to Caldicot Comprehensive, many of the pupils will not be in a school with their friends, which could result in them feeling isolated and vulnerable. Moving to comprehensive school is already an unsettling time for most children and it our duty to ensure it is an easy transition for them. However, the council’s changes have made this impossible and have caused many families stress and worry.

“Now we have been granted legal aid, we will progress legal proceedings to fight the changes in a bid to achieve a favourable outcome for the pupils and their families.”

A Newport City Council spokeswoman for said: “Traditionally some parents have applied for their children to go out of county to Caldicot Comprehensive and they have continued to be accepted despite the catchment change.

“Children already attending Caldicot from Llanmartin will continue to receive free transport. From this September, pupils going to Caldicot for the first time would not be eligible for free transport.

“The council met with the chair of governors and two parents to explain the position earlier this year.”