There are still 27 children out of school and waiting for a primary school place.

Although Sutton Council has offered all children a place somewhere in Sutton, for some pupils the journey to the allocated school is simply too far.

Rihanna McMurrough, 21, of Grove Road in Sutton, said she had been forced to reject the two schools she was offered for her four-year-old son, Jarelle, because to reach them on public transport will involve a round trip of between 40 minutes and 1 hour and 10 minutes. This is a journey she would have to make with her two-year-old daughter in tow.

Jarelle had been attending the nursery at Manor Park Primary School because he was unable to obtain a nursery place nearer their home in Cheam.

In order to keep him at the same school, Miss McMurrough moved her family to within walking distance of Manor Park. But, despite the move, Jarelle was only offered places at Hackbridge Primary School and Dorchester Primary School – which she claimed were too far away.

She said: “It is completely unrealistic. I am on medication for panic attacks and travelling can make me anxious and bring an attack on. It is the reason I moved.

“Also, my son suffers from sickle cell trait. It is relatively minor but it means he can get tired if he does a lot of exercise. We were walking along the High Street one day and he collapsed because he was in so much pain. I need him to go to a school nearby for my peace of mind.”

Miss McMurrough said she was desperate to get her son back into school.

She said: “I am having to teach him myself and it is hard. He keeps asking me why all his friends are at school and he isn’t.

“It makes me anxious every day and it is making me ill.”

Councillor Kirsty Jerome, executive member for education and schools, said: “Miss McMurrough’s son has been offered places at two primary schools within travelling distance of their home.”

She said school allocations were already completed by the time Miss McMurrough moved close to Manor Park and the council had not received Miss McMurrough’s notification of her special circumstances.

She said: “If there are any medical reasons which would make a short bus journey to school problematic we ask her to contact us directly.”