NINE Medway families have won the battle to have their sons admitted to the Sir Joseph Williamson's Mathematical School in Rochester.

The Local Government Ombudsman upheld their complaint against Medway Council, which denied the boys places even though they passed the selection test.

Said headteacher Keith Williams: "I am delighted that common sense, a commodity in short supply in education these days especially as far as admissions are concerned, has prevailed -- albeit rather late in the day."

Mr Williams said the boys had been forced to find places at schools in Maidstone, in the private sector and at other Medway schools, some of which were long distances from their homes.

He added that even if all nine boys were admitted to the school, which was now unlikely, the maximum class size would still be only 28, below the average class size of 30.

"It seems crazy that they want to restrict the number of 11-year olds I can take, when I am allowed any number of students aged 16," he said.

Derek Jordan, whose son Daniel was among the nine refused admittance, said: "We're really delighted. We live at Hoo, and Daniel has to make two bus journeys to get to Chatham Grammar School, where he now is. He can get to the Mathematical School in one journey on the regular school bus.

"I'm a former Maths School student myself so I was very keen for him to follow in my footsteps.

"This delay has been very frustrating for everyone, particularly as the staff at the Maths School agreed that there was no problem in accepting Daniel."

Medway Council decided last March that there was not enough room for the boys. Their families objected but the case was rejected by an appeals committee in April.

This was despite a document in which the Council itself agreed that there was room for the boys, if there was pressure on other schools.

The families' case was taken up by Peter Read, an independent education adviser and former headmaster, who said: "It's very sad that it has taken seven months for us to overturn this decision, causing further disruption in the boys' education.

"However the Ombudsman's decision confirms that it is possible to challenge the system successfully.

"The parents have had to find a variety of schools in the interim, some unsuitable for the boys' abilities, and we can only hope they settle in quickly to their new schools."