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Leader’s Office /2009 PMG1
OPEN LETTER TO ALL LAMBETHCOUNCILLORS
Lambeth Town HallBrixton HillLondonSW2 1RWMonday, 9
th
February 2009
LAMBETH PRIMARY SCHOOLS – 2009/10 INTAKE
Dear fellow councillors,I would like to update you on the following areas which I hope will be helpful:Primary Admissions 2008-9Primary School Expansion PlansPrimary Admissions 2009-10Schools – Ofsted OutcomesMy purpose in sending you this letter is to give you the borough wide context as Lambeth’sSchool Admissions Team deal with nearly 3,000 applications for Reception school places withthe aim of maximising parental preferences for their children. This is no easy task with risingnumbers of children, over subscripted schools and tight capacity overall. The Council’s aim isto ensure we do not have children without a school place come the beginning of term.
Primary Admissions 2008-9
There are 60 primary schools in Lambeth which offered 2902 Reception places in 2008-9.This included additional places which were created by opening two extra classes atKingswood and Elm Wood schools in response to parental preference pressures in the WestNorwood area. Of the 2874 offers made, 2316 (80%) were first preferences.
Primary Admissions 2009-10
Please note the following key dates for this process:2 February 2009The closing date for applications to all Lambeth maintained community,voluntary-controlled, voluntary-aided and foundation schools.24 April 2009“Local Offer Day”. A letter will be posted to all on-time applicantsinforming them which school they have been allocated. Applicants who
London Borough of LambethThe Leader's OfficeTelephone 020 7926 1167Lambeth Town HallFacsimile 020 7926 2049London SW2 1RWwww.lambeth.gov.uk
applied online will be able to view the result of their application on 25April 2009.If applicants are unsuccessful with any of their preferences, legislationrequires Lambeth to allocate places in schools where there arevacancies. In such circumstances, places are allocated as near to thehome address as possible. Parents are sometimes upset when thishappens. They can request to be put on the waiting list of their preferredschool and will be supported to do so by the School Admissions Team.8 May 2009 Parents/carers must respond to the offer of a Reception place by thisdate. 1 June 2009Appeals related to an unsuccessful placement request in a communityor voluntary-controlled school need to be submitted to the EducationAppeals Co-ordinator (Democratic Services) by this date. Appeals areheard before the start of the autumn term.Appeals to foundation or voluntary-aided schools are processed by these schools asthey are the admissions authorities.Lambeth’s School Admissions Team recognises the stress of the admissions process onparents/carers. The team supports parents / carers by holding ‘road shows’ across theborough, producing the “Starting school in Lambeth” booklet and by providing advice throughthe website, one-stop shop and by telephone.A new admissions criteria has been agreed this year by the Admissions Forum. The distancefrom home to schools will be measured ‘as the crow flies’ or ‘straight line’ and not as beforewhich was the shortest safest walking distance. This is both fairer than before and will have apositive outcome for many families, although others may find it more difficult to get into aparticular school.All parents should have completed a common application form for their child and submittedthis to the Local Authority admissions team by 2
nd
February. Any parent who missed this datewill be treated as a late applicant and their application will only be considered after the LocalOffer Day.Online applications have increased in popularity – nearly 50% are now done this way.Lambeth has received the fourth highest number of online applications in London for 2009-10.
Primary School Expansion Plans
Lambeth is planning to increase significantly the number of reception places available in theborough over the next few years due to the rising population and the increasing recognition of the good quality educational provision offered by our schools across the borough. TheAuthority is planning to provide 3 temporary additional reception classes for 2009-10 and,subject to confirmation of funding, an additional 9 permanent forms of entry across theborough by 2012.In the longer term, there are plans for further additional forms of entry across the borough tomeet the growing demand for primary school places subject to the availability of governmentfunding, which may potentially include the building of several brand new primary schools.
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