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News Release 25th October 2005AN END TO SCHOOL CATCHMENT AREASAt a private meeting after her statement in the House of Commons Chamber today, Ruth Kelly (Labour's Secretary of State for Education) told Michael Fabricant that under her new proposals, schools would set their own catchment areas, NOT local education authorities. "This will make a huge difference in Staffordshire" says Michael Fabricant and is "potentially very good news indeed for parents". Ruth Kelly said "It will empower parents to choose the schools they want". Michael went on to explain: "Staffordshire's local education authority has been inflexible with its school catchment areas. In the past there have been problems in Kings Bromley, for example, with pupils from the Richard Crosse Primary School being sent to a school in Rugeley when their parents have preferred their children to be sent to John Taylor High School in Barton Under Needwood. And there are many other examples in my casebook. "Providing Ruth Kelly's proposals are not watered down by hostile Labour back-benchers and that Staffordshire headteachers will use the powers that will be given to them, it will be of huge benefit to parents throughout the West Midlands. School catchment areas set by the schools themselves would be allowed to overlap giving real choice to parents." |
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