Doesn't it make you laugh sometimes. if it wasn't so serious about the lack of Educational choice for East Reading families the website claim below from the Tories would be comical. However, the claim that Rob Wilson and co. worked hard against the Wokingham decision gives politics and politicians a bad name. The fact is that they did nothing for parents. They scoffed at parents at a council meeting, yahbooed parents asking for the council to take legal advice and dismissed any campaign to reinstate the catchment area for Maiden Erlegh.
Councillor Ralph advised Tory Wokingham to plough on regardless and not to bow to parent pressure. Rob Wilson,MP, preferred to say nothing about Tory Wokingham but to attack Reading on Education. Within days of taking back the administration the minority Labour Council honoured its manifesto commitment to take legal advice on the decision to stop Reading children going to Maiden Erlegh. We were advised to support the parents campaign against Tory Wokingham's decision and to speak the the YPLA investigation. I spoke and gave evidence to the Panel, along with parents, Jon Hartley and Rob White, local councillors. At no point did a Reading Tory turn up and speak or get involved.
It was parents that led the campaign to reinstate the original catchment area, supported by Reading Borough Council. The Tories did nothing. Judge for yourself at their spurious claims.
Maiden Erlegh Catchment Area: A victory for parents
Tuesday, 20 September, 2011
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Education, has announced that Wokingham Borough Council’s controversial plans to alter the admissions criteria for Maiden Erlegh School are to be thrown out. This is good news for local parents who have campaigned hard over the past year.
Park ward residents know that Rob Wilson MP for Reading East has always opposed the changes and he and Wazir Hussain supported those parents affected by the now rejected proposals. Rob says " I am a strong advocate of parents having a choice of schools and one of those choices should be their local school and these proposals seemed to prevent this for my constituents. This reversal means that many Park Ward children will still be able to walk to school which is fantastic news.
Choice is essential in education in helping to drive up standards. Although not something recognized by the Schools Adjudicator, the changes would have offered parents in Park ward only one choice of secondary school which I could never have supported."
Education is one of Rob’s priori-ties and he plans to keep up the pressure and ensure parents are given an increased choice of schools. Exciting plans for a new school in East Reading are with the Department of Education and an announcement is expected shortly as to whether it will receive money in the 2012 funding round
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