THE county council proudly proclaims that 92 per cent of primary children in Oxfordshire get their first choice of secondary school. Well that certainly isn’t true for the Isis division in Oxford that I represent on the council.
When I asked Cllr Melinda Tilley, the Cabinet member for education, how many pupils got their first choice in my area she refused to say. So I’ve done my own research.
Last year 381 families put down Cherwell School, for example, as the their first preference. But only 271 got that first choice. This year it is even worse. In one primary school in my division out of 20 pupils only eight have received their first choice of secondary school.
Most Year 6 children in my area have been refused their first choice.
Some even failed to get their second or third choices as well. In this part of Oxford the idea of parental or pupil choice is a bit of a joke.
Cllr Tilley should spend more time helping Oxford families get their choice of secondary school. She should spend less time refusing to answer the questions of elected councillors.
Cllr JOHN TANNER (Labour) City Councillor for Littlemore & County Councillor for Isis Sunningwell Road, Oxford
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