Sibling school places under fire as Wandsworth looks to decide on distance

It could mean more children within the same family having to go to different schools, as demand for places brings catchment areas ever-closer to the school playground.

Education spokeswoman Councillor Kathy Tracey said: "There has been a growing clamour from parents asking us to look at this rule because of mounting evidence that local school places are being offered to children living some distance away simply because they have an older sibling already enrolled there.

"What this does is deny that place to a child who lives much closer to the school, sometimes only a stone’s throw away."

The council wants to give a greater priority to children who live closest to schools.

Under the existing admission arrangements priority for a school place is given to a younger sibling regardless of where they live.

The council is proposing that sibling priority should only apply in future to children who live within 800 metres of the school. Siblings residing further away would no longer have priority over children living closer.

Susan Hanage is a regular contributor on Nappy Valley

Coun Tracey added: "There have been cases where schools have had to offer almost all their places to siblings, some of whom may live a considerable distance away, while a child who lives literally a few yards away from the school gates cannot be offered a place.

"We don’t think this is fair which is why we are proposing a solution that will strike the right balance and better meet the needs of parents who live close to our schools."

Susan Hanage, aka Annabel from NappyValleyNet.com, said: "The consultancy is in response to a system that's clearly broken. There are two, both very good, arguments for and against this proposal.

"Against: Siblings should be educated in the same school and the tiny dynamic catchment areas that we see in Wandsworth mean that it is very likely that families will be split across different schools, removing important bonding opportunities between brothers and sisters, let alone the sheer volume of wasted hours that parents will spend commuting between different schools in rush hour traffic.

"For: Almost every parent lucky enough to have won a place for their child at a coveted Wandsworth primary will be aware of 'desk blockers'. Families who get one child into a school and then move out of the catchment area, usually for a larger house than they would be able to afford within the catchment. These families often commute miles from other boroughs, confident that their incumbent eldest will be the educational passport for their younger brothers and sisters. Many feel this is both unfair and compounds the problems as desk blockers massively decrease catchment areas.

"Who is right? I suspect it depends where you are in the educational cycle and all I know for sure is it's going to be a very very controversial consultation."

Kathy Tracey

Resident Penny Wong said: "This is a huge dilemma. Not sure how you could possibly work this. Sometimes schools take children from slightly further afield to fill their classes then if you apply a 'no sibling' rule then how are parents supposed to do school runs in two different places. "I am also aware that people rent out their houses and then rent accommodation near a 'good' school for a year then move back out of that school's catchment area.

"The annual new intake has always been an absolute nightmare for both parents, who worry themselves sick, and the councils that instigate the placings.

"Wandsworth Council shut down primary schools ie Wandle, then scratch their heads and wonder why they don't have enough primary places, then they have to build a new school in Garratt Lane a couple of hundred yards away."

Data from the 2014 admissions reveals that 174 children out of 712, offered places on the basis of sibling priority, lived more than 800m from the school.