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5,000 fail to get into a London state school
Tim Ross, Education Correspondent03.03.09
NEARLY 5,000 children in London were told today that they have no place at a state secondary school for September.
And more than 26,000 pupils - one in three - missed out on their first choice school as London families were hardest hit by the intense competition.
The success rate fell in 12 boroughs this year, leaving thousands of parents facing the prospect of sending their children to less popular comprehensives, or trying to scrape together enough money to go private.
The figures came as parents of 78,180 children across the capital were receiving letters containing offers of places or news of rejection.
Competition for places at leading grammars and popular comprehensives is said to be particularly high this year as the recession prompts many families who would otherwise have sent their children to private schools to consider state education.
Margaret Morrissey, from campaign group Parents Outloud said families were "distraught" when they received bad news.
Results from London Councils showed that 34 per cent of pupils missed out on their first choice secondary schools this year, slightly fewer than last year. Some 4,850 were left with no place at a state secondary school for September. Most will have applied only to top grammars and failed to win a place. Parents will now have to send them to private schools or have them taught at home.
There were wide disparities between boroughs, with grammar school areas particularly badly affected by competition. In Kingston, for example, only 57 per cent of children gained a place at their first choice schools, down from 60per cent last year, and in Wandsworth the figure was 54 per cent.
But despite the dire economic news, rejection from grammar schools will force some parents to do all they can to send their children private.
Simon Stanbridge, of the tuition website Chuckra.co.uk, said: "We have encountered a number of parents who are choosing independent schools only as a last resort if their child doesn't pass the 11-plus."
The Conservatives said standards in state education were too low, reducing parents' choice. Shadow schools minister Nick Gibb said: "The big problem with the admissions system is that there are just too few good schools being rationed among parents."
Graham Carter, chairman of the pan-London admissions scheme, defended the system, saying more than nine out of 10 children had found places at one of their six preferred schools.
"Choosing a secondary school is one of the most important decisions a parent will make for their child," he said.
"The success of the scheme has meant more pupils have been offered a place at a school of their preference."
But a new report from the London School of Economics called for reforms to the "too complex" admissions system where increasing numbers of schools are selecting pupils because of their "aptitude" for a particular area such as music, sport or science.
Report author Professor Anne West said: "The system needs to be changed if admissions are going to be fair."
The findings are a blow to the Government, which only last year brought in a revised set of rules designed to make the system fairer for parents.
London schools minister Sarah McCarthy-Fry said: "We are helping parents make the best choices for their children - it would not be right for some parents to gain an advantage just because they know how to play the system."
Reader views (12)
How ridiculous that after paying such heavy taxes in the UK, we still have such a poor education system.
Is this the price that we pay for living in London?
Perhaps we should all move to the country - Somerset, for example, doesn't seem to have this problem...
- Terry, London, United Kingdom
One option is to move out of the South East altogether.
My parents did when I was 4 years old, I went to very good comprehensive schools in Yorkshire, healthy and positive environments and good teaching and acres of sports fields. I left with nothing but A grades, got into a good London university, 2:1 then got my ideal job. My parents earnt a bit less but got a bigger house and a more balanced lifestyle.
A bit further for the in-laws to travel but I'm grateful that my parents thought my upbringing was paramount.
- Ct, London UK
More shame on Crash Gordon. Economics, social and other problems... Has he done anything for this country good?
- Georgie, Islington, London
Choice is possible in education, although choice can never be absolute as some schools will always be oversubscribed.
The private sector points the way. Setting aside the highly sought after academic schools - the private sector's equivalent of the state grammars - parents have a significant choice of good schools for their less bright kids who fail to get places at the top academic schools. "Less academic" does not equate with poor quality in the private sector - if it did these schools would go out of business.
This model could not be copied exactly in the state sector (private choice is hugely assisted by the boarding option) but features of it could, especially in areas of dense population. The key is to lower the barriers to entry for new schools and allow independent schools to participate in the market for educating state funded children. Good schools will flourish and grow and poor ones will wither on the vine, as happens in the private sector, standards will rise, and choice will become more of a reality.
As with so many aspects of the present government's education policies, the current drive to build or rebuild schools in large highly specialised expensive buildings is unhelpful. A much better use of the money would be to provide pump priming for small new independent schools to set up, relatively cheaply, such as in vacant office buildings (there must be plenty of these post crunch).
- Nigel, London
Do you really think education will be any better under the Tories? They have already promised they are going to cut public expenditure (that includes hospitals, schools, etc)
Clearly every child deserves a good education but I don't trust any of the parties to provide it. Every election, whatever the party, education is 'important' but there has been a decline for several decades (including under the Tories before Blair)
- Andy, London
In the mean time Labor are trying to bully the private school sector to contribute even more! What the heck would happen if the private schools were not there? Complete melt down? Labor has failed utterly, time to rethink education completely. Maybe its time to give parents tax credits where they are forced pay private school fees when the State schools cannot offer their children a place?
- James Macleod Ritchie, Oyster Bay Cove
This after years of funding "Education, Education, Education"
- Jeremy E, London
Labours immigration policy; throw the doors wide open and run for cover.
We are now the most densely populated country in Europe and our fragile resources were stretched to the limit before Labour policies.
In a few years time the indigenous population will have no rights or benefits in our communist society.
- Frank, Home Counties, England.
Yes, The Laborious Party's policies on education are toxic. They are divisive, they are bad for the country and they show an appalling lack of respect for the children of taxpayers who are having to fund this mess yet be treated with disdain. We're back to Victorian England under Labour.
- Janet, London, UK
Parents must realise that parental choice is a myth espoused by both main political parties.Schools choose the pupils they want, parents are nothing more than bystanders in the process.
- Patrick, Clapham
In many similar articles there are the comments if people do not get the state schools they require, they will have to go private. This is not really an option unless they have already have an offer of a place from the private schools as these schools have already made their offers for next September.
Good private schools, like good state schools, are still massively overscribed and they also have extremely competitive academic entrance standards. They are not sitting there with empty places waiting to be filled by people who did not get their offer of a place elsewhere.
- Tom, Watford (UK)
The logical result of new Labour's toxic formula for education. Claiming it to be a high priority (education etc. etc.) but in practise making pronouncements to grab headlines while meddling with the system for its own reasons of mischievious social engineering and claiming that parental choice is being served. Result - bad schools get worse, parents will do anything to avoid them, chaos.
- Peter Haldane, London
