HUNDREDS MISS OUT ON SCHOOL PLACES IN COV
MORE than 400 children were denied places at two heavily oversubscribed Coventry academies, newly-released figures show.
President Kennedy School rejected more than 200 applications, according to the data.
The families were turned down based on an admissions criteria that prioritises catchment area because numbers were already oversubscribed.
The Academy, in Holbrooks, has been judged ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted and has the motto ‘Building Brighter Futures.’
When the school is oversubscribed, priority is given to children who are being supported by the local authority, who live in the catchment area or have siblings at the school.
The key deciding factor, or ‘breaker,’ however, is the distance that a family lives from the school, using a ‘straightline’ mapping system.
President Kennedy offered 330 places and refused 231 applications, the data for secondary, middle and upper schools in Coventry shows.
Responding to the figures, the Academy said because of its outstanding benchmark it is a “very popular school” and it is working to increase capacity.
Sidney Stringer Academy was also oversubscribed and had the next biggest number of rejections, with 206 applications refused.
The Academy, in Hillfields, operates the same admissions policy as President Kennedy, with distance again being the tie-breaker.
Sidney Stringer offered 210 places, the information released by Coventry City Council under the Freedom of Information Act shows.
Blue Coat School refused 199 applications, Caludon Castle 155 and Finham Park 106, the data shows.
The figures show how many admissions schools accepted and rejected on March 2, which was National Offer Day 2020.
The data release follows concerns that children from affluent backgrounds are more likely to get into their preferred schools.
The Education Policy Institute, a
London-based research body, has called for a review of the admissions procedure to create a more level playing field.
Holbrooks has the eighth highest number of children living in incomedeprived households out of all council wards in the city, above the average for England, according to separate data published by the council. St Michael’s ward, which includes Hillfields, is third in the list, behind Foleshill and then Binley & Willenhall.
Secondary schools in England have been shut down in response to the coronavirus outbreak except for the children of key workers and vulnerable pupils.
Some students due to take GCSES and A-levels next summer may receive face-to-face tuition with teachers but online classes are likely to continue until the end of term.
In a statement, the school said: “Our school offers an outstanding educational experience for our students and is therefore a very popular school.
“President Kennedy School is an academy and the Academy Trust of the school is the admission authority. It participates in the local authority coordinated scheme for In-year and Year 7 admissions.
“The scheme complies with the DFE School Admissions Code 2014.
“If there are more requests for a school place than there are places available within the school’s admission number, places will be allocated in accordance with the oversubscription criteria.
“The family of any child not offered a place at President Kennedy School has the right of appeal against the decision. Appeals are administered by the Local Authority and heard by an independent panel. The Local Authority (Coventry City Council) is responsible for planning for and ensuring that there are sufficient primary and secondary school places in the city.
“The Local Authority is currently working with President Kennedy School to extend capacity at the school and as a result, the school’s Pupil Admission Number, which was previously 270, has been increased ensuring that more local children are able to attend the school.”