A father has claimed that a shortage of sixth form places will force his child to travel over an hour a day to college.

Paul Morris, 39, from Bushfields in Loughton, says that pupils from neighbouring boroughs are squeezing students out of Epping Forest College and forcing them to travel, in some cases over an hour, to Harlow College for A-level courses.

He says that Epping Forest District Council should provide funding for a new sixth form college in the area or ensure that local schools can provide more places.

“I want the kids to have options,” said Mr Morris.

“My son wants to be an architect and at the minute there is nowhere he can go in the area to take exams.

“Lots of pupils at the college are from other boroughs. I do not think it is fair that local kids should have to travel.”

He said that Davenant Foundation School has religious entry criteria that would exclude his son from attending and there are insufficient places at West Hatch school.

His 14-year-old son’s current school, Roding Valley High School, does not have a sixth form.

Mr Morris recently became the first person to submit his petition on Epping Forest District Council’s website as an ‘e-petition.’

“I have already had a lot of people say they support me on this,” he added.