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Is there a shortage of school places in Highgate, Archway, Crouch End area?

I was wondering if anyone was experiencing difficulty in getting a place for their child in this area of N. London? Postal codes N19, N8, N6 are relevant?. In particular are you having to travel further than you would like?

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Permalink Reply by David Barry on May 24, 2013 at 17:31

There is a report in today's Islington Tribune that Coleridge School is suffering from overcrowding and that

"“They are using overspill Portakabins in Coleridge School,”

Seems very odd to me. Is it true?

Permalink Reply by Betty M on May 24, 2013 at 17:52

It's garbage. All the classes have proper classrooms and two further classrooms will be refurbished for the expanded y6 for September. I'll alert the Head to the article,

Permalink Reply by David Barry on May 24, 2013 at 23:19

The full Islington Tribune article is available on the internet link here:-

islington Tribune Article

The comment comes about half way down it and I have cut and pasted the immediately relevant bit, thus.

"The council has argued against another school in the area, which is already served by the new Ashmount building and Coleridge School, just across the Haringey border in Crouch End Hill.

Education chiefs argue that, while London has a shortage of primary school places, Islington does not. Another school, they claim, will damage the existing schools by taking away pupils.

But these claims too are disputed. Francis Wilkinson, of Asag, says that parents in the area are having to send children as far away as Copenhagen School at the other end of the borough in Barnsbury.

“They are using overspill Portakabins in Coleridge School,” he added. “We will be asking Islington Free School to open a year earlier, this September, to meet demand.”

I have no difficulty believing its garbage. I cant imagine that the Head of Coleridge will be very pleased... especially as the claim is now out there for prospective parents to read.

Permalink Reply by Betty M on May 24, 2013 at 23:27

I've tried to comment on the article but am in "moderation" and the head and the chair of governors both know about the article now. Whatever happend to checking facts I wonder.

Permalink Reply by David Barry on May 25, 2013 at 0:06

"commenting" on Tribune articles does not help much; one needs to write a letter to the editor, and bung it in, by email, not later than end of play Monday. Apart from getting it into the print copy which comments never do, the letters also get put on the website in a more prominent fashion than comments do.

Fact Checking?

"What is truth said jesting Pilate"

you get a better class of literary reference on Opinon8!

Permalink Reply by Betty M on May 31, 2013 at 19:30

Well - my comment has finally appeared under the article and my letter to the editor on the letters page online so that should help correct the mistake. Another parent emailed ASAG who said that they had never said anything about Coleridge to the journalist. I suppose it is a good thing most people dont bother with local papers anymore.

Permalink Reply by David Barry on June 6, 2013 at 17:58

ASAG do appear to have a history of unfortunate relations with the press: Always being misquoted.

Permalink Reply by David Barry on May 24, 2013 at 23:38

Not the least of the reasons why I accept that the claim of over crowding at Coleridge is untrue is that the thing about children being sent to Copenhagen Street in Islington is untrue as well. I checked with admissions in Islington. (I checked because the story seemed strange to me).

There was no case of a child who was an applicant for Ashmount and Coleridge who was offered a place at Copenhagen school. It did not happen. The records have been searched by Islington Officers. Note that the applications are processed independently of Islington.

(The system these days is that school admissions is run on a London-wide basis. Parents can apply for up to six schools in order of their preference. To have been offered a place at Copenhagen Street the parents would have had to have applied for Ashmount and Coleridge AND Copenhagen Street. A strange thing for anyone living around this area to have done, so its hardly surprising that according to admissions no one has done it.)

Permalink Reply by David Barry on June 30, 2013 at 19:19

It seems to me that anyone interested in this thread might be interested in this new one I just started.