A Sunny Easter Break

While Penny continues to be on her well-earned leave I am pleased to be doing the Blog this week – My last was just after Christmas so I will really need to get better at sharing my thoughts more regularly.

This week there has been considerable media attention on admissions to primary school. There is now a national offer day, which this year unfortunately falls within the Easter school holiday period, when every council has to contact parents and carers to let them know the school their child has been allocated to. This can be a stressful time for families, most of whom want their children to go to a good local school. Many parents carefully research their local schools, talk to neighbours and friends with older children and also visit the schools before choosing their preferred option. The system that every council has to follow is very complicated indeed and our Admissions Team work hard to ensure that we make the best matches possible. Unfortunately it will never be the case that every parent will get their top choice but I’m pleased that this year 94% of children will be going to one of the schools that their family have chosen.

Scooter training at school

The increase in numbers within the city and the movement of families around the city can make predictions difficult and a lot of work has taken place over the last few years to increase our school capacity including building school extensions and off-site annexes, the most recent of which involves the conversion of the old police station on Holland Road. Our prediction is that this year and the next are likely to be the peak of the pupil growth and that in following years the overall numbers should start to gently reduce. However, primary age children in time grow up and require a secondary school – our next big challenge!

In the last few days, in addition to a huge number of meetings, emails and discussions about school admissions I’ve also managed to meet with the magistrates on the Youth Panel Bench, discuss the draft Youth Justice Strategy for the city, our developing plans for our New Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub and preparations for the refreshed Health & Wellbeing Board. In addition, I’m still waiting to exchange contracts on my new home in Brighton. It does feel like conveyancing will always find a way to do things slowly.

Most of you will be enjoying the long Easter weekend, perhaps in the promised sunshine of tomorrow and with family and friends. However as you crunch your way through the beach or relax with a long cool drink spare a moment for the many council staff who will be continuing to work over the period to ensure that everything in the city continues to work smoothly and that emergency arrangements are in place for when things don’t go as they should

Have a great weekend.

Pinaki Ghoshal