City’s plan for feeder schools is now to be dropped
A PROPOSAL to give children at feeder primary schools in Cardiff priority access to secondary schools is to be dropped.
The plan would have given parents more certainty about which secondary school their child would attend. But it could have meant families who move while their children are at primary school would have had more difficulty getting them into a local secondary school.
Most people who took part in a council consultation on the issue had been in favour of the proposal.
But critics said the plans would discriminate against less well-off families and children in black and ethnic minority families, as well as children at Church in Wales primary schools who preferred to attend a non-religious secondary school that is closer than an alternative faith school.
Analysis carried out for the council showed less well-off pupils in receipt of free school meals were more than three times more likely to move while they were at primary school and would therefore lose out if feeder schools were introduced.
Officials concluded: “It is clear from evaluation of responses to the consultation that implementing [feeder schools] would negatively impact pupils in a number of areas of the city and in each sector.
“There is not a sufficiently compelling case that making such a change at this time would achieve the aim of introducing more suitable admission arrangements for all pupils in Cardiff.”
The recommendation is in papers going to Cardiff council’s cabinet tomorrow.
It comes as the city faces anger from parents whose children missed out on their catchment high school in this year’s applications process.
Among the schools affected has been Mount Stuart Primary, in Butetown, where only 16 of the 56 pupils gained places at Fitzalan, the nearest high school, while 19 have no high school place at all.
Parent governor Sadia Abbi said a majority applied to Fitzalan and are very upset to be denied places.
However, changes are still set to be made to the way secondary school admissions are decided.
When the cabinet meets, it will consider a recommendation to cut the number of criteria used to select pupils when schools are oversubscribed.
Opposition to the feeder schools plans had been expressed by schools and a group of lawyers during a consultation conducted by the council.
Andrew Rickett, The Diocese of Llandaff’s director of education, wrote to the council that feeder schools could prove divisive, especially among faith schools.
He wrote: “The introduction of Option B [feeder schools] for the basis of oversubscription would significantly disadvantage children from Church in Wales primary schools who either do not wish to transfer to one of the Church in Wales high schools or who were not given a place at one of the Church in Wales high schools. This is particularly relevant as there are not enough places at Church in Wales schools to meet demand.
“Similarly, children from an ethnic minority background, especially those whose parents may have poor English or literary skills, would be at a disadvantage as they are less likely to be able to afford travel to and from a Church in Wales high school.
“Using feeder schools as a criterion for admission would be divisive because parents’ perceptions would further divide Church schools from community schools at a time when all schools are working hard to welcome all children regardless of background.”
Sara Chang Kee, partner in Albany Solicitors, which claims to be the largest legal firm representing asylumseekers, refugees and members of black and minority ethnic communities in Cardiff, also wrote to the council in opposition to the feeder school plans.
She wrote: “The re-introduction of the feeder system in Cardiff actively discriminates against sections of the community which are more mobile and hence are less likely to be on the school roll throughout the primary phase or move into catchment later in the primary phase.
“This may include BME communities, children of asylum-seekers and refugees, and the traveller community.”
But not everyone who responded to the consulation was against the plans.
Andrew Skinner, chairman of governors at Marlborough Primary School, wrote: “Option B will better enable friendship groups that the pupils form in primary school to remain together in the transition to secondary school and assist in reducing the level of worry and concern that exists.”
Some 79% of respondents said they preferred option B, which included feeder schools, with just 8% favouring option A.
But in light of the consultation findings, the report being considered by the cabinet is not recommending the introduction of feeder schools in Cardiff.
Deputy leader of Cardiff council and cabinet member for education, employment and skills, Councillor Sarah Merry, said: “We need to ensure that any new system introduced to allocate places at oversubscribed schools is appropriate for the whole of Cardiff, not just a few areas.
“After evaluating the responses to the consultation, it is clear that introducing feeder schools would have a negative impact on pupils in a number of areas of the city.”