a) to ensure that children living areas or villages traditionally served by a school that had moved a significant distance were still able to attend that school: and
b) if children, living in close proximity to a school did not get places, they would have to travel a significant distance to an alternative school.
Comments about Bradford Council's reasons
With regard to a)
- This is not mentioned in their published admission arrangements where the only reason given is b).
- The school moved in September 2000 which is more than 12 years ago. The PAs were not introduced until 2005. Any children residing in the area around Eldwick First School at the time of the move to the new school building would have left Eldwick School by now.
- The Eldwick school moved into Gilstead Middle School. Proir to the move pupils would go to Eldwick First School up to year 4 then to Gilstead Middle School for years 5 and 6. The schools served the children of both villages
- The children of PA2 would also have traditionally gone to Eldwick First School at the old site.
- A large percentage of the houses in PA1 have either been built since the move or only a few years beforehand, in the mid/late 1980’s, hardly long enough to have built up a tradition.
Bradford council's response to this:
"(a) is no longer relevant and therefore is not included in our current admission arrangements"
With regard to b)
- Many houses in PA1 are closer to the nearest alternative schools than houses in PA2
- Despite what the council say, people from PA1 who do not get into Eldwick, do not have to go past Eldwick School to get into Bingley. The Quickest and easiest route is down Park Road. However, the school itself is in PA2 and most of the residents have to pass very close to it to get into Bingley.
- For the Sept 2012 intake, PA1 residents had the choice of Eldwick, Crossflatts or Trinity All Saints Schools. The majority of PA2 residents had no choice at all and had to go to Trinity All Saints.
- The main reason the other schools in Bingley are less accessible is the hill that separates Gilstead and Eldwick from Bingley rather than the distance. This hill is the same for anyone in either PA as it is on all routes to the town.
