Admissions plans for Bournemouth primary schools over the next two years are being decided by councillors today.
The council are concerned that demand for reception year places may be greater than the spaces available, despite two new primary schools being built in the last three years.
Conservative Councillor Nicola Greene, Cabinet Member for Education & Children’s Services, said, “due to the continued high demand for primary school places within the borough, admission figures will be kept under continuous review”.
She continued, “where applications are high and dependent on any impact of the relocation of Parkfield School, it may be necessary to look at putting in one or two additional forms of entry across Bournemouth in time for September 2016”.
Julie Munson, from Adult and Children’s services, confirmed that, “some options have been drawn up but these are subject to whether there will be a need”.
Local dad Paul is currently waiting to find out if his son will get a reception place at their local school, which is heavily oversubscribed. He says, “it’s good that they might be creating more places but they should have decided earlier, we’re quite worried we’re not going to get in”.
The council are also working with secondary schools in the borough to discuss the forecasted rise in demand for secondary schools places.
Bournemouth Borough Council have said that they have no plans to build new primary schools in the region.
Once the council have made their decision, schools will publish their entry policies online from the 28th February 2016.
There are more than 2,000 reception year places available in Bournemouth across 32 primary schools, including two special schools for primary aged children.
