Beaumont School in St Albans has offered additional places to students after parents were "distressed" at being unable to secure spots for their children.
Hertfordshire County Council and the school agreed on Thursday (March 7) that it should continue to offer 240 places for the 2024/25 academic year, as it has done for the previous two, after initially lowering its intake.
"A large number of parents" had contacted the city's councillors and MP, about the situation, leading to Daisy Cooper MP writing a letter to the secretary of state, asking for the school's increased capacity to continue.
Daisy Cooper MP commented: "This decision will be a huge relief to a number of families in the local area, but it should never have taken a letter from me to the secretary of state to secure it.
"There are serious questions for Hertfordshire County Council to answer about why this was handled so badly and why it took an intervention at the highest level to secure this screeching u-turn."
Richard Roberts, leader of Hertfordshire County Council, said: "I understand the disappointment of parents who applied for places at Beaumont School for September this year but were not successful.
"Allocating school places is always a complex issue and the outcomes are determined by lots of factors, not just distance.
"I’m pleased we’ve worked with the school, including consultation with the Department for Education, to come to an agreement for this year.
"I’m also pleased that every child living in the parish of St Albans has been allocated a place at a ‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ school within the city."
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Lastly, the school's headteacher, Martin Atkinson, commented: "Beaumont School is an intrinsic part of the community in the east of St Albans, which it has served for over 80 years.
"Following discussions with the Department for Education and the County Council’s agreement to provide revenue funding to support additional places, we are delighted that we can continue to offer outstanding opportunities to more students in our local area."
Parents will not need to reapply for a space at the school, with applicants being automatically reconsidered.
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