School Crises rears its ugly had again!

A four year old girl was refused a place at Grove Primary School despite her living approximately 10 minutes from the school. The Ilford Recorder revealed this terrible state of affairs providing details of a Mr Osbourne who lived in Glanford Way (just of Grove Road near the location of the Chadwell Heath Lane/ Grove Road Junction). The official stance by the council is that priority is given to children within 0.422 miles of the School. This unfortunate family lives 0.463 miles from the school. The parents are now being offered alternative opportunities to apply for school places in Woodford, Hainault, and two in Chigwell.

This decision is one that really highlights the incompetence of the existing cabinet and councillors and our wonderful government. For years, parents have been rallying on about the need for local schools, and for limited school places. Our local Council failed to address this issue. Our labour Government have promoted choice and league table and in their introduction of Sat tests have exhibited a profligacy (wastefulness) that has limited the funding for new schools, whilst increasing the burden on teachers and stress for younger students.

I fear that with the existing focus on land sales and large scale developments the current burden on local facilities will result in an impossible situation for prospective parents wishing to provide local education to their children. Let's hope the review of the proposed East Thames Homes site at Grove Farm produces a more sensible scale and design of project. Even better....what a good place for a school...? If Councilors do not respond soon to the demand for more school places I am afraid that areas such as Goodmayes, Chadwell, Seven Kings, Mayfield, Clementswood and Loxford ward will be sending their children to the north and West of the borough for a long time yet!

The whole fiasco behind the diabolical league table scheme introduced by labour, evidences the governments, unwillingness to tackle the real issue of school education. What we truly need is good education on our back doorstep, not the privilege of selecting schools excelling by relocation or long term travel. The Green Party believes in raising the standards of education holistically so that everyone has an opportunity for a solid and comprehensive educational experience.