Parents and carers get help to choose school

Parents are to benefit from a new council service that helps parents and carers choose the right school for their child.

Deciding which school is best for each child, and dealing with the admission process can be confusing and difficult for families and children, particularly when it comes to the transition from primary to secondary school.

The local authority has a new legal duty to provide advice and assistance to all parents with children of school age in their area when they are deciding which schools they want to send their children to. Herefordshire Council has decided to meet this duty by appointing a choice advisor.

Carol Weston, who took up her appointment in February, offers help and guidance on the schools admissions process to parents and carers of young people transferring to secondary school. She can also help parents select the most appropriate primary school for their child. Employed by the council, her role is to offer impartial advice, independent of the council’s role as admission authority.

Her appointment comes at a time when children across the county have been learning which school they will be attending from September 2007.

Offers of secondary school places were made on 1st March, with over 92% getting their first choice and primary school offers have just been made with 98% getting their first choice.

Carol said: “Generally, Herefordshire families do well when it comes to getting their first choice of school.

“However, the first choice of school is not always the best choice for the individual child. Children of all backgrounds, race or religion must have the same degree of access to good quality schools and children mustn’t be disadvantaged because their parents have difficulty accessing the information they need to make a choice of school.

“My job is to help make the process clearer, listen carefully to parents and carers and provide free, confidential and impartial advice.”

“It’s so important for each individual child to get a place that will meet their academic and developmental needs, that is easy to travel to and where they will be happy and want to attend.”

Carol is happy to help and advise on completing application forms and will explain the appeals process for those unhappy with their allocated school. She can be contacted on 01432 260999, mobile 07792 880739.