A little boy who moved to Kent four months ago has still not been given a school place.

Harley Ashley, seven, has not been in full-time education since his family relocated to the Isle of Sheppey from Wigan in September.

His mum, Samantha, 27, said the situation appears a long way from being resolved.

She said: “It’s really hard. Harley keeps crying, ‘I’ve got no friends, I want to go to school’.

“I tell him, ‘I wish I could find you somewhere’, but things seem to be going round and round in circles.”

Mrs Ashley moved to Clyde Street, Sheerness, with husband, James, and their other children Kate, four, and 13-month-old, Blake.

"It's really hard. Harley keeps crying, 'I've got no friends, I want to go to school'..." - Samantha Ashley

She said an application for Harley to attend nearby Richmond Academy was accepted, but later rejected due to lack of places.

Trevor Averre-Beeson, chief executive and founder of Lilac Sky Schools which runs the academy, said: “At the point of this particular request, which came via Kent County Council’s admissions department, we had no places available in the appropriate year group.

“All parental requests for places are treated equally and in the same way in relation to the academy’s admissions policy.

“We will be more than happy to assess the application in the normal way.”

Mrs Ashley has taken to rallying KCC for an alternative site.

With the help of MP Gordon Henderson, she’s secured Harley four hours’ tutoring a week at Sheerness library.

She said: “I’m now at the stage where I’m not bothered what school he goes to - even if it means getting a taxi.”

Scott Bagshaw, head of fair access at KCC which deals with school admissions, said: “Harley’s is an unusual case because KCC has identified suitable provision for him in a local school which requires it to admit above its admission number which it has refused to do.

“Unfortunately, there are no other local schools able to admit Harley and KCC has no legal jurisdiction to require this particular school to admit over its number as it is an academy.”

Mr Bagshaw said KCC had written to education secretary Nicky Morgan about the issue and a decision was expected soon.

“If this is not successful we will find Harley a place at another school,” he said.

As an interim measure, Mr Bagshaw said Harley had been given access to a home education programme.