County's decision on catchment areas will not be made for months

PARENTS of children at the four closing Wyre Forest first schools who are due to start year five in September 2006, have until next month to tell education chiefs where they want them educated.

They can either move to another first school which will become a primary school, or - if there are enough - it is likely they will be able to carry on at their existing schools for the next two years prior to going to high school at the age of 11.

But a decision on the catchment areas for the new primary and secondary schools will not be made by the county council until next May or June after a period of consultation.

And it has not yet been decided whether the Church of England primary schools will feed the newly designated Wolverley CE High School or whether catchment areas will be purely geographical.

Liberal county councillor, Fran Oborski, warned parents to be careful when opting for primary education for their children moving into year five next September.

"You may have a situation where, for example, a parent opts to send their child from Lea Street to St George's CE Primary, thinking they will be in the pyramid for King Charles and then find the school is the feeder for Wolverley," said Mrs Oborski.

She added: "The issue of travel and accessibility could be a major one and this could have a major impact on some parents."

County policy officer for schools, Alison Cartwright, said parents of the current year four at the closing first schools - Lea Street, St Barnabas, Stone and Areley Common - had been asked to return forms by Friday, November 4 stating their preferences.

"We have said to all the schools going through the transition that if they keep the children into year five and six they will get the normal formula funding.

"If they feel they have particular difficulties in class organisation and staffing, then they can come back to us to discuss those difficulties and any additional funding requirements."

She added that the Worcester Diocesan Board of Education would be consulted on the catchment areas along with the schools, the communties and the parents, but she could not comment on the likely outcome. The county council cabinet will make the final decision.