news story

27th February 2006

MP, Councillors & Parents Join Forces Over "Crazy Rules" on Admission To Bradley Stoke Community School

Bradley Stoke Councillor Jon Williams with:

left: Mrs Alison Grotzke & son Josh;
right: Mrs Carol Hopwood & son Connor

Northavon MP Steve Webb and Bradley Stoke councillor Jon Williams have launched a campaign in support of Bradley Stoke parents who have been told that their children will not be admitted to Bradley Stoke's new secondary school. The parents, who live in the Northern part of Bradley Stoke, near Bowlsand Green school, have been told that their children are unlikely to qualify for admission because they live "too far away" from the school.

There is in fact a council-maintained cycle and footpath running directly from their homes to the leisure centre and school, which means that the school is effectively on their doorstep. But South Gloucestershire Council have ruled that the path "does not count" when measuring the distance from their home to the school. As a result, families in the area may find that they are offered a place at Patchway School, even though their children could get to Bradley Stoke much faster and more safely.

With Bradley Stoke school being heavily over-subscribed, the parents stand little chance of getting their children in to the school unless the rules on distance are changed.

Councillor Jon Williams, who campaigned for the school to be set up said:

"One of the reasons we fought for a school was to help build a sense of community in Bradley Stoke. It is crazy that children from Bradley Stoke are being turned away from their own local school".

Local MP Steve Webb has been contacted by several local parents about the ruling and has already been in correspondence with the Council. He said:

"If one part of the Council maintains a route to school, it makes sense for the rest of the Council to take account of the path when measuring distances to the school".

Bradley Stoke parents are now campaigning for the rules to be changed in advance of the next round of admissions in September 2007, so that common sense prevails. Mrs Alison Grotzke of Ormonds Close wants her sons Josh (aged 9) and Sam (aged 6) to attend the local secondary school. She said:

"I am very concerned that the cycleways issue will result in my children missing out on the opportunity of attending our closest and most easily accessible secondary school".

Mrs Carol Hopwood of Perrys Lea also wants her sons Connor (10) and Liam (7) to attend Bradley Stoke Community School. She said:

"It is more environmentally friendly for children to cycle to school, and my boys are keen cyclists. So it is absurd that the Council does not count its own cycle route when measuring the distance from home to school".

Cllr Williams added that he would be having meetings with Council officials in the coming weeks to try to resolve the problem.