Council plans to scrap traditional school catchment areas

Traditional school catchment areas could be scrapped under plans being considered by a council. Councillors in Bury are set to agree to hold a period of public consultation over the plans, which would affect council secondary schools in the borough.

The council sets the admission criteria for community secondary schools and there are four in Bury - The Elton High School, The Derby High School, Philips High School and Parrenthorn High School.

Academies and voluntary aided schools set their own admission policies, but the council said they have traditionally followed the same arrangements as council schools. And with a new secondary school on the way - in Radcliffe within two years - the move would be welcomed by many families.

The council said catchment areas haven't been reviewed for years and, as a result of school closures and new housing developments, some have become very large. Bosses said the current admissions policy gives higher priority to children who live within a designated catchment area than children with siblings in the school and children who may live geographically closer, but not within the specified catchment area.

In some cases, said the council, children reside in a catchment area of a school which is further away and less accessible than their nearest geographically located school. The proposed change will remove the barrier for admission to the nearest school, due to the locally set historic boundaries of a catchment area.

If a school is over-subscribed, priority will be given firstly to 'looked after' children, then those with an older brother or sister at the school, and then to those living nearest the school. The change, if adopted, would come into effect for applications for secondary school