Bucks Free Press Article

[lizzyk]

http://www.bucksfreepress.co.uk/news/5060554.MP_Theresa_May_steps_in_on_scho
ol_admissions__fiasco_/

[arty]

Yes Teresa is right to be disappointed with the Conservative run council. What was that about cutting our council tax bills and not services!!!
Many of the children now affected by this fiasco were in my cub pack and caring for them all as i do  i feel very sorry that they are going through this hellish situation.
It is clear that the boundary change was NOT properly thought out. if Furze Platt is the nearest secondary school then it should automatically be the first school to offer a place to Cookham children. That much seems so obvious.If there are not enough places then build more classrooms - even porta-cabins are better than no place at all on a temporary basis and take on more teachers. How can the allocations department  seriously send a letter to a parent with NO Place allocated at all? How can the Council planners allow additional housing without providing additional school places?
How can these 11 year olds get to Cox Green? To my knowledge there is no public transport system that comes near Cookham to take them there. At the very least the council need to provide free school buses to serve these children.
If I was in charge i'd take back all the forms from those families who have no place or not their first place choice and start again. Meanwhile the Council have until September to get the services in place. Finally don't blame the credit crunch as one counsellor has in this week's Advertiser,for your incompetent planning. Sure there are pupils entering the state system who might have gone into private education in better times but that is no excuse. End this misery and do it quickly.
Gail Dorrington

[MJ Saunders]

The major credit for sorting this mess so quickly goes to my colleagues on the Action Group and the people of Cookham, who lobbied fast and clear to put right the mistakes that had so obviously been made.

Nothing can make up for the discomfort and anguish caused to some 30 children when the allocations (or in some 10 cases a lack of an allocation) came out 2 weeks ago.  It was unnaceptable and needed the full apology issued by the Council Staff responsible for the defective processes and the Leader of the Council, who did not shy away from the mess that had arisen on his watch.

With respect to my fellow commentator above, this had nothing to do with the political colour of the Council.  This was a plain old fashioned c*** up. 

Despite our huge success, if any parents still find they have not secured the place they wish for they child, I encourage them to contact me at mj@cookhamdean.org.uk or on 07775 817426 to talk about their options and the opportunity to appeal.

MJ Saunders - RBWM Cookham Councillor and local schools activist