Parents to get say on schools

Town hall education chiefs had been set to provide two places for parents, one representing primary and one secondary schools on the forum.

But a change of plan now means seven parents will sit on the forum, which will discuss an admissions policy that came under fire before the start of the 1999/2000 school year, particularly from parents who wanted to send their children to Pleckgate School.

Several youngsters who live near the school were not offered a place at the school while others, who live further away, were offered a classroom place.

This was the result of a council policy which takes into account the number of secondary schools near a child's home before offering a place.

Originally, education bosses wanted the composition of the forum to be made up of the two parents along with representatives from neighbouring councils, governing bodies, churches, the Racial Equality Council and the Council of Mosques and three councillors. But after a request from Darwen Liberal Democrat Coun David Foster, it was agreed that seven parents should be included on the forum, three representing primary schools, three from secondary schools and one from special schools.

Members of the council's majority Labour group agreed to the request and education officers have been left to come up with ideas on how parents should be selected to sit on the forum.

Coun Foster said three parents from both primary and secondary schools were needed to provide a geographical spread across the borough.

Different schools can become popular in different years, where controversies can crop up in different parts of the area from year to year.

The consultation period for the 2001/2 academic year must be completed by March 2000 and determined by April 2000.

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