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Pupils ‘have to settle for second best’

More places a possible solution

PARENTS in the north-west of the borough are the biggest losers in the annual scramble for coveted places at Camden’s secondary schools, Liberal Democrats warned on Monday.
New figures released by the Town Hall show that more pupils in Kilburn were left without a place in this year’s admissions programme than in any other ward in the borough. Seven families in the area had to fight for places through the appeals system.
Lib Dem councillors have accused the Town Hall of unofficially relying on schools in neighbouring Brent to ease the huge demand for places.
Councillor John Bryant said council tax-payers were missing out on the benefit of the large investment that makes Camden’s schools among London’s most successful. He added: “These figures could be described as the tip of the iceberg because there will be a number of pupils who have gone reluctantly to their parents’ second choices in Brent and Westminster without appealing. Those who end up in these other boroughs’ schools are missing out on the kind of resources made available to Camden schools but denied elsewhere.”
Cllr Bryant added: “Historically, Camden has always provided generous budgets for its schools and there is no party political divide on this. The problem is that not all of Camden’s parents, who contribute through their council tax to these schools, find their children can benefit from this spending. If they are forced to take a place in a school outside the borough their child might well be losing out.”
Camden’s Labour education chief Councillor Lucy Anderson said the council was well aware of the possible shortfall in school places in Kilburn.
She suggested increasing the capacity of existing schools could provide a solution, adding that officials were investigating how increased demand in future years could be accommodated.
Cllr Anderson added: “All parents looking for a place for children in a Camden secondary were offered one this year.”
 



Don't waste your finest on relatives

DO you enjoy or endure Christmas? It isn’t only that we’re bullied into spending money we haven’t got.
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