Parents are told children from Cookridge will still be admitted to Horsforth School (From Ilkley Gazette)

Parents are told children from Cookridge will still be admitted to Horsforth School

9:00am Saturday 2nd February 2013 in Local news

A change to the admissions criteria at Horsforth School will not mean an automatic bar against children from outside the town, it is being stressed.

Senior staff say children from Cookridge will still be admitted to the over-subscribed school – despite a proposed change which could see preference given to youngsters with a Horsforth postcode.

The proposal has angered many parents who say children who live a stone’s throw from the school will be refused places while those living further away will be admitted.

But this week headteacher Keith Bothamley stressed there would be no bar on children from outside Horsforth, and that even if the change was approved children from Cookridge would still form part of the intake.

At the moment about 30 per cent of pupils have an LS16 postcode, and although this figure is expected to drop over time if the change is approved, the school does not expect it to fall to zero.

MP Greg Mulholland has voiced his concerns about the plan which would give priority to children living in LS18.

At the moment children are admitted on the basis of how close they live to the school – after siblings, children in care and those with special needs have been allocated places.

Under the proposal, priority would still go to siblings, children in care and those with special needs, but preference would then be given to youngsters from LS18, followed by those who live closest to the school.

Families in Cookridge say the new criteria would make it more difficult for their children to attend Horsfoth.

The consultation finishes today. Mr Bothamley said 35 replies had been received and the majority were opposed to the change. He said comments would be passed to the governors.