Several secondary schools have been criticised over admission rules that cut the chances of pupils living in rented homes getting in.

Six schools in the Watford area were found to be breaching the School Admissions Code following an investigation by the Office for the Schools Adjudicator.

The probe was launched after a complaint on April 14 suggesting it was "unreasonable" that some pupils are being shut out of schools because of the need to provide evidence about where they live.

The schools involved – which are all academies – are Watford Grammar (Boys & Girls), Parmiter’s in Garston, Queens’ in Bushey, Rickmansworth School, and St Clement Danes in Chorleywood.

They are all members of the South West Herts Schools Consortium and described as "partially selective" – meaning they can choose some of their intake on ability.

Adjudicator Tom Brooke said it was "unfair" for schools to have an "absolute requirement" that pupils live in a home with a lease longer than six months because some families, including those on low-income, would be excluded.

He found that shorthold tenancies are generally the most common among private renters, and according to homelessness charity Shelter’s website most last six months before rolling on monthly.

Mr Brooke acknowledged schools may have introduced the requirement to stop families gaining an "unfair advantage" by taking out short-term tenancies near a school to land a spot.

The investigation found both Watford Grammar schools, Queens’ and Rickmansworth schools have absolute requirements of a minimum 12-month tenancy, while St Clement Danes’ was two years.

Parmiter’s has a "further proof of residence" rule that means primary school addresses can be taken as home addresses if the school cannot "satisfactorily establish" a permanent home address. Mr Brooke said this was not "fair".

Mr Brooke concluded the schools’ admission arrangements did not comply with the School Admissions Code, which states authorities must ensure the allocation of places is "fair, clear, and objective".

He determined they must therefore change their requirements by February 28, 2022 which all six schools have accepted.

A spokesperson for the six schools said: "We are now putting in place detailed arrangements about the establishment of permanent home address to prevent the use of fraudulent address details and genuine local applicants being denied a place.

"We will ensure that our admission arrangements meet the requirements of the determination and will continue to work closely with Hertfordshire County Council to prevent the use of fraudulent addresses in the school admission process, including referral to the Shared Anti-Fraud Service where necessary."

Complaints about the schools’ admission arrangements regarding late registration, clashing of admission test dates, and catchments areas were not upheld by the adjudicator.