SEVERAL proposals to change catchment areas for schools across Monmouthshire have been dropped.

A review into the the school's admission policy was conducted along with a consultation with parents.

Carried out by Monmouthshire County Council (MCC), the consultation seeked to establish whether alterations needed to be made to school catchment areas.

The last review on catchment areas took place in 1996 and Councillor Liz Hacket Pain felt there was a need for consultation.

She said: "There were many reasons for looking at a review into catchment areas.

"Our aim was educationally based, we asked ourselves can we make anything better for those in the county?

"The consultation was enlightening and showed us where to go forward."

Nine proposals were published for parental consultation.

Proposals included an amendment to Caldicot's catchment boundary where pupils from Archbishop Rowan Williams school fed into Chepstow School instead of Caldicot School.

This proved hugely unpopular with parents; 227 out of 248 disagreed with the proposal.

Changes were made however to MCC's policy on multiple births.

Originally if there was only space for one child at the school due to limitations, then the other child or children would be rejected a place.

From now on, all children from the same multiple birth will be accepted regardless of space issues.

Catchment boundaries for two Welsh speaking schools have also been established.

Ysgol y Fenni has the larger catchment area with children coming from Abergavenny, Monmouth, Raglan and Usk with Ysgol Y Ffin receiving children from Chepstow and Caldicot.

Cabinet met last Wednesday (18th March) to discuss and finalise the plans.