Row over 'cash-for-places' at Jordanhill School

A parents group is angry that the plans, which would see in excess of 400 addresses added to the "already over-subscribed" school’s catchment, do not include provision to increase capacity.

It comes a matter of days after the only 600-capacity Scottish Government grant-aided state school, which regularly tops exam leagues,  said it was to invest the new sports building fit for the 21st century for both its pupils and the local community with the help of the CALA Home money.

READ MORE: Scotland's secondary schools ranked from best to worst by higher results

School managers say that the sports facilities at the primary and secondary school are 50 years old and are badly in need of significant investment so they can be upgraded.

But a newly formed parents’ group say that the admissions process is already subscribed and has called for a delay in the process to allow "meaningful" consultation with parents to be carried out.

Almost 100 parents attended the inaugural meeting of Jordanhill Parents Action Group, held virtually, on Sunday.

The changes were revealed in a letter to parents by Ken Alexander, convenor of the board of managers, who said all the homes will become a 'List 1' top priority on the school admission waiting list.

It also means that those on 'List 2' living in new homes created in the area from 2001 onwards, will end up in the 'top priority' list.

The shake up will see the number of List 1 addresses rise by nearly 20% from 3,042 to 3,649.

The school said of the "the key factor" for admission will be the official date of receipt of an application.

Mr Alexander said: "The agreement is the first step towards our aspiration to offer places to all local children by secondary, takes cognisance of the review of admissions and provides a unique opportunity for significant investment in the school which will benefit everyone in our community."

READ MORE:Jordanhill School accused of "selecting" pupils

He told parents that "unfortunately" the Covid-19 pandemic precluded any public meetings or similar engagement events.

Parents are asked to submit questions or comments on a response form on the website by Mary 20, before a final decision is made by the board on June 9.

"The Board of Managers believes that this important decision is in the best interests of the school, its future pupils and local residents," said Mr Alexander. "In making this decision, we believe everyone will be treated on an equal basis going forward, while the current and future generation of pupils and the community will enjoy the significant benefits of the enhanced sporting facilities."

Now JPAG are demanding answers as to how the negotiations were conducted with CALA Homes and why what it describes as an "already over-subscribed admissions process should be compounded by the "dismantling of an established procedure, apparently only for financial gain".

It has called called on the school to abandon the current timescale to allow full consultation with parents, as members of the private company, to take place.

JPAG spokesman Andrew Saunders said: “JPAG believe that it is unacceptable and inappropriate that the Board of Managers have tabled this proposal at this unprecedented time when the school’s community - parents and guardians, including many NHS staff, Key Workers and Furloughed Staff - are dealing with the Covid-19 World Pandemic.

“The parents are extremely disappointed by the timing of this proposal.

“We are also concerned that we highlighted the issue of local school capacity to the city council during the Planning Approval process and we were ignored.

“This is why Section 75 Developer Contributions exist under the Planning Act, and the city council and now the school have let the local communities down. We don’t need refurbished sports facilities – we need increased capacity and the developer of over 400 homes in the heart of our community should be paying for this in the same way they are in other communities.

“This proposal would just displace children from an established local community school to schools in surrounding areas which are also already over-subscribed.

"Any amendments to the Admissions Regulations need to be considered and consulted and not determined purely by financial reward which the group feel significantly undervalues the worth of our school whilst perpetuating unresolved capacity issues.”

Mr Saunders confirmed that within 24 hours of Sunday’s meeting 200 parent members of the school company had registered with JPAG.

A Jordanhill School spokesman said: “The Board of Managers is very keen to provide as much information as possible to members in this open and transparent consultation, and to hear their views. The Board members are parents and local residents and understand fully the place that the school holds in the hearts of the community and the potential anxiety which arises at any thought of changes to the Admissions Regulations.

“The current Board, like all of its predecessors, is wedded to the principle that the school should seek to treat all residencies within its historic area on an equal basis. These proposals realise that ambition.

“In bringing forward this proposal, the Board of Managers’ intention is to provide an opportunity that both addresses historical concerns with the operation of the admissions regulations whilst simultaneously improving the school’s accommodation and facilities. “The Board of Managers were also clear that a key consideration should be the potential benefits brought to the children of Jordanhill School. Having checked the waiting lists over the next 11 years, we cannot detect circumstances in which a child currently on List 1 will lose a place because of these changes.

“The board has considered in detail the implications of local housing developments. It is important that the school and members address these now. Deferring that discussion will lead to ever more challenging issues in the future.”

Glasgow City Council was approached for comment.