New bid to end school misery
As many as one in 10 London families still have no school place for their child six months before the start of term, it emerged today.
For some, the uncertainty lasts into the summer holidays. At the same time, other parents will be holding several offers.
Experts believe the unique misery of London school admissions requires a unique solution. Today, details are due to be published of an effort to provide one.
Education Minister Stephen Twigg will launch the Pan-London Schools Admissions Project, effectively turning London's 33 boroughs and eight surrounding education authorities into one admissions authority.
Parents begin applying for places a year before their children start school and by March some will be holding several offers. Others will have been told that all schools they applied to are full and must wait for luckier parents to decide which offer to accept.
Under the new system, coming into force for secondary admissions in September next year and for primary admissions in 2006, parents will list on one form their preferences from their home borough or for any other authority in or around London.
Their details will be sent to all the schools named, which will apply their own admissions criteria. In March, parents will be offered a place at the highest-preference school where they satisfy the criteria.
Dr Ian Birnbaum, director of education in Sutton, who devised the system, said that some parents would still be able to hold multiple offers, if they applied in addition to independent schools. "But they will be far fewer than at present," he said.
