PARENTS have accusededucation chiefs of grossly underestimating the need for school places – and one mum says she will have to leave the borough because her son has not been given a place at all.
Currently there are 99 children in Enfield without any primary school place, while 192 children have been offered a place that is not one of their parents’ chosen top six schools.
In less than a day, 50 parentshave signed a petition calling for more primary school places in Southgate.
Stephen Kelly, 39, of Norman Way, Southgate, says his son Jamie was not given a place at any one of the six options he put down.
Instead, he was given a place at De Bohun School, two miles away.
Mr Kelly said Jamie and his three friends, who all live on the same street, have now been split up into three different schools, despite all living three minutes’ walk from Walker School, in The Green,
Southgate, which has seen its catchment area reduced to less than 0.2 miles, according to parents.
He said: “We wanted our children to go to the same school as our neighbours’ children so they will grow up being close friends with the people on our street.
“We have got a community here where we can share the school run but that won’t happen if the children are all separated.
“We think there are parents out there who are playing the system. They rent flats near the school and then the move out once their child has a place. Some parents are very blatant about it.”
Journalist Veronica Kirby, 30, also from Norman Way, says she will have to move out of Enfield after her son Gabriel was not offered a place at any school.
She said: “I am a single mother, I don’t have a car. I picked the six closest schools to me. I wasn’t being fussy, but there has beenno reassurance about whether they will eventually find a place for my son.”
Conservative group deputy leader Henry
Lamprecht said the council should have allowed Southgate Town Hall to be turned into a school or expanded Walker from a two to three-form entry primary.
He said: “The council has known about this for a long time and not made any provision in this area. It is an extremely worrying situation.”
Ayfer Orhan, cabinet member for schools, said: “The actual increase in pupil population has exceeded all forecasts, but we have robust plans in place and we are redoubling efforts to create all the places needed.
“A report is expected at the June cabinet
meeting setting out arrangements to ensure there are sufficient reception places available in September.”