Only a quarter of places at the new Neasden Lane High School will be available for children in the immediate area

The new school on Neasden Lane

My question tabled for the Council meeting to be held on Monday July 13th. The School Places Planning document suggested that most pressure for additional secondary forms of entry will be in the north of Brent so a north Brent school makes sense,  but this one will be in the south of the borough and involve commuting by 75% of the pupils. According to Google Maps the motoring distance between the two sites is 4 miles.

Question from Martin Francis to Councillor Amar Agha, Cabinet Member for Schools, Employment & Skills

There was some confusion at the Planning Committee that approved the new North Brent School in Neasden Lane (School number 11 on map) about the catchment area of the new school. Pupils currently attending the North Brent School on the Wembley campus of Wembley High School Academy Trust will transfer when the new school opens. Is it the intention to have a North Brent catchment area for the school as it admits more year groups, or will the catchment area extend to the Neasden/Harlesden/Stonebridge area? What will be the geographical admission criteria for the new school?

Response: The Wembley Academy Trust, as the overarching Trust of which the North Brent School is a part, acts as its own admissions authority and as such publishes its own admissions arrangements, including catchment areas. The current admissions arrangements for North Brent School are published on their website and set out the following as part of the oversubscription criteria:

·75% of places will be offered to children who live closest to Wembley High Technology College. (School number 16 on map)

Distance will be measured using a straight-line measurement from the main entrance of Wembley High Technology College to the main entrance of the child’s home.

 ·25% of places will be offered to children who live closest to the permanent site of North Brent School. Distance will be measured using a straight-line measurement from the main entrance of North Brent School to the main entrance of the child’s home.

 In terms of future admissions arrangements, as Wembley Academy Trust acts as its own admissions authority, this is a question that should be put to the Trust directly. We can confirm however that the Trust has engaged proactively with the wider community in establishing current admissions arrangements and has committed to continue to do so in any changes proposed to future admissions arrangements.