The consultation on Hertfordshire school admissions arrangements for 2011/2012 opened on January 4.
The county council is looking for feedback from parents, carers, schools and community groups on a proposed change to the existing admissions rules, to move from the ‘shortest designated route’ method of measuring home-school distances for admissions purposes to ‘straight line distance’ measurement.
Feedback is also requested on:
• The nursery admissions oversubscription criteria
• The full set of admissions arrangements for all community and voluntary-controlled schools
• Schemes of co-ordination in operation
• Sixth-form admission arrangements
• Published admission numbers
The consultation period opens on January 4, 2010 and runs until February 26, 2010. The admissions arrangements for all Hertfordshire schools, together with the full consultation document are available to view online at www.hertsdirect.org/csfconsultations.
I am writing concerning the proposed admission arrangements for 2011/12 as detailed in the consultation document. My concerns relate specifically to the proposal to move to the straight line distance measurement for admission purposes.
I am very concerned about this change in measurement methodology for a number of reasons:
1. STAGS would no longer be my nearest school and hence my two children would not be eligible for admission under rule 4. We purchased our house in Charmouth Road with the express intention of sending our two girls to STAGs. Removing us from the priority areas for STAGs means that (1) we no longer get our first choice of school, (2) our reason for moving into this road is thus at a stroke eliminated and (3) this may in turn have a detrimental effect on the market for our property and its value.
2. The change in policy means that those that live further down Charmouth Road will have priority for STAGS whereas my household will not, even though our walk to STAGs is far shorter. The measurement by straight line is not logical as it will often mean that that those that live further away than others are eligible and those nearest will not be. Although the current system is complicated at least it is fair. Those that have the shortest walk to school are deemed to be the nearest. Perhaps further time should be spent perfecting the current system rather than creating a new one.
3. The change that you are proposing comes into effect too soon for those that have made plans/assumptions on the current rules. Implementing in 2011/12 means that the majority of those in Junior school, who have placed themselves appropriately to secure their first choice school, are severely disadvantaged.
Our recommendations would be:
1. We retain the current system, or
2. If you continue on this route, you apply a more reasonable time period for its implementation – one year is totally unreasonable. We propose that you allow those people at Junior school, who will already have their plans in place, to continue on the same path and so implement any changes after they have made their choices.
I hope that you will take our serious concerns into consideration and reject this proposal.