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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Abolishing the ‘linked schools’ system: who gains? who loses? A forecast for Orleans Park
October 10, 2011 7:30 PM
• [Oct 10] A concerned resident writes: THE borough council is to consult on getting rid of the Link School system from 2013/4. This would mean secondary places would be allocated on distance only, after special educational needs and siblings had been taken admitted. What would be the impact of this for Orleans Park School [OPS] and other local schools?
1. This proposal would reduce the number of out of borough places at Orleans Park by about 30. It would change the social mix at the school.
2. Pupils who were at one of the former link schools but live more than about 1.5 km away would definitely not get into OPS. Matthew Paul [the Council officer who oversee admissions] suggests that north St Margaret's "should be" within the catchment, but I don't think he has taken into account the expected large number of applications from parents of children at the Vineyard (not currently linked) and also people who move into the area near the school - just as people do to get into Orleans Infant School. Demographic changes are predicted further to impact on places. I therefore believe that people north of the A316 with children at link schools have real grounds for apprehension.
3. It would impact on the cohesion between the local schools, which sustains the St Margaret's Fair. A great deal of work goes into the transition from Y6 to Y7 and this would be harder.
4. St Stephens may be seriously affected. It has had problems sustaining admission numbers. One of its selling points is the link to OPS.
This proposal will affect any parents with children in Y5 or below.
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• The link system:
' . . Links between schools can be formed and lost on the basis of the number of children who transfer, or if the schools are situated in the same electoral ward. Links are formed when at least 25% of Year 6 leavers or 15 pupils transfer to a particular secondary school and they can be lost when the figure is lower. Some schools do not have a link, because: the numbers are too low to establish a link, there is no pattern of transfer to a school or because no pattern has yet been established. (See individual school's pages for their linked schools)
To meet this criterion, the child must be attending the linked primary or junior school at the time that the application is submitted. Once the cohort starts Year 7, attendance at a linked primary or junior school would no longer apply and priority would not be given on that basis on the waiting list for the particular secondary school or academy. If more children from linked schools apply than there are places available, places will be allocated to children on the basis of distance from home to school, measured by the shortest route by road or maintained footpath, accompanied as necessary.'
• Mixed community secondary schools admissions criteria [October 2011]
• Secondary school admissions criteria
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• Linked schools policy: scrap and use 'home to school distance' instead? [Sept 24]:
' . . The Forum therefore reached consensus to recommend to the Council that it should consult upon removing the LSP for 2013/2014 entry to Grey Court, Orleans Park and Teddington, and instead use 'home to school distance' as the main criterion for allocating places. It was felt that consultation should be widespread and involve public meetings and an online survey, as appropriate.'
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• LBRuT Admission Statement 2010: Orleans Park School
Applications For Places In 2009
Published Number Of Places 200
Number Of 1st Preferences 248
Number Of 2nd Preferences 271
Total Number of Applications 830
Number of Offers 215
The distribution of offers to first preferences was:
SEN/Special Circumstances 10
Siblings 73
Links 132
Distance/other 0
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