by political editor Paul Francis

A question mark has been placed against plans for a new grammar school annexe in west Kent after the government said the site earmarked should be handed to a new free school instead.

Kent County Council wants to open the annexe on the site of the former Wildernesse School, in Sevenoaks, after more than 2,000 parents successfully petitioned for new places in the area.

But now the Department for Education has said the site should be made available to the Trinity Free School, a Christian secondary school for 11 to 18-year-olds, which is due to open this year.

The Trinity School said it had looked for alternative locations after Kent County Council said it did not believe the site could be shared between the two new schools.

But on its website, the Trinity School said the Department for Education has now told it that it can make it the new home.

It said: "The Academies Act 2010 gives the Secretary of State for Education the legal powers to ensure this outcome.

"We continue to believe that the site is big enough for two schools and it may be that this will be the eventual result of these discussions."

The news has infuriated the county council as it could derail the plans for new places.

Education chiefs are due to announce the grammar schools who will sponsor the annexe shortly.

Cllr Mike Whiting (Con), KCC cabinet member for education, said: "I am
aware of the government's support to date for the Trinity School, and I have long been an advocate for a family of Kent schools of different types.

"However, the provision of a free school at Sevenoaks could be seen as a poor use of public money, given the actual needs in the area and the surplus of places in high schools in the Sevenoaks district that already exists."

Cllr Whiting, pictured right, added: "On this issue and in this location, it is important for KCC to hold its course, because there is a clear need for selective education places in Sevenoaks. It is something residents have asked us for and it is something that the council has voted to pursue proposals on.

"We will be looking in detail at what the government is proposing - and how we might respond."

Sarah Shilling, who with her husband Andrew campaigned for the new grammar annexe, said she did not believe the government was fully aware
of the background and disputed government's interpretation its own legislation.

She also questioned whether or not the free school would be viable as there
were already surplus places at the Knole Academy.

"It is a mess, but I am not surprised as the DfE is an enormous organisation and someone has said 'make this free school happen.' They do not understand that there is this grammar school plan."

KCC agreed in May last year to press ahead with providing new places in Sevenoaks.

There have been long-standing complaints that many children in the area who have passed the 11-plus have to travel long distances to get to a selective school.