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Admissions policy at popular school will be delayed

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Published Date: 11 March 2010
Last minute changes have been made to controversial plans for the admissions policy at a hugely-oversubscribed Northampton school.
More than 100 worried parents packed a meeting at the Guildhall yesterday, held to decide the future admissions policy at Caroline Chisholm School which would mean youngsters from the Grange Park estate going to Roade School Sports College instead.

They were told that, as a result of their lobbying, implementation of the change would now be delayed from the expected 2011 to 2013, and siblings of children already at Caroline Chisholm will now be given priority admission to it.

The meeting of Northamptonshire County Council schools admission forum voted in favour of the new admission policy for the popular school to put an end to what the county says is an unfair system which currently leaves some children at the school's main feeder primaries unable to get a place.

Under the policy the new priority order for admissions is: Children in public care, pupils who live in the linked area for the school – Courteenhall, Grange Park (for admissions up to and including September 2012), Quinton, Simpson Manor, Hardingstone from September 2013, Wootton Fields and Wootton village; pupils with siblings continuing at the secondary section of the school at the time of admission of the younger child; pupils attending Preston Hedges, Hardingstone (from September 2013), and Wootton primary schools and, possibly, Woodland View Primary up to and including 2012.

But, in another last-minute change at the meeting, consultation will now take place about increasing the size of Woodland View Primary instead.

Head of Caroline Chisholm School, Tony Downing, told the meeting he supported the delay to 2013 and the restored sibling link but appealed for more time to come to an agreeement to "benefit all the children in our schools".

After the meeting, Paul Denton, spokesman for Grange Park parents who oppose the move, said: "We are really disappointed that this decision has been made, especially as some information came to us late or was even withheld from us.

"We think it is significant that even headteachers here were not in favour of this going ahead at this time. We shall be fighting on."
A decision on the plan will be made by the county council cabinet in April, although their decision could be appealed to the Government.



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  • Last Updated: 11 March 2010 8:17 AM
  • Source: Northampton Chron & Echo
  • Location: Northampton
 
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11/03/2010 09:15:25
Comment Reported Unsuitable By User
2

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11/03/2010 10:15:26
Comment Reported Unsuitable By User
3

Finker,

12/03/2010 07:52:31
This continual deleting of comments is just pathetic, these two were long, considered e-mails with some interesting points in, which you could agree with or not but now people have that option taken away from them. Can't people just say if they disagree and explain why, we can then get all views, or are those deleting them just not capable of debate.

Can the Editor put them back up please, I for one had only quickly scanned them and would like to read properly.
4

Jemima C,

12/03/2010 11:27:49
I agree with Finker, Why have those comments been removed. Surely everyone is entitled to their opinion ??? Please put them back up !!!

I would like to say that Caroline Chisholm was built for the children of Wootton and Wootton fields not Grange Park as some people have said. Grange Park were only aligned to Caroline Chisholm in 2007 and not when it first opened. We all know that Caroline Chisholm is severely over subscribed that issue is never going to go away. Action needs to be taken now for the future of all children who live in our area of town. The reason why Roade school has been under performing for so many years is because many people took their children out and sent them to Caroline Chisholm instead, fewer children mean less funding. If Roade school has a lot more pupils it will receive a lot more funding, which will in turn help to turn the school around and could once again become one of the best schools in Northampton. Why can't people look at the bigger picture and see this is for the good of the whole area in our county. Failing offsted reports are unacceptable, all Children deserve to attend a school where it is achieving, not just those that have parents who can afford to move into the "desired" area. Roade school will not improve without more children, and by aligning the many children of Grange Park with Roade it will give them the numbers it desparately needs. Whilst at the same time solve the severe over subscribtion problem at Caroline Chisholm.
5

