Member News
By Mark Lancaster MP - 4th August 2011
Mark Lancaster MP writes about the complexities of the school admissions system and its impact on families.
The school admissions system has been described by education secretary Michael Gove as "unbelievably complicated".
He is right, parents in my constituency have found the process a bit like comprehending relativity, calculating algebra and conjugating Latin verbs.
These families are moving into Milton Keynes, often near to a new secondary school. After sending their application to the council, they wait several weeks to hear back, only to be, bafflingly, offered a place at a school across the city.
It may involve catching two or three buses, or getting a taxi. Then they face further weeks' wait before the school's induction.
We have scores of children out of school as a result: not learning, just waiting.
One investigation estimated that up to 15,000 primary and secondary pupils are awaiting places nationally.
One school has borne the brunt of others' oversubscription. The Radcliffe has been inundated with 'in-year' applicants. The headteacher is devoting half his time to inducting the new intake, which at last count totalled 147. Of these, 119 are 'out of catchment' and will therefore face a daily commute.
I believe several factors have caused this. We now have our first academy, whose intake is lower than its predecessor. This has displaced many students within the catchment area. Radcliffe has, by default, become our community school.
In September local authorities were charged with co-ordinating in-year admissions for certain secondary schools, this extra layer of bureaucracy creates delays.
As a growing city, we have a number of new schools. But they open before the houses are built, fill up places with children from all over the city, leaving no room for the children who move into the new houses.
I welcome the freedom of schools to set their admissions criteria, and the fairness underpinning the councils' role in allocation. But headteachers need to be allowed to hold places, just like armed forces schools do.
We must emphasise how important it is for children to simply be able to walk to school with their mates – for health, friendship, attendance, engagement and the environment.
How can we be prosecuting parents for keeping children out of school and then hold them back with paperwork?
How can we preach community cohesion and then turn pupils into young commuters, dispersing across their cities?
This isn't about algebra or Latin but geometry: we must try to square the circle so schools can serve local communities while educating students without undue delay.
Mark Lancaster has been Conservative MP for Milton Keynes North since 2005.
Throughout recess, ePolitix.com will be focusing on a different policy theme each week. This week we are featuring MP articles with a focus on education.
This article was first featured on December 13 2010 ahead of Mark Lancaster MP's Westminster Hall debate on the complexities of the school admissions system and its impact on families.
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