Mail strikes risks kids missing out on first place schools - LGA

16 October 2009

Children could miss out on first choice school places if the Royal Mail strike that is expected to start on 22nd October is prolonged, council leaders warned today.

With the end of October being the deadline for completing the secondary school admission form for the start of the 2010 term time, council leaders are worried that thousands of applications the preferred school choices could get held up in the backlog of mail that would build up in the event of any industrial action.

Parents applications received after the deadline set in their local area are likely to not get their first choice of school if it is oversubscribed. The deadline for applications in London closes on the 23rd October.

Council leaders have urged an urgent resolution to the industrial unrest as they fear that the school admission process could be thrown into confusion. It will also cause great concern for many parents as they may not be sure that the application had arrived on time.

Parents who have not sent off their forms yet by post are being urged to:

fill in the form online or
get proof of posting before the deadline in their area or
hand the form in directly to the council.

Chairman of the Local Government Association Children and Young People board, Cllr Shireen Ritchie, said:-

"The proposed Royal Mail strike could cause confusion and concern for families and could throw the school admission process into disarray.

"Uncertainty caused by any potential strike action could leave councils in a quandary about how to make sure the school application process runs smoothly for parents.

"The LGA urges an early resolution to the differences between Royal Mail and the union to ensure that involuntary observers such as councils, parents and, most importantly, children are not adversely affected by such disputes."

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