London Schools

The scramble for school places every September is always a fairly desperate affair, as parents jump through hoops to secure a place for their child at the school of their choice. Around one in 10 faces disappointment, and in some parts of the country, as many as one in five fail to get into one of their preferred schools.

This year the situation has deteriorated even further. The increased pressure is a result of a a rise in birth rates combined with the pressure on household budgets, meaning that fewer parents can afford to send their child to private school. In the London Borough of Richmond, for example, there has been an 8% drop in the number of children going to private school.

Some councils are short of places overall. A report by London Councils reveals a shortfall of 2,250 places in this financial year. The government has announced extra funding, but as there are unlikely to be any simple solutions in the short term, the pressure for schools will be greater than ever.

The best schools, of course, are even harder to get into. A Guardian survey in March this year into secondary-school choice found that roughly 100,000 children don’t get into their first choice of school. But this varies across the country: in Suffolk, for example, 99% of pupils go to their first-choice school, while in Wandsworth it’s only 53.3%.

Primary schools can be difficult too. A 2009 Press Association survey shows that more than 16,800 children failed to get a reception class place at their parents’ preferred school.

So how can you find the best school for your child? The fight starts with research. The government has a website where you can feed in your postcode, and it will tell you which schools are closest. It will also have a link to their Ofsted report and the school website, where you can find out more about the school’s ethos, and its strengths and weaknesses, as well as its academic results.

Camden Primary Schools

Burlesque March on Town Hall

UP to 1,000 scantily clad campaigners are set to march on Camden Town Hall in protest at a “nanny state” crackdown on burlesque performers.

More than 500 people have already signed up for a massive Save Burlesque Campaign protest on July 30 – with hundreds more expected to register on the campaign website in the next two weeks.

It follows a controversial new policy from Camden Council which forces any venue staging a burlesque night to apply for a licence for “adult entertainment” as lap-dancing venues have to do.

But burlesque performers have defended the “artform” – saying it is a humorous and titillating theatrical satire dating back more than 400 years.

A spokeswoman for Camden Council said: “Camden is not preventing burlesque acts from performing in the borough. The council follows national guidelines on licensing such performances. Every licensing application is judged on its own merits.

“Burlesque dancing and anything that involves nudity or stripping can be classed as adult entertainment and licence conditions depend on many factors, particularly the content of the show. The council encourages anyone wanting to hold a burlesque performance in the borough to contact the council’s licensing team.

South Hampstead School Plan

Multi million pound plans to revamp a Hampstead school have been unveiled and bosses claim the facilities will benefit the whole country.

South Hampstead High School in Maresfield Gardens gave the Ham&High a sneak preview of the ambitious plans it is about to submit to Camden Council.

Proposals, which involve bulldozing part of the site, will double the size of the independent school, whose alumni includes the actress Helena Bonham Carter.

Bosses would not reveal the exact cost of the scheme but it will include a new sports hall, music and arts centres and a roof terrace with views over the capital.

Headteacher Jenny Stephen said: “The girls here are remarkably creative. We want to give them every opportunity to fulfil their potential.

“If you think of the talents they have, their intellectual property and what they are going to do for London, and for Britain, you could say we are investing in the future in a very big way.”