EFFORTS to overturn the deletion of the “cross-sibling rule” used by Watford’s single-sex grammar schools are “no further forward”, despite the debate reaching Parliament.

Following parents’ objections made to the Office of Schools Adjudicators, a rule that guaranteed brothers of pupils at Watford Grammar School for Girls a place at the boys’ school was found to go against the Schools’ Admission Code.

Sisters of pupils at Watford Grammar School for Boys were also handed an automatic place at the girls’ school, in Lady’s Close.

David Gauke, MP for South West Hertfordshire, raised the subject in the House of Commons, where it was “hinted” the cross-sibling priority could become part of the new Schools Admissions Code in 2010.

However, this would not help parents currently in the system, whose children are currently applying for places in September 2009.

The only way to challenge the adjudicator’s ruling is through a costly judicial review.

Mr Gauke said: “This is a unique circumstance that does not apply to the other partially selective schools. Until now it has been the policy of both to give priority to the siblings of pupils attending the other school.

“There is much that I could criticise about that adjudication: the lack of opportunity for parents adversely affected to make their case to the schools adjudicator; the inconsistency with other school adjudications; the removal of effective checking of locality claims by the school, which is a separate but important issue; and the lack of importance given to the historic links between the two Watford grammar schools.

“I do not support the dropping of the cross-sibling priority and I understand that is not the position of the hon. Member for Watford (Claire Ward) either.

“However, it is particularly important that the schools adjudication will essentially come into effect in the coming school year, beginning in September 2009.

“That means that in the example [of] a boy in Year 9 at the boys’ grammar school and a girl in Year 6, the parents would have believed that the girl would get priority at the girls’ school, but that is no longer the case.

“That is notwithstanding the transitional rules that were included in the Government’s concession on the original code.”

In reply, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Sarah McCarthy-Fry, said the Government has no power to overturn the adjudicator’s decision, but that improvements could be made to the Code in 2010.

Afterwards, Mr Gauke said: “I fear that this attack on the admissions policies of the Watford Grammar Schools is only the beginning of the process and there will be further adverse rulings in the future.”

Martin Post, headmaster of Watford Boys’, in Rickmansworth Road, said: “There’s still a number of things we need to consider. [The debate] raised the issues but the government batted it straight off again.

“There appears to be some hope if representations are made regarding the new code in 2010 but that doesn’t help parents in the system at the moment.”