MARLOW students applying to Sir William Borlase's Grammar School could be given first priority for places as soon as next year, the Department for Employment and Education has said.

The change in the admissions policy at the West Street school could be introduced in time for next year's intake if Bucks County Council acts quickly.

A spokesman for the DfEE said: "If oversubscribed, they can give first priority to pupils who live in Marlow. That is all they would need to say. That is legal and perfectly possible."

Controversy was sparked recently after 20 Marlow students who passed their 11-plus missed out on places at the oversubscribed grammar school to pupils from Henley and Maidenhead with better marks and/or siblings at the school. The LEA has offered them all places at an Aylesbury grammar school.

Parents appealing against this decision described the news as a ray of light for the future.

Verity Walker, spokeswoman for a group of parents appealing, said: "I think this is the most powerful view we have heard so far on the issue; the DfEE is the highest authority. It is now down to Borlase and the LEA to sit down and discuss this and see how quickly they can come up with an agreement.

"What we need now is clarification from everybody involved. This could now offer a way through this ridiculous situation."

The school's catchment area, which is now under review by the governors, includes parts of Oxfordshire and Berkshire.

The admissions policy, set by the county, will not allow the school to give preference to students in Marlow . The key factors in the admissions policy are 11-plus results and whether a pupil has siblings at the school.

A change to the policy will effectively give Marlow students priority over those from outside the county.

The DfEE spokesman said: "The school could not say in its admissions policy 'We will favour those in Bucks over those in Berkshire or Oxfordshire'. However, if oversubscribed, they could give first priority to pupils who live in Marlow or perhaps pupils from their feeder primary schools.

"But you can't change the goal posts during an admissions round."

A county council spokesman said: "We are looking at the longer term to see what might be done to ease the situation. Obviously we will have to look very carefully at the implications of any changes."