This week worried parents in Fairford Leys found out whether their children got into St Mary’s C of E School after a massive 104 children applied to get in. 60 were lucky to get a place as it’s a two form entry school. But 14 children from within catchment did not get into the popular and highly successful village school.

Cllr Steven Lambert, Chairman of Coldharbour Parish Council and governor of the school said “we told the County Council three years ago that they would have 17 children that would not get a place this year, and if it wasn’t for two Fairford Leys children withdrawing their place, we would have been almost on the forecast. Since the school places problem came to light, the County Council have tried to blame the school Governors, the developers and even the parents for having more children than forecast rather than accept that they did not build a school big enough. It’s not as if they don’t have the money – they do, they are just choosing to ignore the plight of these young families.

At what point will the Tory County Council realise that they must rebalance their budget get their act together and accept that our forecast is accurate and that they must act to make sure that our community does not suffer any further. Next year it could be over 40 children from Fairford Leys that do not get a place. If every child matters as they claim, Bucks County Council must act now to increase the size of the school now.”

At a school Governor meeting last night, where the numbers were revealed, the Governors resolved to write to Marion Clayton to get her to act on the plans drawn up by officers and Governors last year to increase the size of the current school and improve the classrooms of the current school. They also decided to further investigate going to Voluntary Aided status as a means of getting the funding to increase the size of the school. However, the Governors learned that Bucks County Council will do nothing to help the Governors reach this status, which would see the school freed from County admissions criteria and the stranglehold on forward planning and finances.

Cllr Steven Lambert said “In all reality Bucks County Council has the Governing Body and community by the short and curlies. Changing status would massively change the way the school is funded and managed and could be a way forward, yet the County will not help us even look at it. They have the money to increase the school. Yet they will not spend it. They have the draft plans to make it happen. Yet they will not develop them. They have the ability to make this problem go away – yet they do nothing. We are being prevented at every hands turn to ease the problem and that is not acceptable.”

Cllr Steven Kennell, County Councillor for Aylesbury West, which includes Fairford Leys said, “This is terrible news for the 14 families that did not get a place in their local school. Both Cllr Freda Roberts and I have met with Marion Clayton and asked her to act before its too late and she kept saying no. Now it is too late for these young families.”

County Councillor Freda Roberts, who also represents Aylesbury West, said “We have been fighting a strong campaign over the past few years to increase the number of spaces in St Mary’s. For Marion Clayton to do nothing and allow more young families to suffer is, quite frankly, disgusting. Not one Tory County Councillor has challenged the decision’s she has made over this and not once has Marion Clayton said sorry or admitted that the County Council have made a mistake. That is unforgiveable. This issue is not going to go away. We will continue our campaign to get the places we need at St Mary’s”.

Cllr Paul Hughes said “The Council knew when they launched their recent consultation on School places that there was a problem with spaces and they kept quiet on the numbers. They knew in November that there would be at least 14 children that would not get into the school and they have not done anything to mitigate this. They knew that the community have been calling for them to act and have ignored them. Time and time again the Tory led County Council have shown that they cannot and will not understand what young families need and want for their children.”

Cllr Hughes added. “We will now have more families driving their children past their friends on their way to school, rubbing salt in the wound and adding to the environmental impact of more cars on the road. AVDC already have to increase Air Quality Management testing (AQMA) in the area because of increased pollution and yet here we have Bucks County Council adding to it.”

Notes for editors
Background information
The figures of children that did get in are:
In catchment and with a sibling – 25. Furthest distance form the school gate 0.72 miles
In Catchment no sibling at St Mary’s – 4. Furthest distance from the school gate 0.49 miles
Catchment with no siblings at St Mary’s 31. Furthest distance from the school gate 0.43 miles