Northampton Woman,

Back by popular demand 12/03/2010 18:39:06
Let’s be very clear here; the LEA have just demonstrated that they are incapable of managing issues as they arise, choosing to delay any action until they are forced to act.
The admission policies to CCS are totally undermined by parents exploiting the short term rental loophole or using friend/relatives addresses. The LEA have stated that they ARE NOT in the business of checking applications – they have to believe what is submitted.
The LEA have been very selective with their data in an effort to support this proposal.
• They are unaware that CCS was built to school the children of the new developments of Wootton Fields & Grange Park – THIS IS WELL DOCUMENTED.
• The LEA are relying on GP’s previous links with Roade school – this was only a short term measure until CCS was built and able to accept GP children in a phased approach in 2007. This plan is documented; Roade Parish Council & County Councillor Bunny Ingram as early as 2005 ensured this took place in the interests of Roade School.
• The LEA and Hardingstone community forget that Hardingstone chose NOT to align themselves with CCS but opting to stay with Roade school despite the need to transport the pupils past CCS to get to Roade. ONLY NOW is it important for them to want to walk to school, - not their nearest school Abbey Fields but CCS!!
• The LEA would have us believe Roade has failed since the pupils of Woodland View were diverted to CCS
Good schools do not happen over night therefore the LEA did not wake up one morning to find Roade School in a total mess. (Oh no lets blame it on GP!)
• Roade has been on a downward spiral for 6 or 7 years. 60% of the potential catchment area choose to send their children elsewhere. The LEA have failed to acknowledge this and act – only now as the school hits Special measures are they talking about improving it .
6

Northampton Woman,

Bach by popular demand Part 2 12/03/2010 18:44:09
• All they can come up with is to build up the CCS admission issues in an effort to justify diverting pupils from GP which happen to have an Outstanding Primary school. How long did it take for the LEA to come up with that!

Where is the fair & consistent approach?

Also; the LEA’s main reason for change is because they are not permitted to check fraudulent applications has now been addressed by Ed Balls. LEA’s, will receive the power.

Plus… Now Roade is in Special Measures, they will receive money & support – do not burden them wih additional children whilst they get back on their feet. When they improve, the existing catchment area will return and then probably complain that GP should not be their sine they are part of the Urban area… And the we will be back where we started!
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Jaelad,

12/03/2010 19:36:45
Jemima C

I am sorry but I have to completely disagree with your comments. Caroline Chisholm School was built for the communities of Grange Park, Wootton and Wootton Fields.
You should check your facts.

I refer you to the Caroline Chisholm School Prospectus

A School for the community

' Caroline Chisholm School is at the heart of the The Wooldale Centre for Learning. The Centre is a place for everyone in the community. Northamptonshire County Council recognised the need for a new school because of the rapid growth of Wootton, Wootton Fields and Grange Park.'

It was always agreed that Caroline Chisholm would have a phased approach to the intake of students, Grange Park came in 2007 to allow Caroline Chisholm establish itself.

The Caroline Chisholm School logo carries the colours of the feeder schools, the burgundy star representing Woodland View Primary School.

8

Jaelad,

12/03/2010 20:30:20
The facts are that approx 48% of the current Roade cachement choose to send their children to alternative schools because they have a choice. If the LEA did their job properly and got the school back up to a decent standard then maybe they may be able to attract back its own cachement and improve the numbers. Throwing our children at a school that has been in a steady decline since 2004 - 2505 is not going to improve the school. The school is going back into special measures. Personally I think they should do what they have done with Abbeyfields, knock it down and rebuild it. The school is a disgrace, give the kids something to be proud of.
9

Raji,

13/03/2010 09:09:03
Whether Caroline Chisholm was built for Grange Park or Wootton Fields or indeed everyone. It doesn't change the fact that something needs to be done in this area, lets face it its not good that children live in the current catchment area and cannot get a place. Something needs to be done to address this sensitive issue. If you took this proposal to somewhere out of the county where nobody has any emotions about it I think everyone would agree with it, because it makes sence on paper.
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Jaelad,

13/03/2010 13:22:50
I agree something does need to be done but not at the expense of Grange Park children. They need to address the short term rental abuse. The Grange Park children are part of the catchment and always have been. See my notes above.
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