INTRODUCTION
Local parents wishing to send their children to Bridlewood Primary School in September 2004 are furious to discover that they have not been offered a place.
Following the Labour Council's disastrous Education Inspection two years ago, Education was taken out of the hands of Swindon Borough Council and given to an independent organisation (Tribal) who work with the Education Partnership Board. Thanks to Labour's failure we can no longer set local Education policy.
Bridlewood Primary School is oversubscribed, therefore local parents have been offered alternative schools for their children.
Labour Government policy instructs Tribal that all spare places in under-subscribed schools should be filled before more popular schools are able to expand when demand increases. The Labour Government therefore removes parents' freedom to choose the school best suited to their childs needs.
The Labour Government's policy on catchment areas is nonsense. If a school is within 2 miles (as the crow flies) then it counts as local. By this rule, there are enough places for the children in the Northern Sector, even though this will mean some parents will have a 45 minute trip to schools as far away as Penhill.
To make matters worse, Ashbrake residents were not even in the catchment area for Bridlewood Primary School for 2004, despite the school being on the doorstep. This explains why local parents have not been allocated a place in Bridlewood, even when it was their first choice.
This whole situation is totally unacceptable, both to local parents, and to us your Conservative Councillors. In a nutshell, a whole community is being transferred to another area.
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR ACTION
We organised a meeting with the Assistant Director for Education, Head of Admission, Admissions Officer and Headmistress of Bridlewood to discuss the situation, to immediately try to address this sorry situation.
1> We have demanded that Ashbrake must be part of Bridlewood's catchment area.
2> That despite the Labour Government's attempt to wipe out freedom of choice in school places, we demanded an additional 30 places be created at Bridlewood. If Tribal / Education Partnership Board are worried about the unsubscribed places in other schools, then we have asked that they should reduce the number of places in those schools which would solve this problem.
3> We will help in whatever way we can, those parents who wish to appeal the decision. Whilst we have no influence on the independent panel, we can give constructive advice to guide you through the process.
CONSERVATIVE COUNCILLOR RESULTS
It is highly likely that Ashbrake will be part of Bridlewood's catchment area for 2005, which will prevent this shambles from being repeated.
We will hear back from the Education Partnership Board on April 30th as to whether it is possible to transfer 30 places to Bridlewood Primary School, and have the catchment area revised for the September 2004 intake. We are not confident of this outcome, as Tribal / Education Partnership Board have made it clear that are determined to meet the Labour Government's target of filling all schools places, regardless of the impact on parental choice.
CONCLUSION
We will do everything in our power to help give parents the choice they deserve.
Labour Councillors paid the price in last May's elections for their disastrous failings in education (they lost 6 seats), but with Swindon Borough Council having no power to set policy it is the local parents who have ultimately lost out.
We will update our website www.abbeymeadsintouch.com as soon as any news breaks on this issue.
Alternatively, please don't hesitate to contact:
Cllr Owen Lister 01793 490182
Cllr Justin Tomlinson 01793 872883
Cllr Peter Stoddart 01793 879127