Our event list is now confirmed

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Dear Meet the Parents supporters.

We are gearing up for our 2019 events this coming September, and wanted to bring you our first newsletter of the summer.

RECORD NUMBER OF EVENTS THIS YEAR

We will be organising 22 events this year, our biggest number ever. New entries include St John’s Upper Holloway, Abacus school, Whitehall Park school and King’s Cross academy.
See our event list here

We are encouraging heads to open their doors to all year groups, because we are finding that parents want to know about their local options at an ever earlier point in their child’s primary education.

King’s Cross academy will be hosting a Meet the Parents for the first time this year.

SHIFTING CATCHMENTS

Since last year some schools have become particularly popular. We will be advising parents this autumn on what to do if you don’t get into your first choice of school. This year, for example, Acland Burghley’s catchment shrunk to under a mile. We have a detailed knowledge of local schools, and have been encouraging parents to apply for schools that are often very easy for their children to get to, but that they may not have considered when they made their initial application.

Acland Burghley’s catchment is now 0.72 of a mile. Six years ago the school was told it required improvement – schools can change fast!

We were delighted to go to the launch of Beacon High – previously known as Holloway school. Under its new head, Alan Streeter, the school’s leadership team was recently upgraded by Ofsted. It is now a member of the brand new Islington Futures Federation – a group of schools led by Jo Dibb, who has made Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school in Islington one of the most sought after in the area.

The launch, attended by the local MP and Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, was as moving as it was impressive. We will be involving families from Beacon High in our events this coming September at Torriano, Brecknock, St John’s and Yerbury primary schools.

Alan Streeter - new head at Beacon High School, formerly Holloway school

TOP AWARD FOR MEET THE PARENTS FOUNDER

Finally, we wanted to share with you the news that Madeleine Holt, who started Meet the Parents back in 2012, has won this year’s prestigious Fred and Anne Jarvis Award for education campaigning. When Madeleine isn’t helping run Meet the Parents she campaigns through More than a Score and Rescue Our Schools for less testing and a better quality of education for all students. She also makes films about schools that are trying to do things differently. Previous winners include the children’s author Michael Rosen and the women’s rights campaigner, Malala.

Madeleine receives her award from the joint general secretary of the National Education Union, Kevin Courtney.

Forward

Please contact us if you are interested in taking part in one of our panels this year. We would love to have you.

That’s all for now! Enjoy the sunshine.
Madeleine & Issi