Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) and Beaumont School in St Albans have agreed that additional spaces will be available for students starting in September.
The decision was confirmed on Thursday, March 7, after a BBC News article revealed that St Albans parents were devastated to miss school places despite living 500 metres away from schools. It also stated that Beaumont School was reducing its intake to 210 students.
The school will now welcome 240 new students in September following discussions with the Department for Education.
Headteacher Martin Atkinson said: “Beaumont School is an intrinsic part of the community in the east of St Albans, which it has served for over 80 years. This is consistent with our ongoing strategic priorities and our long-term commitment to the local community.
“We look forward to working with HCC and the Department for Education to secure a sustainable provision for admissions in the local area.”
Councillor Chris White, Leader of St Albans City & District Council, said: “A large number of parents contacted me, very distressed about this situation. This should never have been allowed to happen.
“Thankfully, it’s partially solved by the announcement today. I think we all need reassurance that HCC will learn from this fiasco and that we won’t be here again this time next year.”
Photo credit: Beaumont School – St Albans
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