Parents across the country are rightly furious about the lack of places for their children in a school near their homes.

Here in Church End families living in what has traditionally been the Churchfields catchment area are being offered places in schools miles away, and often very difficult to access.

While we have given an undertaking to support parents who appeal against their school allocation, we know that is not the real answer.

 Why have things gone so wrong ?

The increase in the birthrate, and families moving into the area has created the increased need for school places, as it has done across London.

The numbers of pupils needing school places has been rising for years. Catchment areas went and walking distance for school admissions was introduced.

In Redbridge the Council accurately calculated the numbers of additional children born. What they could not anticipate was the extra numbers moving in. Many of them gave as their reason the high standards of Redbridge schools.

 There simply were not enough school places to meet the demand.

The obvious answer would appear to be for the Council to build more schools. Not possible because the Government has banned all Councils from building new schools. Education Secretary Mr Gove only allows Free Schools or Academies to build new schools.

Councils are only allowed to expand existing schools. That is what Redbridge is doing.

It is spending £125 million creating extra places in schools in Redbridge. Over 5000 extra school places are being created, most of them on the other side of the borough.

Extra places have also been found by increasing class sizes in schools.

This is no comfort for Church End parents who want local places for their children now. And even nearby schools Snaresbrook, Wells and Oakdale are full too.

 Redbridge Cabinet Member for Schools Cllr Weinberg. knows that while it might be possible to expand the Junior School that cannot be done with the Infants School.

 Nevertheless our area must be allowed to share in the benefits of the extra Primary places created across the borough.