Shock as children squeezed out of school
Disappointed parents have called for answers after dozens of children in Bath will miss out on places at their nearest primary school.
Almost 140 youngsters applied for the 60 reception places at Newbridge Primary School this year and an unusually high number of those already had brothers or sisters there.
-
newbridge school
This put them in a higher priority group than those living close to the school and the catchment area for children without siblings was reduced from a radius of 0.6 miles last year to 0.321 miles this year.
Instead, it is estimated that nearly 20 youngsters from Newbridge and Weston have been given places at Twerton Infants, which is so far away that at least one parent has been offered a council-funded taxi for her four-year-old to travel to and fro.
Matt Thrower had always thought his daughter Jasmine would follow the other children in their street and start her education at Newbridge.
He and his partner Rachel Wines were shocked to discover that, despite living just 0.43 miles from the Charmouth Road school, they had been allocated a place at their third choice, Oldfield Park Infants, which is further away.
Mr Thrower, who lives at Audley Grove, said the couple were starting to accept that their daughter would not be going to school with her friends from playgroup.
He said: "We were amazed at first, then angry, and now, I think we've reached a point of sad acceptance of the facts.
"It seems incredible that the current admissions policy can prevent so many children from going to their closest school.
"Going to your local community school just seemed like a safe assumption to make – but it isn't, even when you live relatively close.
"It seems that living outside the school gates is the only way to be sure."
Katharine and Alex Barrau, who live at Shaftesbury Avenue, also always assumed that Newbridge was their closest school.
They applied for a place for their son Oscar, with a second option of Weston All Saints Primary School.
In fact, their nearest school was put as Oldfield Park Infants, but because this was now full they got given a place at Twerton Infants.
Mrs Barrau, who has also has a two-year-old daughter Camille and another baby on the way, said: "We have become part of this community and when I found out it had a lovely local playgroup and school I was thrilled.
"I just assumed, until the morning I got my email, that was where my children were going to go."
Proposals to expand Newbridge in 2012 because of a mini baby boom have already been put before B&NES Council and parents now want to see that work brought forward to this September.
Councillor Andy Furse (Lib Dem, Kingsmead) said he had asked the council to look into the situation.
He said: "It is clear that the Conservative cabinet have not kept their eye on figures and have slept-walked into a situation now affecting 36 children unable to attend their local school.
"It's a disgrace affecting the education of these children and urgent action is required."
Newbridge head teacher John Croker said he was sorry for the situation but said it was now in the hands of the local authority.
He said: "We are very disappointed too because these are families who are in the Newbridge community and they live very close to the school. I just feel really sorry for them."
A spokeswoman for B&NES Council said all parents had the option to appeal against admissions decisions but added that there were no plans to provide additional places at any primary schools this year.
28 Comments
View all
by Tim, Newbridge (within NP catchment, I hope)
Wednesday, February 17 2010, 10:59AM
“Isn't the problem here that Newbridge, Oldfeild Park Infants and Twerton are the only non-church schools in the city. Unless you are a practising Christian (or willing to lie about it) you only have three schools to choose between because the Christians apply discriminatory admission practices to "their" schools (despite the fact that all parents contibute to them through their taxes) . If chursch schhols made up only 10% of Bath primaries (a reasonable estimate of the number of folks who attend church in the city) then the good people of Newbridge would have much more choice for their kids.”
by Looking to the future, Bath
Friday, February 12 2010, 4:17PM
“Perhaps people should also be looking further ahead. If this is happening now at infants school what will happen when they get to secondary school in six years time. Will capacity have been reduced because the numbers are not there now, I understand three of the secondary schools in Bath will have an intake of around 50 each from BANES this September.”
by David, Bath
Friday, February 12 2010, 4:12PM
“My heart goes out to those poor parents and young professionals affected by this oversubscription at Newbrdige. Poor little parents wondering why they can't go to the school gates that their friends and neighbours attend....
An objective comparison of the most recent Ofsted reports of Twerton Infants and Newbridge (carried out by the same inspector, less than two years apart) shows that Twerton Infants pretty much blows Newbridge out of the water, especially in the Early Years Foundation Stage.
But let's not let that little factoid dull our abject horror at the prospect of a "lost generation" of Newbridge children who end up making friends with children called Shaun, Karly etc...”
by phil, Newbridge
Friday, February 12 2010, 2:43PM
“Sean, agree Oldfield Park Infants is a good school, but its full!”
by Sean, Oldfield Park
Friday, February 12 2010, 2:36PM
“I agree with Bec, Oldfield Park Infants is a great school.”
by paula, bath
Friday, February 12 2010, 2:15PM
“The problem with the oversuscription criteria is that the LA is been biased by only looking to one side of Newbridge ( south of the school gate) whereas the north and west side of the school are left out. The LA needs to take into consideration the nearest school gate as Newbridge Hill gate it is a formal entrance to school!!”
by Karen, Newbridge, Bath
Friday, February 12 2010, 2:01PM
“My heart goes out to those poor children and young families affected by this oversubscription at Newbrdige. Poor little children wondering why they can't go to the school that their friends and neighbours attend. Hopefully places will become available though local authority action or places becoming available in year. I hope we don't start to refer to them locally as the lost generation of Newbridge. Newbridge has educated its own since the 1800's”
by phil, Newbridge
Friday, February 12 2010, 1:49PM
“Si,
Nobody is talking of removal of children. It is the admission criteria which is unfair. Siblings are ranked higher in the pecking order, whereas 1st born are more or less 2nd class citizens. There must be be FAIR ACCESS FOR ALLl. I accept that I did refer to "B&NES revoking offers" (Eemotions get the better of me - again put yourself in my shoes). Our council should be promoting green measures offering incentives to all parents in order to reduce the school commuting traffic. That incentive is to provide sufficient reception places within every local community.”
by Si, Bath
Friday, February 12 2010, 1:33PM
“Phil - let us know which particular children you are going to ask to be removed from Newbridge. Is it just those with siblings or any child that lives further away than you?”
by Paul, Bath
Friday, February 12 2010, 1:28PM
“Its strange that those living close to the city bundaries of Newbridge got offered places at Twerton Infants when those living in Locksbrook and Rudmore Park are closer to Twerton. So the policy is that those that live further from their local school have to travel even further to a B&NES alternative. Sorry but I fail to see the logic. Can someone in B&NES explain why !”