Maiden Erlegh catchment area update -- new proposal old unfairness

Keeping Maiden Erlegh as one of the local schools for children in the Park Ward area is a priority for Green candidate Melanie Eastwood and myself. In the summer Wokingham Council started to make moves to exclude Reading children from the school. Following pressure from parents and others including us, Wokingham has made some concessions from this position. We are still concerned that these proposals aren't fair for Reading children. This is because at best they will only allow a tiny number of children, from the very top corner of Park Ward, to go to the school.

For the technically minded, see the map below. The children who Reading officers think may be eligible -- depending on how many children from the Lower Earley area apply -- will be those living in the intersection between the hatched 1000 m band and Park Ward. A very small number I'm sure you will agree. And if lots of children apply from Lower Earley no child in Park Ward will be eligible!



This proposal is fairer -- or more equally unfair to children living close to the school on both sides of the border -- but ultimately still achieves Wokingham's goal of getting more Wokingham children -- from Lower Earley -- into Maiden Erlegh.

Further consultation will take place in December and up to February 2011. For the latest news, please see the non-party political parents' campaign website.

Thanks to Richard and Wokingham Council for the map.