Furze Platt Places for Cookham Children

[RBWM Press Release]

Additional places are being created at Furze Platt School so that all Cookham children currently on the waiting list for the school can be admitted this September.

Sufficient places have been agreed so that Maidenhead children with a higher priority will not be disadvantaged.

The Royal Borough is working with the headteacher of Furze Platt to identify the implications of these additional places and find the solutions.

Cllr David Burbage, council leader, said: “We are pleased to reassure parents that their children will have a place at Furze Platt in September.

“Furze Platt is a popular and successful school and the new designated area has allowed more parents to opt to send their children there. However we can’t allow this to happen at the expense of Cookham children.”

Cllr Eileen Quick, lead member for children’s services, added: “I am delighted that we are now able to offer Maidenhead schools places as promised, and that this situation has been quickly and happily resolved.”

The council will be working over the next few weeks to consider the implications for the 2011 admissions with a view to ensuring there are enough places at Furze Platt.

[MJ Saunders]

This very positive response to the strong representations of the people of Cookham was released only one hour before over 250 local people met at Moor Hall on March 16th. It was a great achievement to encourage a full package of solutions for this year's mistakes and for future years as well. 

Well done to all my colleagues on the Action Team who did not take no for an answer and secured the support of the Leader of the Council to put things right. 

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