Tudor Grange Admissions Policy

LOCAL SCHOOLS FOR LOCAL CHILDREN

Tudor Grange Academy in Solihull have proposed changes to their admissions policy which could result in local children from the catchment area being denied a place. The school has formed links with two faith schools and are proposing to give those children admissions priority in preference to catchment and local children. If this change goes through the following impact will be felt in the community:

* Current Priority 3 children (siblings) will be the first to lose their place.
* Current Priority 2 children (catchment), particularly those further from the school, may lose their place.
* We believe that taking children from two faith schools is unfair to those of different or no faith and that the ethnic mix of the school will be affected.
* Increase in traffic congestion on already congested streets.

STOP them from taking our school away from our children. Protect our children's future.

Respond to the consultation by emailing consultation@tudor-grange.solihull.sch.u­k

Sign the petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/tu...

Join the Facebook Group at https://www.facebook.com/groups/15073...

• Category

  Education

[JennyWoodruff]

Please also provide detail re nature of St Alphege links and why that justifies their nomination as a feeder school, but not the other local schools that send more children to TG. I have asked TGA and the head at St Alphege for this - netiher replied. If it's reasonable, why not explain? A previous Schools Adjudicator determination (re Caroline Chisholm School) suggests the feeder school nomination here would be viewed as unreasonable. Must comply with Schools Admissions Code.

[JennyWoodruff]

Admissions policies must comply with the relevant legislation? How does this comply with Equality Act 2010? More important than uniform. If you believe that common management denotes an automatic "right", please provide the evidence as to where that "right" is legally enshrined. This is not even the case for every "all-through" academy. E.g. Shirley Park Academy Croydon, local children still get priority over the primary academy in oversubscription criteria.

[Tudor Grange]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Certainly don't try to fix it in a discriminatory way.

[alice bennett]

I expect that in the near future all catchment children will get places, however IF there does ever become a point where a few children are being displaced then I believe that children going to the partner schools have a right over non-partners schools pupils. The link between St.Alphege and TGA could be the number of pupils who transfer to TGA each year - about 5/7, also I think they are to share expertise in the future. What about my question on what your ideal admission system would be?

[Tudor Grange]

With respect you haven't answered my question at all. If no catchment children will be displaced by these proposals, which you stated quite categorically in your opening comment, then why the need to prioritise the feeder schools when you and TGA are saying there is room for everyone? Regarding the "partner" schools, what is to stop TGA partnering with more primary schools in the future? Should children from those school then also get priority? What is the St. Alphege link all about anyway?

[alice bennett]

I beleive that I have already answered that question in one of my previous comments. Pupils having attended one of the academie's partner schools have a right to a place in the senior school, they are making sure this would happen. Prehaps you can answer a question from me, what should TGA do to their admissions policy to reflect their changed positions with the two primaries?

[Tudor Grange]

I will ask you the question again. If TGA are so sure that no catchment children will be displaced with these proposals then why the need to prioritise children from these feeder schools ahead of children living in the catchment area? Just think about that. Can you answer it?

[alice bennett]

No, not at all, however it impossible to create an argument without facts as that is doing as St. James' is a junior school so they have no idea what the percentage of children living in catchment will be in 5 years. In reality we have no idea how much this proposed admission system will have on people because just because people are given a place does not mean they will take it. For example they may have siblings at an other school or not like TGA's approaches such as no yr11 prom or prefects.

[Tudor Grange]

It sounds like you are now accepting that eventually children living within the catchment area will be displaced by children from the feeder schools.

[alice bennett]

oops, * they operate on different sites but under the same leadership.