A group of parents are vowing to do all they can to prevent a controversial new schools admissions policy coming into effect

The Notley Admissions Action Group (NAAG) was formed by a group of parents whose children go to John Ray Junior School, in an attempt to prevent the proposed admissions policy coming in to force.

The group is now holding monthly meetings to look at council policy and discuss ways to progress with their protest and take their fight to the council.

A spokesman for Essex County Council said the proposals would be put to a public consultation in the autumn, allowing parents to voice their opinions on the changes, which could be introduced in September 2005.

The proposed admissions policy could see some children in Braintree travelling to the other side of town to get to a secondary school when they live within a few minutes walk of another one.

This is because children living outside Braintree would be guaranteed a place at a Braintree school because they have further to travel.

Meryl Lawrence, spokeswoman for the group, said: "Our aim is to change this proposed policy that will prevent access to Notley High School for our children at John Ray."

The problem affects children at John Ray Junior school most profoundly because although their junior school shares the same site as Notley High School, children from surrounding villages to the south of the town will be given priority over those at John Ray.

Published Monday, June 9, 2003

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