A LOCAL historian and former head teacher believes his old school will never be able to accommodate all children living in Eldwick as well as some from Gilstead, despite expansion and an ongoing consultation on its admission policy.

Allan Mirfield, who was the deputy head teacher at Eldwick School, one of the most oversubscribed primaries in the district, has criticised the level of housing development allowed in the surrounding area.

Mr Mirfield, who was also the head teacher at Priestthorpe Primary in Bingley, where children who miss out on a place at Eldwick often end up, believes the village should have had two schools - not one - to cope with the growing demand in the area.

He said: "When the Eldwick School moved to the former Gilstead Middle School premises, its 1877 building was converted to apartments and some development took place on part of the site. The 'new' Eldwick School adopted a catchment policy which, in essence, gave priority to housing around the old school building's area, which was not at the time full of young families.

"Less priority was given to housing to the west and south of the 'new' school site, which had become the focal point for a huge number of families with young children. Consequently, many children have to travel down to Priestthorpe Primary in Mornington Road, even though they live ten minutes walk from Eldwick School.

"Even though the school is now undergoing welcome and necessary building expansion, to enable a rise in pupil admissions, it will never be able to accommodate all children living in Eldwick, as well as some from Gilstead."

Bradford Council is asking families for their views on how places are allocated when applications outnumber places at Eldwick Primary School where families living within two defined areas are now given priority.

CONSULTATION HELD OVER ADMISSIONS CRITERIA FOR OVER-SUBSCRIBED BINGLEY PRIMARY

The two priority areas were originally created to ensure children living in Eldwick and Gilstead could get places at their nearest school as far as possible. But since a number of new houses have been built in the area, it has not always been possible for children in Gilstead to get a place in recent years due to rising demand.

The Council is looking at five options for the school’s future admissions criteria, which are: keep the current criteria as they are; remove the priority areas completely; merge the current priority areas into one area; replace the two priority areas with a single, smaller priority area to the north east of the current area; and create two amended priority areas.

Councillor John Pennington (Con, Bingley) said Mr Mirfield was right.

"It beggars belief that we don't do better with forward projections when it comes to housing developments. We know the train is coming down the track, but we don't think it will stop here.

"Collectively Bradford needs three new very big schools and must look at a building programme."

He added that a lot of schools had already adapted to take in extra classes, but could not keep doing so.

The consultation runs until February 2, 2015, after which the responses will be analysed and a report presented to the Council's executive on March 10, 2015.

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