A small number of school pupils in Highbridge may have to travel to Bridgwater for their lessons this autumn after Somerset Council said one year is ‘oversubscribed’ this year.
The council said this week that there is a ‘single year pressure’ at King Alfred School Academy. A small number of new pupils are therefore being allocated secondary places in Bridgwater, potentially leading to long bus journeys five days a week.
The issue emerged when Somerset Council’s planning and transport policy sub-committee met in Taunton on Tuesday (April 8th) to discuss funding for a new primary school within the Wilstock Village development in Bridgwater.
Council leader Bill Revans said: “Secondary sufficiency does concern me – I know a number of Taunton parents were disappointed with the place allocation this year. We need to track the numbers going forward to ensure that we have sufficient places.”
Phil Curd, the council’s head of education places, added: “King Alfred School in Highbridge is oversubscribed this year, and we will likely be transporting pupils to Bridgwater.”
A Somerset Council spokesperson later added: “We’ve had 17 late applications from children within the King Alfred catchment. Six of these children would have secured a place at the school, had they applied before the deadline.”
“This is a single year pressure and forecasts indicate the school’s future entry groups will gradually reduce over the next four years. It’s possible that these pupils will be able to use public transport to access school places in Bridgwater, but the details will need to be worked through and families have the right to appeal for a place at King Alfred.”
