Dozens of Camden primary children miss out on school place

Charlotte Newton

Almost five per cent of primary school age children in Camden have not been offered a place for September, admission figures released today show.

The council revealed that of the 1,678 applications it received for primary schools, 78 children have not been allocated a place - 4.65 per cent.

In total there are 1,598 reception places available at primary schools in the borough.

The Town Hall said in a statement that it would be able to offer more places once the first round of offers is complete later this month.

But the news came as a blow for Karen Smith, 36, who found out this morning that her daughter, Daisy, has not been offered a place.

Mrs Smith, of Wildwood Grove, had hoped Daisy would attend New End or Fitzjohn's Primary. Instead Camden's admissions department told Mrs Smith to put her daughter on the waiting list for four other primary schools.

She said: "Two of these are in Kings Cross and Euston and the others are in Kentish Town. They are too far to be manageable to us and it's simply unacceptable.

"My family has a right to attend our local non faith school, that's what we pay our taxes for, but the council is unable to offer it."

A spokeswoman for Camden Council said: "Every year, around 15 per cent of the primary school places we offer (300 or so places) are either turned down or are not taken up at the start of term. These places can then be re-offered to other children.

"We are confident that all Camden families who applied on time will receive an offer of a reception class place so that children will be able to start in September."

The Courthope Education Centre was set up last year to deal with a shortage of places in the borough. The council is also planning to expand Emmanuel CE Primary School from 15 to 30 places each year and is consulting on whether to expand St Paul's CE.