A RECORD number of Liverpool parents are successfully fighting to get their children into primary school, with the percentage winning admission appeals more than quadrupling since last year.

An increased success rate was also enjoyed by parents of primary school pupils in Knowsley and Halton.

As at primary school level, the percentage of secondary appeals between September, 2007, and January, 2008, in Merseyside has increased since the previous year.

But reflecting the situation nationally, the percentage of secondary school appeal applicants left disappointed in most parts of the region has gone up since the previous year.

Last night, a record number of parents seeking legal representation was cited as one of the reasons to explain the success rates at primary school level and the increased number of appeal hearings generally.

In Liverpool, 52 parents who were denied a primary school of choice braved an independent appeals panel, made up of lay community officials, which nearly always includes a retired teacher.

And the percentage of parents winning their fight rocketed from 8.3% the previous year to 36.5%.