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Published: 14 April 2011
by JOSIE HINTON

FAMILIES living in a “black hole” between ­ primary schools will be forced to travel for up to two hours each day or opt for private education.

That is the warning from a group of parents in Belsize Park as the families of 62 pupils ­living in Camden were told they do not yet have a school place for September. 

The parents, who are hoping to set up a new community school under the government’s free school legislation, have stepped up their campaign in the wake of the news.

Town Hall education bosses say they are “confident” every child in the borough will have a place in time for the start of term, but the group argue the new figures are evidence the council has failed to deal with the ongoing problem.

Parent Jill Barnes, who chaired a meeting on Friday, said: “I’ve lived in Belsize Park for 15 years. You may think there are so many great schools nearby that your children are bound to get into one of them. The reality is very different.”

In 2009, the council spent £160,000 refurbishing the temporary Courthope Education Centre as an emergency response to a crisis that saw more than a hundred primary school age children without places. 

The Town Hall insist they will not need extra classes this year since  spaces will become available before September as parents turn down unwanted offers. 

Medinee Julkalkarni, who has a young son, lives on Fleet Road, just metres away from Fleet Primary. But she failed to get a place at the school – or any of her other five choices. She was offered Carlton in Kentish Town, making it impossible for her to walk her son to school. Ms Julkalkarni said: “I don’t drive so to reach the school I will need to take a bus to Kentish Town station and then walk as there is no bus going directly to the school. It will be very inconvenient.”

Following the release of primary school places, educational charity the Constable Educational Trust (CET) has also expressed interest in opening a free school in Camden. 

Richard Simmons, chairman of the CET, said: “I would really encourage anyone who has a child who will be aged four between September 2011 and August 2012 and who is interested in increasing the options for their child to register.”

Camden Council’s education chief Councillor Heather Johnson said: “The vast majority of parents have received an offer at the primary school of their choice. Unfortunately, we haven’t been able to offer places to 62 families in the initial round of offers. However, there will be several rounds of offer-making between now and summer. 

“We know from experience that a proportion of our school places will become available over time.”

Pictured: Linda Grove, Malcolm Grove, Councillor Tom Simon and Jill Barnes at the meeting of concerned parents last Friday