Over 98 per cent of Hounslow pupils receive a preferred primary school place
Great news for families as the majority of schoolchildren are set to join their preferred primary school this September.
Primary school admissions figures have been released by the Pan London Admission Board, the body responsible for the coordination of school admissions in the capital.
The figures for Hounslow, released last week (16 April), reveal:
- 98.58% (97.71)* of applicants have been offered a place at one of their six preferred schools
- 97.38% (96.21) have been offered 1 of their top 3 schools
- 87.14% (83.97) have been offered their first preference school
* The figures in brackets show 2020’s stats for comparison.
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More bus strike days planned as Hounslow Council steps in to support residents
A bus strike is planned today (Friday 23 April) and Monday (26 April) affecting all of the borough.
Normal services resume the day after the strikes at 6am (Saturday 24 April and Tuesday 27 April).
As previously, Hounslow Council is again offering assistance to motorists who have no other choice but to use their vehicles.
Drivers will be able to park in any on-street pay-to-park bay beyond the normal maximum 2 or 4 hour stay without further charge. This special arrangement will run on strike days between 8am until 8pm on Friday 23 April and Monday 26 April.
The Council recommends that if at all possible, residents plan not to travel on strike days, and if they have to travel, to check live travel information or that residents consider cycling or walking.
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Completed your Census yet? Don’t delay or you could face a fine!
 Even if you've missed Census Day there is still time to complete your census! Every household is required by law to complete the census and even though Census Day – 21 March 2021 – has been and gone, it is not too late to complete a questionnaire.
We have had a great response to Census 2021 so far, but everyone must respond. If you haven't completed your census yet, do it as soon as possible to avoid a £1,000 fine.
 Hounslow Council is planning estate improvement works on the Redwood Estate, Norman Crescent, Harlech Gardens and Archer Court & George Chatt House with works starting on site in late Spring 2021.
Hounslow Council has commissioned Groundwork London to carry out community engagement and landscape designs for the programme. We want to make sure that these proposals for green space improvements meet the needs of the local community, building greener neighbourhoods for everyone to enjoy.
You can view the final designs, which are based on the resident feedback we received in January 2021, online.
The results are in! Spring Craft Competition
 Thank you to all residents who took part in the Mayor of Hounslow Spring Craft Competition. The winners have now been announced and you can take a look at all our fantastic entries here.
The Mayor has also put together a short thank you message for residents who took part.
Call for poetry! Hogarth's House Urban Tree Festival 2021
 As part of Urban Tree Festival 2021, Hogarth's House is commissioning a piece by artist Rachael Kidd about our historic mulberry tree - the last living remnant from the garden's origins as a 17th Century orchard.
Rachael's work is about nature as a whole and how we fit within it. The piece will be inspired by poems and creative writing submitted by the Hounslow community.
Rachael's process and the piece will be unveiled virtually during the Urban Tree Festival, Saturday 15 to Sunday 23 May. If you'd like to submit a piece or learn more about how to participate, email Elizabeth.Bryan@Hounslow.gov.uk by Monday 3 May.
Chiswick Pier Trust, Old Father Thames live webinar
Chiswick Pier Trust is hosting a live webinar on Tuesday 27 April at 7.30pm, with fine art photographer Julia Fullerton-Batten.
Julia will talk about her new project Old Father Thames and will discuss the inspiration behind the project and how it came to life. This free webinar is for lovers of photography and the River Thames.
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Feel Good Fitness Football sessions to help everyone get active
 Brentford Community Sports Trust Coaches are running free football sessions as part of the Feel Good Fitness Programme. Activities combine football technique and fitness with an element of healthy competition thrown in to keep everyone on their toes.
Participants will also have the opportunity to learn about mindfulness, stress management, challenging unhelpful habits, and how to boost your mood. All sessions are delivered online at this time and all activities can be done safely indoors.
Anthya is playing a vital role in helping Hounslow out of lockdown
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Anthya Fernandes worked in an airline-based industry at London Heathrow Airport. She began her career at Heathrow at the age of 19 but after 8 years, when the sudden downturn in air travel hit the aviation sector hard, Anthya was made redundant and found herself in need of work.
Now she’s a Team Leader at the Heston Library Rapid Test site in Hounslow and is playing a vital role in helping the borough’s residents to follow the Roadmap out of lockdown.
“I tried to apply for jobs everywhere and I was looking for something similar to my previous role,” she said. “But at that time, it was harder to find employment. I am very grateful and appreciate the role I now have during this pandemic. It has changed my thinking and made me stronger.”
Looking back, she describes her first week in her new role as “challenging”, due to having to learn all the necessary policies and procedures. However, Anthya said the support and guidance she received helped her to settle in. “Personally, it made me more aware about COVID-19 in general,” she said. “As a team leader, I have an important role to play to ensure the wellbeing of my team and the residents of the community.”
Everyone can now get a free Rapid Test twice a week and Anthya is keen for residents to understand why it’s so important to get tested.
She said: “Alongside the roll-out of the vaccine, regular testing is an essential part of the easing of restrictions, helping identify variants and stopping individual cases from becoming outbreaks. Approximately 1 in 3 people have COVID-19, but don’t have symptoms, so getting tested regularly is one of the simplest ways we can keep ourselves and our loved ones safe.”
For Anthya, the team at Heston Library are making all the difference when it comes to adjusting to her new working life. “I have had the amazing opportunity to work at the COVID-19 community testing centre, gaining valuable experiences,” she said. “It has allowed me to develop a range of new skills.”
She added: “It’s a privilege to be a part of this project, to work together with Hounslow Council and its Public Health teams. After the project ends, I will be looking for a similar role where I can be a support to the community.”
If you haven’t had a Rapid Test before, Hounslow Council is here to help you and our staff can guide you through the process and answer any questions you may have. Heston Library (New Heston Road, Hounslow TW5 0LW) is open for Rapid Tests between 6.30am-7.30pm Mon-Fri, or 8.00am-4.00pm Sat/Sun. To book online visit: www.hounslow.gov.uk/rapidtest or call to make an appointment: 0207 084 9697.
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45 or older? If you're eligible, find out how to get your vaccine
 If you are aged 45 or over, are clinically vulnerable, a frontline worker or a carer, you can now book your COVID-19 vaccination through the NHS website even if you haven’t yet received a letter. Appointments are available at sites across the Borough and also Ealing, Wembley and Hammersmith.
Appointments are required beforehand for all vaccination sites except Brentford Fountain Leisure Centre.
We are aware of other scam messages circulating – please ignore them. The NHS will never ask you for money or your bank details for your vaccination – it is free.
You can book an appointment now if:
- you are aged 45 or over
- you are at high risk from coronavirus (clinically extremely vulnerable)
- you are an eligible frontline health or social care worker
- you have a condition that puts you at higher risk (clinically vulnerable)
- you have a learning disability
- you are a main carer for someone at high risk from coronavirus
You can book appointments at a larger vaccination centres or a pharmacy that provides COVID-19 vaccinations.
Please make sure you plan your journey responsibly to allow for as much social distancing as possible.
And finally...
Share your favourite photos of the borough with us!
We are proud of our borough and want to celebrate all the great things it offers! We are calling for residents to share their favourite photos with us.
Join the conversation on social media using the hashtag #HounslowPhotos
Here is our photo of the week from Grainger Road in Isleworth, in celebration of St George's Day.
If you're marking St George's Day, let us know how on Facebook or Twitter and remember Hands, Face, Space and Fresh Air!
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