Emma Fishburn's son Connor, 12, attends the school in Sandybed Lane, Scarborough, and she applied for her daughter Alexandra, 10, to join him in September.

However, despite an appeal, she has been unsuccessful and was allocated Raincliffe School in Lady Edith's Drive.

She says she will not, "under any circumstances", be sending Alex- andra to Raincliffe.

Mrs Fishburn, 31, of Trafalgar Street West, said: "I just cannot believe what has happened. I was told that children who have brothers or sisters at the school would have a priority, but this is clearly not the case.

"I did not expect there to be any problems at all.

"Alexandra is really upset and just will not go to Raincliffe. She is not a Catholic, but I was told that doesn't make a difference. I cannot afford to home school her so I am prepared to keep her off school. I will do whatever it takes to have my two children at the same school."

Mrs Fishburn said her daughter has an eating disorder which is triggered when she is upset and unhappy.

She said: "The doctor wrote a letter to the appeal panel explaining that a move to Raincliffe could trigger the disorder, but that has made no difference. It is terrible."

Another mum, Caroline Brookes, won her fight to have her 10-year-old son Soony, who is a Buddhist, attend St Augustine's.

She was furious after her son was initially turned away from the town's only faith secondary school but an appeal before an independent panel was successful.

Mrs Fishburn was one of 27 families whose appeal was unsuccessful, with only four winning.

Tracey Morris is also wanting answers after her son Kyle failed to get into St Augustine's, which her daughter Adele, 14, already attends.

Mrs Morris, of Church Street, said: "He has been allocated Raincliffe. It is just not the right school for him. He does not know anyone else who is going there and it will be really hard for us as I will have one child at St Augustine's and another at Raincliffe. It is ridiculous."

In the St Augustine's admission criteria children baptised Catholics who have brothers and sisters at the school are given priority, followed by non-catholic chidren with brothers of sisters at the school.

Headteacher Roger Cannon said: "We had 31 appeals and four were successful. It is always a difficult time and we are working on expanding the school so we are able to welcome more children."

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