Page 12 - link magazine

12 The Link Magazine • May 2005
Families continue
to struggle to find
a school place
North Swindon families trying to
John Toomer find places for their children in
local schools are appealing to
Swindon Council to provide
spaces at neighbourhood primary
GARDEN & PET CENTRE schools, rather than expect them
to travel outside their community.
In March the Swindon Educa-
tion Partnership Board agreed that
Everything yo'u need to Bridlewood School should in-
creased its roll by 27 children in
September, but there are still not
create the perfect garden enough places.
Eleven families are appealing to
an independent panel against the
this spring. education department offer of
places at schools outside North
Swindon.

Looking for a local school. Jake Huggins
with his mum Mandy holding Ryan
Mandy Huggins from Holliday
Close has lived in Abbey Meads
for three years and applied to
Catherine Wayte Primary for her
son Jake. Thirty eight children re-
ceived offers but Jake was 39th.
Although the school is a five
minute walk away, and her sec-
ond choice of Abbey Meads is the
same distance in the other direc-
tion, Jake, who suffers from
asthma, has been offered Penhill
Primary, which is 30 minutes on
foot.
The alternative is Shaw Ridge
Primary, but as she does not drive,
two bus trips to get there would be
o To Great Western Way impractical.
^966y Mandy said, "I have real fears
Renault
d
^ d Mead Way Building 0 for our personal safety on the walk
o_ o o__ o to Penhill. We moved to this part
Fitness' of Abbey Meads when Jake was 10
The The First
Forresters i Chinese months old because it is close to
Arms ^! _ Experience Catherine Wayte. How do I ex-
plain to him that he cannot go there
ToPurton , \s J^
with his friends when we walk
^P past it every day.
"It doesn't matter what the offi-
To Lydiard Millice nt
cials say, league table performance
does matter and Penhill does not
meet our expectations for our chil-
dren. It is unfair for the council to
offer us such a poor choice."