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The
Office of the Schools Adjudicator 9
July 1999 Dear
Sirs I
am writing on behalf of the Governing Body of Brookmans Park School, with regard to the
changes to admissions criteria recently proposed by Chancellor’s School. As
Governors of a school which has previously enjoyed the privilege of priority on Chancellor’s
admissions criteria, on the basis that our schools are the only primary and secondary
schools within Brookmans Park, we strongly object to the proposals to withdraw our
priority. It
has been suggested that all schools in the area have been a part of the ‘consultation
process’ in the development of these new criteria, but we have been very surprised
and disappointed at the lack of direct contact with our School in this matter, both from
the LEA and from Chancellor’s themselves, particularly given the fact that of all the
schools in the area, we were likely to be detrimentally affected more than any other. We have only just been made aware that we were apparently invited
to comment on the proposed changes back in May, but there is no record of these invitation
letters ever having arrived. Clearly, had we been aware of the proposals, we would have
ensured that full representations would have been made at that time. Families living
within Brookmans Park have, for many years, sent their children to Brookmans Park School,
not only because of the high standards and levels of achievement, but also because they
have come to appreciate the benefit it offers in terms of qualification for the local
secondary school. The
parents of children at Brookmans Park School are understandably very upset at these
proposed changes, and there is a widely held belief that the changes will change the
complexion of the village itself, adversely affecting the community for ever. We
acknowledge that changes have to be made, but there are other less radical solutions which
will achieve the same benefits without these downsides, namely: · retain
Brookmans Park as one of a select list of perhaps six local ‘feeder’ schools, or · qualify
applicants under criterion 5 by proximity, rather than in proportion to the
number of applications made from each school. In
this way, local families will be given priority access to their local school - a situation
to which the government itself subscribes, and which we fully endorse. I
urge you to consider these views, and to press for the reversal of these unnecessary and
inappropriate changes with immediate effect. Please
do not hesitate to contact me, or Mr. Peter
Evans, Head Teacher, at any time should you wish to discuss these matters any further. Many
thanks in anticipation, Yours
sincerely Jeremy
R Silverstone cc
July 12, 1999 Have you any views on the Chancellor's criteria issue? If so you can contribute directly to this site by using the Have Your Say form.
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