Where places are available in Brent secondary schools after September 2016 offers

Yesterday was 'offer day' in Brent for Year 6 children to hear news of whether their applications for a secondary school place for September 2016 had been successful. Children who applied by post, rather than electronically, will receive a response today or tomorrow.

The full quota has been filled by most Brent secondary schools with Ark Elvin (formerly Copland), Crest Academy and Newman Catholic College (boys only) having vacancies or small waiting lists.

The table below gives details of how the places were allocated and is worth studying in terms of equal opportunities. Is there an equal distribution of children with special educational needs? What is the impact of 'feeder primary schools' for children from primary schools without such links? What proportion of places go to children with siblings already at the secondary school? How many places were offered to current Year 6 children at the two 'all through' (containing both primary and secondary schools) Preston Manor and Ark Academy (Wembley Park).

There is a continuing imbalance  of school provision between north and south Brent which will be worsened if the proposal for a new North Brent secondary free school goes ahead and if the proposed Gladstone Secondary Free School continues to fail to find premises.

The plight of children who are only children or the oldest in the family (ie no sibling connection), who do not attend a feeder school or the primary department of an all through school, without SEN and who live some distance from their desired school is particularly concerning.

Guidance for parents who are not happy with their school place allocation is available on the Brent Council website HERE

Sufficient places in other schools for Year 7s if Brent free schools fail to open

In response to concerns I expressed about the fate of Year 7 pupils in  September 2014 if the free schools they have been offered do not  find premises or open in time, Sara Williams, Strategic Director of Children and Families states:

There are sufficient places in Brent secondary schools to offer places to all Brent children offered places at Free Schools in the event that the Free Schools do not open. 

The admissions team always works throughout the summer to place pupils for September and this year will be no different. The council will do everything it can to support families if the need arises.

Gladstone Free School in Cricklewood and  Gateway Free School in Wembley Central have still not found premises. Katharine Birbalsingh has assured parents of children going to Michaela Academy that planning permission has been granted for building works at Arena House in Wembley Park. She assures them that although there may seem to be little evidence of any work going on (I can see none) there is a lot going on behind the scenes.

ARK GETTING DESPERATE?

"Cor! You must be really desperate!" I couldn't help exclaiming when I saw the shivering figure armed with glossy brochures in the entrance hall of Wembley ASDA today. She was vainly attempting to get busy shoppers to apply for a place at the Wembley ARK Academy - just down the road from the store.

This year the Academy failed to fill all its Reception places and there were vacancies in other local schools. Applications for admission in September 2009 close on Friday. Perhaps ARK is failing to persuade parents to send their children to a school which consists of temporary huts in the middle of a building site. It would be fun if all the infant and primary schools in Brent set up a stall in ASDA - there would be no room for shoppers!

The brochure states that ARK will launch the admissions process in September for the first secondary cohort due to start in September 2010 'if planning permission is granted'. This is an important caveat as Brent Council is still waiting for revised documents that it commissioned following the GLA's rejection of the Stage 1 Planning Application for the permanent academy. The revised traffic report will be crucial and the council will be re-opening consultation only when all the documentation is complete. This adds up to a significant delay for a process that was supposed to be completed earlier this year. The earliest possible date for the application to go to committee now looks like March 24th but it it more likely to be April.

Meanwhile shoppers at ASDA should be wary of adding a pig in a poke to their shopping trolley.