Camden bid to ban pupils from outside area

A London council is seeking to ban children from outside the borough attending its secondary schools.

Camden wants to change its admission rules to favour pupils already attending its primary-schools. But if it is allowed to create what critics have dubbed "fortress Camden", then other councils are set to follow suit. Both Richmond and Barnet - boroughs with high-performing schools, like Camden - say they will also introduce rules that favour residents.

This could have a dramatic impact on admissions-across London. Camden's application to change its rules from September 2005 is set to be decided today by the Office of the Schools Adjudicator.