North Bristol Primary school admission crisis

[evey]

URGENT - Anyone not got into all 3 of their preference schools and in Henleaze/bishop rd/westbury pk area. please contct me via this thread so we can get together and start a campaign. 2 years ago a vocal and strong parent voice made bishop rd take on an extra class intake, maybe we could do the same at henleaze this year if we all got together.

I don't think a bulge class is really the answer though. Do you really want your child going to a 120 intake school? I wouldn't think many current Henleaze parents would back that plan. Whole new schools are needed. The council have figures which prove that over the next 5 years they are going to be hugely short of places. Odd bulge classes and temporary classrooms here and there just are not going to be enough.

Also a lot of the problem would be solved if people who move out of the area lost their right to sibling places. DD (yr1) has 4 or 5 children in her class who no longer live in the area, one is a 25 minute drive away, whose siblings will be entitled to places in years to come.

Good luck with finding a suitable place for your child.

I've added this message on another thread also, but ...

Hi Eve and everyone - we're in the same situation as Eve, and I've set up a Facebook page to see how many parents we can group together and get some action. It's here: www.facebook.com/pages/North-Bristol-School-Admissions-Crisis-2011/218127551531918#!/pages/North-Bristol-School-Admissions-Crisis-2011/218127551531918?sk=wall.

My daughter is due to go to school in Sept 2012 so I am keeping a close eye on the admissions this year. We fall between Elmlea, Westbury on Trym C of E and Henleaze and would not have got a space this year in any of them (previously would have been Elmlea apart from 1 year in the past 5 when we would have been Westbury).

Will the proposed 60 spaces at Brecon Road (old St Ursula's) not meet the shortfall in our area at least for this year?
Is the new school seen as a viable alternative to the current schools?

www.bristol-cyps.org.uk/schools/admissions/primary.html

Closing date for expression of interest in the new school is 10th May.

Lizaa - you don't need to express an interest by 10th May - that is for people wanting places this year. If I were in your position I would definitely consider it once it is up and running. I don't know which primary provider will be running it though. Personally I would avoid it if it is Oasis (too religious for me). I'm sure the 60 spaces will help in the area, although whether it is enough to solve the problem remains to be seen. I understand your concerns though. My dd1 is at E and we have just got a sibling place for dd2 for this year. If dd2 had been our eldest we would not have got a space for her as the distance has shrunk so much in the past 2 years. Good luck!

Oasis were involved in running the former St Ursulas school for one year only. As far as I am aware they have nothing to do with the proposed new primary school on the site.

Thanks for reply Runoutofideas :)
I wasn't really asking about the new school for myself. Just pointing out that there should be another 60 spaces in North Bristol for September 2011 intake. I was just wondering why this wasn't seen as a solution to the immediate issue. I appreciate not everyone without a space at one of their preferences will live close to the new school but it may relieve pressure on other local schools too.

Lizaa - obviously old st ursula's will be a help but i know lots of parents in henleaze/bishopston/westbury pk/redland area who haven't got inot any of their 3 choices and st ursulas likely to be too far for all of them (myself included).

I know runoutofideas you suggested a buldge year isn't the answer but as i have said in 2009 bishop rd did it and it helped for that year. also, the school my DD has been given nearly 3 miles away has about 30 children offered places there from henleaze/westbury pk/redland area. As a result they are taking on a new class. that is total madness obviously. if a school takes on an extra class it should at least be as a direct result of local needs not city wide needs.

Thanks for clarifying Evey. I agree that if Bishop Rd is someone's local school then Brecon Road is likely to be too far away. The only hope would be that there would be some kind of knock on effect of releasing spaces at other schools. Good luck with the campaign.

If your child has got a place at the new Brecon Rd Academy for September 2011, please look at our parent group website www.brpp.org.uk and get in contact.
Hope to hear form you.