School Choice? Not for almost 2,500 children

4.15.23pm GMT Wed 3rd Mar 2010

n a press release issued by Herts County Councils on secondary school places, it was announced that 95.48% of children had been allocated one of their ranked schools - up 2.63 per cent from 2009.

In reality nearly 2,500 children age 10 or 11 living in Hertfordshire did not get their first choice of school and approximately 500 of those did not get any school of their choice.

Liberal Democrat Education spokesperson Mark Watkin said: 'The County Council needs to remember that this is about children, children that have been in their education system for the last 7 years. The county fails on this year after year.'

The figures also masked an East-West divide. While the highest percentages were in the East (except one - Dacorum) with over 97 percent of children having success, the least successful four districts were all in the West. Watford with a percentage of 92.15% and Three Rivers with a percentage of 90.29% were at the bottom of the list.

Even more striking was the comparison between the children who achieved their first ranked choice. In Welwyn Hatfield, the percentage was 82.26%, while in Watford it sank to 67.56%, and in Three Rivers on 64.31%.

Lib Dem Spokesperson Ron Tindall said: 'These figures clearly prove that there is the need for a new secondary school in the Watford and Three Rivers area now, not as the Tories put it "in the long term". The county council really must get its act together: it is quick to close schools, even in the face of dubious evidence. But when the figures show that a new school is needed, they dither and delay.'

He added: 'The situation in St Albans - with one in five parents is not getting their first choice - is nearly as bad. Yet again the county council is dragging its feet over the chronic problems suffered by parents in Wheathampstead, Colney Heath and the city.'

THE RANKINGS IN FULL

Overall Figure 95.48

Welwyn Hatfield 97.93

North Hertfordshire 97.56

Stevenage 97.34

Dacorum 97.30

Broxbourne 97.12

East Hertfordshire 96.96

St. Albans 94.94

Hertsmere 93.61

Watford 92.15

Three Rivers 90.29