THREE leading grammar schools in Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge could be forced to change the way they admit pupils as soon as next year following hundreds of complaints about the "unfairness" of their selection process.

More than 100 parents, teachers and governors packed a public meeting to argue for and against the current selection process of The Judd School, The Skinners' School and Tonbridge Grammar School.

At present, the schools operate a merit-based selection system, in which children with the highest scores in the 11-plus are offered a grammar school place, regardless of where they live.

But many want it changed and a catchment area policy put in place so that all those youngsters in West Kent are accepted into grammar schools, above those who may have scored higher, but live out of the area.

Langton Green mother Siobhan Palmer-Stirling, said her daughter had been sick every day of the school holidays because in spite of doing well in the 11-plus, she did not get the place she wanted and had to lodge an appeal.

She said her daughter eventually won a place at the school of her choice on September 9 this year, meaning she had to change schools one week into the new term.

"The system asking an 11-year-old child to endure that is flawed and needs addressing", she told the meeting.

The Office of the Schools Adjudicator called last Wednesday's meeting, chaired by adjudicator Dr Bryan Slater, after more than 200 objections were made about the current selection process.

Kent County Council also objected on the grounds that the system meant some children were not given the opportunity to go to their local school.

Derry Wiltshire, head teacher of Amherst School in Riverhead near Sevenoaks, objected, saying the grammar system "is bulging at the seams".

Some 300 West Kent grammar school places were offered to children outside the county last year, leaving more than 100 from the area without an offer from their nearest grammar schools in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells.

However, many parents who attended the meeting at Tunbridge Wells Grammar School for Boys supported the three schools' policies.

Sam Barker, 19, who left The Skinners' School last year said the system allowed social mobility.

He added: "You go to the school because you had a good score, not because your parents live in a certain road. That is what grammar schools are all about."

This view was backed by chairman of governors at Skinners John Moore-Bick, chairman of governors at Judd Hubert Ashton and Tonbridge Grammar School head teacher Rosemary Joyce, who all argued that their policies were legal and fair.

All three said changing their admissions criteria would damage the academic ethos of their schools.

Dr Slater will now have the final decision on whether to change the schools' admissions criteria.