Have your say on Leigh school catchment and admissions

August 8, 2017 by SBC

Wednesday 9 August 2017

Residents can discuss catchment and admission proposals for nine schools in the Leigh area, with places still available at three local ‘listening and engagement’ sessions.

The events are being held as part of a two-phased consultation that began recently. Spaces are still available as follows:

• Wednesday 6th September at 1:30pm – Leigh Community Centre
• Thursday 7th September at 6pm - Leigh Community Centre
• Tuesday 12th September at 9:30am – Leigh Community Centre

To register please visit: www.southend.gov.uk/schoolcatchment and click on the EventBrite link. You can also give us your views by visiting: www.southend.gov.uk/schoolcatchmentresponse

There will also be a drop-in information session on 18th September from 10am to 3pm at the Civic Centre (no need to book).

Cllr James Courtenay, Executive Councillor for Children and Learning, says: “We will absolutely listen to all views as this process is about ensuring we involve everyone who wants to express their opinion, encouraging people to have their say and developing a fair and balanced approach to admissions and catchments areas that is fit for the future.

“These small interactive sessions are all part of that and where residents can talk to staff, put forward different options and ideas and discuss the proposals more widely and with other local people before the formal consultation. I would urge anyone wanting to discuss the proposals in more detail to take up one of the remaining places.”

Background:

The ‘listening and engagement’ phase is taking place over the summer and into the September term where two initial options to deal with the admissions arrangement challenges that the Borough currently faces will be presented online and at interactive sessions.

This will be followed by a formal public consultation on one option (as required by legislation) that will take place at some point between October 2017 and 31st January 2018. The new arrangements will be brought into place for reception pupils starting in September 2019.

Changes to oversubscription criteria which prioritises admissions to schools are also being considered, including prioritising all siblings before pupils that live in the proposed catchment or priority area.

The consultation is necessary because evidence shows that if the council does nothing, that by September 2019, and based on birth data alone, 63 children in total would be unable to get a place across the Chalkwell Hall schools (37), Leigh North Street (19) and the West Leigh schools (7), despite living in that catchment area.