Page 15 - link magazine

The Link Maaazine • June 2002 15
West parents fury at children's rejection

West Swindon parents whose children have not been admitted by Bradon Forest School have expressed anger that Swindon Borough Council
and Wiltshire County Council have not met their demands to provide another class at their preferred school Bradon Forest in Purton and have
accused Swindon of incompetence in handling school admissions. Now they hope appeals to Greendown in Grange Park will be successful.
Having received a 5,000 name Swindon - Bradon Forest School,
petition in early April raised by Ridgeway School and Swindon
West Swindon Parents Improving LEA.
Education (WSPIE) who are cam- "With reference to the remarks
paigning for places at Braden and about delay in passing on infor-
Greendown, the Swindon cabinet mation, it is worth pointing out
agreed that officers should meet that we received 2,500 parental
the group. However on 30 April preference forms on 7 December
they were told that it was too late and there was a large, complex
to open another class at Bradon. administrative task to process the
Some 47 appeals to get into information and chase up forms
Braden were heard in early May, from those parents who had not
but only 7 children were given submitted them.
places. In a leaked letter to Swin- "We then had to make sure that
don's chief executive Paul Doherty, all applications were sent to the
chair of the appeals panel David appropriate admissions authority
Williamson said that parents and at the same time to ensure that no-
Braden Forest School were misin- one received preferential treat-
formed and misled into thinking ondary school applications, the extra children. ment.
last December that there would be Bradon Forest discovered that Swindon Council spokesman "The popularity of each school
enough places at Bradon and there were 110 more applications Adrian Ruck confirmed that the is clear in admissions literature sent
Greendown. than places available; the school Greendown situation would be to parents well in advance of them
He points out that at the end of was fifty per cent oversubscribed. clearer at the end of the statutory having to make a decision. The
January when Swindon's educa- Mr William-son states that, 'the consultation period. number of places available and the
tion department handed over sec- incompetence and mismanage- He said Swindon LEA is re- number of applications the previ-
ment which has given rise to the quired to ensure a secondary ous year is given for each school in
present situation is deplorable and school place is available for every this literature."
almost beyond belief.' primary school pupil. "We always He added that the borough coun-
Kids turfed off Because application forms did try to accommodate parental pref- cil is continuing to work with all
not invite parents to express a sec- erence, but this is not always pos- interested parties, including West
Ridgeway buses ond preference, 27 children can- sible in over-subscribed schools. Swindon Parents Improving Edu-
Around 60 West Swindon chil- not get into Greendown because it "There are three separate admis- cation, to improve the admissions
dren who attend Ridgeway is also full. They have been redi- sions authorities operating in West procedure.
School and live outside the offi- rected to Hreod Parkway School
cial catchment area will have to in North Swindon and Church-
take two service buses to fields in the east of the town.
Wroughton from September as It is understood that some par-
Swindon Council has reorganised ents are considering private edu- Sure; Start
school transport. cation and others are making for-
The children, who attended mal appeals for places at Pinehurst & Penhill
feeder primary schools, have been Greendown at the end of May.
permitted to use the school bus Although full at present, places
using a 'privileged pass' which could come available if f1ellpin9 families give +heir ch 4ren
parents pay for. They have always Greendown's governors agree to a
known that places could be with- £3 million expansion plan put for- +he best star+ in life.
drawn. Swindon says it needs to ward by Swindon Council. This
transport more children from the would provide another 30 extra What is Sure Start?
Chiseldon area. places a year (150 over five years), Sure Start is a programme which aims to work with local families
However, parents have raised a to increase the roll from 255 a year to help give all babies and young children the best start for
petition objecting to the council's to 285 from this September. Tem- education, health and social well-being.
plans which were only announced porary classrooms would need to
Who are we for?
in March because they have not be installed and internal changes The services we offer are open to all families in Penhill and
been given enough time to organ- to buildings made this summer Pinehurst who have children under the age of 4 and for those who
ise alternative transport provision. while new permanent classrooms,
They fear for child safety if they laboratories, toilets and a hall/din- are expecting a baby.
have to travel to the town centre ing area are built for September Things we do
bus station on dark mornings. 2003. The Sure Start team has workers from a wide range of professional
Mrs Kim Herridge said, "the An eight week statutory consul- backgrounds who will support families in caring for their children.
council told parents in January that tation on the expansion proposal Some of the services we offer are: a homeopathy clinic; play and
there would be no change in policy, comes to an end in early June. learn sessions; Talk and Toys drop-in where parents and children
but two months later they with- Greendown governors have yet to can get together; Play Start - a home based play service; Little
drew the bus. Parents are willing agree to accept the expansion un- Pinetrees pre-school playgroup; support for childcare; Sure Start
to pay more but the council refuses less Swindon funds the extra teach-
to discuss the matter." ers needed from September. membership.
She added that traffic conges- Schools do not usually receive Where are we?
tion across the town is bound to money for the children on roll un- We are based at the Pinehurst People's
increase as parents use their cars til the following April. Centre, Beech Avenue, Pinehurst, Swindon
to get to Ridgeway. If the governors object to the Tel: 01793 651828. V
Toothill councillor Mary Martin increase, the building programme Activities are held in both Penhill and Pinehurst.
said she was pressing officers to would be delayed until independ- We are a community project
come up with an adequate solu- ent adjudicators decide whether and welcome parental involvement
tion. the school should be forced to take