West Hatch School Admissions Scandal- Local Lib Dems Launch Petition

12.00.00am GMT Mon 17th Oct 2005

Local Lib Dems campaigning to get loacal children into local schools

This year 600 applicants applied for 180 places at west Hatch High. Unless an applicant had a brother or sister at the school, the 180 places will have been allocated to those pupils from Redbridge and Chigwell who live closest to the school's front door. Every other applicant has had to run the same gauntlet for Roding Valley and Debden Park schools and are sometimes allocated to Epping or Waltham Abbey. This includes pupils from north Chigwell, Grange Hill, Limes Farm and Buckhurst Hill.

We believe this policy, decided by the School's Governing Body; is unfair and unjust. The legal position is that no-one but the Governing Body can change the policy. We believe this refusal is flying in the face of public opinion.

99% of residents who completed a survey the local Liberal Democrats organised in Chigwell Village Ward during a by-election in June, replied that Epping Forest District children for should be given preference for admission to the school. From our regular contact with residents in Grange Hill, Chigwell Row and Buckhurst Hill, we know that they are of similar opinion.

Your Local Liberal Democrat FOCUS team have launched a petition calling for a change in the policy. Please click here to sign the petition http://www.eflibdems.org.uk/petitions/