YEP says: School place pressure is huge issue for Leeds

THERE are many reasons for wanting your child to go to a particular school.

It could be the quality of education, the child’s siblings may go there already, or it might provide particularly good facilities for your child’s needs.

But for the most part, parents select schools for the simple reason that it’s close to home, it makes the school run easier and children will grow up alongside their classmates.

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It’s also hugely important for the community in general. Parents tend to become much more involved with the local community once their children start primary school, so it’s in everyone’s interests to have children at a school they and their parents are happy with.

In Leeds 88 percent of parents have been allocated their first choice of primary school, a further nine per cent got one of their top five. But three per cent, that’s 279 children, did not get given a place at one of their first five choices.

Leeds is an attractive place for families and with its growing economy more will, and should, be encouraged to come here. The council has to get to grips with this pressure on places. It knows what is coming and, although it says this year it has been able to offer more families one of their top preferences this year, there is still a lot more to do and the north of the city is still a priority.