Page 15 - link magazine

The Link Magazine • October 2004 15
Siblings to go to same school as council is allowed to bend the rules
The prospect of families being split, with children attending different primary schools, will be avoided following a decision by the
independent Schools' Adjudicator to allow Swindon Council to change the oversubscription criteria applied to four North Swindon schools.
It means that, in September2005, vide two new prima- siblings in the new catchment, chil-
the council can give priority to the ries in Priory Vale. dren like ours still won't get in."
younger brothers and sisters of Ms Pitts said that Ash Brake resident Clive
pupils already attending Abbey there should be suf- Benning complained that the area
Meads, Bridlewood, Catherine ficient places across was not in the Bridlewood Schools
Wayte and Haydonleigh - if they the area when the catchment, even though some
lived in the catchment area before new schools open in households back onto its grounds.
boundaries were changed. 2006 to allow siblings Former Tregoze School teacher
The sibling issue and several to attend the four ex- Jane Keene, who now lives in Ab-
others were discussed at a public isting schools. bey Meads, said the council had
meeting on 10 September called by But some parents not learnt from their experience of
North Swindon MP Michael Wills, are still concerned West Swindon.
attended by some 70 parents, Swin- that younger chil- Coun Perkins explained that
don director of education Hilary dren will still be shut councils have to fill spare places in
Pitts and cabinet lead member for out. Alison Carr, primary schools but because of the
education coun Gary Perkins. from Groundwell, way Swindon has developed there
Mr Wills said he had a large who was pictured in are places in most schools, but a
number of communications from the July Link, voicing demand in the newer areas. "We
concerned parents caught up in her protest at having are happy with the adjudicator's
the confusion caused by a lack of to send her daughter decision and to be able to accom-
places in North Swindon. to Penhill Primary Alison and Andrew Cori modate those parents who have
The problems have been caused when her son already with children James, left, Sarnnnl and baby Toby been put in a very difficult posi-
by the delay in delivering new attends Abbey tion. This amendment has allowed
schools through the North Swin- Meads, said there are still no guar- 2006, nor her baby Toby in 2008. us to be as fair as we can be."
don PFI project which will pro- antees that Sammy can go there in She said, "even though siblings He asked for parents concerned
can attend, and the amendment to about admissions issues to write
Go for new schools in North Swindon the admissions policy will be pub- to him at the Civic Offices in Eu-
A three page feature in the August Link outlined the plans for seven lished as part of the annual consul- clid Street, Swindon.
new schools to serve North Swindon - a primary school, two replace- tations in January 2005, there is no Alison Carr said that many par-
ment special schools and a secondary school on a campus site in Priory certainty that siblings will be ents think they are 'safe' and will
Vale, a new primary school at Haydon End, and replacement schools treated equally. Siblings from the get the school of their choice, but it
for Hreod Parkway and the combined Moredon infant and juniors. 'new' catchment have greater will be important to attend admis-
Planning permission was granted in September and building work rights than those in the 'old' catch- sions consultation meetings planned
should start in November. All will open in September 2006, except the ment. If there are 30 places and 30 for November and January.
Priory Vale secondary school which will open a year later.
The futuristic design for the new Hreod Parkway School to be built next to the
existing building

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