Free school wants most students to come from one postcode area
BRISTOL Free School is inviting comments on its plans to centre its permanent catchment area in Westbury-on-Trym.
The secondary school, which opened in September, intends to continue to take most of its students from the BS9 postcode area, which includes Westbury, Henleaze and Stoke Bishop.
A couple of dozen children a year who live close to the school's site in Burghill Road, Brentry, will get places but others from areas which share its BS10 postcode, including Brentry, Henbury and Southmead, could be denied access in favour of children who live further away in more affluent neighbourhoods.
This is because the Government agreed to fund the school, one of the first of the new-style free schools, following demand from BS9 parents, who were upset that there was no state secondary in their neighbourhood.
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It had been hoped to create the school at the former St Ursula's independent school in Brecon Road but Bristol Free School is now staying put and developing at its launch site, a former Government office building.
Its governors say their aim remains to create a school for BS9 children and that is why their proposed admissions priority area is based on that area's boundaries, modified slightly to accommodate close neighbours of the school.
There are 150 places on offer each year. Priority will be given to children in care, those with special needs and those with brothers or sisters at the school. After that, 20 per cent of the remaining places will be offered to those living nearby, with distances measured from the centre of the school site to homes.
The rest will be allocated to those living closest to the mid point at the junction of Elmlea Avenue and Rylestone Grove.
People do not have to live within the catchment area to apply to the school. If not all the places are filled from the priority area, those outside will be considered, again on an 80-20 basis.
Parents, parent groups, other Bristol schools and academies, other admission authorities, neighbouring local authorities and church authorities are being invited to comment on the proposals before February 28.
If agreed, the new arrangements will be for children starting at the school in or after September 2013.
The free school is close to two other secondary schools, Henbury and Orchard. Opponents said it was not needed as there are many spare places at schools in the area.
The free school filled about 80 of its 150 places in Year 7 for 2011. Parents will find out on March 1 whether it and other schools have been over or under-subscribed for 2012.
The number of surplus places could well rise this year because the number of 11-year-olds has fallen.
However, within a few years more secondary places will be needed as the larger numbers of children in primary schools move on.
Comments
by honest123
Thursday, January 26 2012, 12:49PM
“Bristol Free School, please stick to the principles you publicised in applying for the school - that it is not elitist, or socially divisive. Therefore the catchment should be based around the BFS site in BS10. This would perform a vital role in offering the good education that you are striving to provide, to a section of the local community that really needs and deserves it. Hence an excellent school linked by proximity to its community would be nurtured. Unless by continuing to recruit from a BS9 centre, you are stating that the children of BS10 are not good enough for your school, but those from BS9 are ? I find this distasteful.”
by Bristolexpat
Monday, January 23 2012, 3:08AM
“I'm glad rattysmum has found a school where her Son can now grow, learn and develop.
However as John name has stated, you should really improve your literacy. Maybe your Son can now help you?”
by John_Name
Sunday, January 22 2012, 5:32PM
“@Commenter 42
rattysmum is right to want the best education for her kid, even though she lives in Southmead.
@rattysmum
Commenter 42 is right to take issue with your literacy. You don't have to write in capitals all the time; doing so comes across as strident and shouty. And you should take the trouble to punctuate; doing so will make you easier to understand, and you will be taken more seriously. To be honest, I don't understand why you don't make the effort to write properly. You spell a number of complicated words correctly, which shows that you are capable of writing properly if you try.”
by Bristolexpat
Sunday, January 22 2012, 4:55PM
“Wasn't the school originally to be based in BS9 catchment area.?
Seems sensible to me otherwise it,d be yet another new school not in BS9 and the same issue for those families would still be there?
Are people really begrudging those families a school for their kids? Just because they think they're "posh"”
by Commenter42
Sunday, January 22 2012, 11:02AM
“Rattysmum, learning not to shout and how to use punctuation would also be a bonus.”
by corncups
Sunday, January 22 2012, 8:20AM
“One big school, be it academy, free or LEA for all the 11-18 year olds in BS9 & BS10 together would solve the all the issues. Think of the economies of scale - it could be the best equipped secondary school in the entire city, a force to be reckoned with and everyone would feel included!”
by rattysmum
Sunday, January 22 2012, 3:36AM
“good job that bulling is now dis-allowed or I could imagine you as the head of group is life so sad you feel the need to put your comments that as no link what-so-ever to do with the topic that we are discussing & to disagree about something written your silly immature input is no where near it .. Commenter42 change your name as your comments are rather pathetic & was written not to add your views but simply to open a rather big mouth & input a put down grow up if you can't say any thing decent don't bother wasting time GROW UP I also guess you have no kids as I want the best for mine but you feel the sad need to have a pop at me as to whether I use English or not this is why this way of life is so hard people like you getting high by being so nasty pity really that there are nasty people out there may be with out you life could be more pleasant”
by rattysmum
Sunday, January 22 2012, 3:17AM
“Commenter42 I AM AIRING MY OPINION, DO SAD PEOPLE FEEL THE NEED TO **** OTHERS OFF SILLY PERSON SPELLING OR WORDING WRONG IS PART OF LIFE SADLY SO ARE THE ONES LIKE YOU THAT FEEL THE NEED TO PUT PEOPLE DOWN... THIS IS ABOUT SCHOOLS NOT WHETHER I AVE PROPER ENGLISH LESSONS GIVE SCHOOL LINKED OPINION'S NOT FEEL THE NEED 2 PUT OTHERS DOWN
I GUESS UR EITHER A NASTY PERSON WHO ENJOYS PUTTING OTHERS DOWN OR JUST SOME SAD PERSON WHO NEEDS TO QUITE SIMPLY SHUT UP”
by rattysmum
Sunday, January 22 2012, 3:17AM
“Commenter42 I AM AIRING MY OPINION, DO SAD PEOPLE FEEL THE NEED TO **** OTHERS OFF SILLY PERSON SPELLING OR WORDING WRONG IS PART OF LIFE SADLY SO ARE THE ONES LIKE YOU THAT FEEL THE NEED TO PUT PEOPLE DOWN... THIS IS ABOUT SCHOOLS NOT WHETHER I AVE PROPER ENGLISH LESSONS GIVE SCHOOL LINKED OPINION'S NOT FEEL THE NEED 2 PUT OTHERS DOWN
I GUESS UR EITHER A NASTY PERSON WHO ENJOYS PUTTING OTHERS DOWN OR JUST SOME SAD PERSON WHO NEEDS TO QUITE SIMPLY SHUT UP”
by Commenter42
Saturday, January 21 2012, 7:20PM
“Rattysmum, perhaps you should attend some simple English lessons.”