A Midland trust at the centre of a bitter school places row has broken its silence after furious parents claimed they were shut out of discussions over admissions.
Families connected to Dunstall Park Primary in Tamworth have been campaigning after 12 children attending the school's nursery were denied reception places for September. Parents claimed other children living on the same housing estate, who did not attend the nursery, were offered places.
They said they had been left "confused" and "distressed" by the admissions process and claimed the dispute had sparked divisions in the community. Parents alleged they had been subjected to "hostility, negative comments and malicious behaviour" after campaigning on behalf of their children.
Affected families called on the troubled Arthur Terry Learning Partnership, which runs the school, to launch an independent review into how the situation had been handled.
Trust Response
The trust has since responded, saying it understood the "strength of feeling" surrounding the controversy. A spokesperson told BirminghamLive: "Throughout this process we have engaged closely with parents, Staffordshire County Council, the Department for Education and local representatives to ensure concerns were heard and considered. Decisions regarding school admissions and the allocation of places are the responsibility of the council, which has confirmed places were allocated in line with the published admissions criteria."
The trust appeared to dampen hopes of a rapid expansion of the school, saying extra places could not be created in time for September. The spokesperson added: "Any future expansion would require local authority agreement, Department for Education approval and additional funding, which is not in place for September 2026. We will continue to support children and families as they prepare for the transition to primary school."
Background
The school was designed to serve Dunstall Park housing development which has around 800 homes. Staffordshire County Council previously insisted admissions were allocated correctly and in line with the school's published criteria. It said the school was designed as a one-form entry primary school with 30 places per year group. The authority said all children unsuccessful in securing a place at Dunstall had been offered options at "either one of their preferred schools" or "at another local school with spaces available".
Council Statement
Janet Higgins, the council's cabinet member for education, said: "I understand how disappointing this is for parents who were hoping to secure a place at Dunstall for their child this September, and why there is such strong feeling locally. I know some families will be feeling anxious about what happens next. We have followed the county council’s admissions policy and every child has been offered a school place, although I appreciate it may not be their preferred school. I also want to reassure parents there are sufficient places available across Tamworth to meet overall demand.
"The original agreement in 2016 secured a one form entry primary school, with the site designed to allow for future expansion if needed and if funding becomes available. I recognise communication at the planning stage should have been clearer and that this has contributed to where we are today. Clear and open communication with our communities is something I feel strongly about and we will continue to prioritise this."
Ms Higgins said affected parents could appeal decisions over admissions on the council's website.
