main content Be a part of the class of 2006

Parents are being reminded that the deadline for making applications for their children’s move up to secondary school is little more than one month away.

Under the new co-ordinated admissions system, which operated for the first time for this year’s intake, parents complete just one form supplied by the Council to which they pay their council tax.

They can list up to six secondary schools, situated in any borough, in order of preference - i.e. with their favoured school at number one and so on.

All the local education authorities taking part use a computerised system to exchange details of applications and co-ordinate the offer of places with the aim of making a single offer to each pupil on the same day.

The system is designed to make the whole process fairer and avoid the anxiety caused by parents holding on to multiple offers while others have none.

Anyone whose child attends a Bromley primary school should already have received an information booklet explaining the admissions procedure and copies are available in the borough’s libraries.

The deadline for returning completed forms is 21 October.

Admissions manager Doreen Pendergast said: “I’d advise parents to visit schools before making their selection, but the most important thing is to include the school which has historically covered where they live.

“The new process is much fairer, but it does not change admissions criteria so parents must appreciate that listing a school first does not necessarily mean their child will be offered a place there.”

If any Bromley parents with children due to transfer to secondary school in 2006 have not received a booklet they should contact the admissions on 020 8313 4088. Information about school open days is available at www.bromley.gov.uk

ENDS


Notes to editors:
Application forms must be received by 21 October. The national offer day is 1 March 2006. Parents then have two weeks to accept or reject the offer before a further round of co-ordination is held to include late applications.
This year, 71% of the 3,500 pupils were offered a place at their first choice school. 85% of pupils secured a place at either their first or second choice.
In March this year less than 1% of pupils were without an offer of a place, compared with up to 15% at the same point in previous years.

For media enquiries, please contact Richard Simcox, Communications Officer, on 020 8313 4310, or email richard.simcox@bromley.gov.uk