Kent faces primary school place shortage
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Exclusive by
political editor Paul Francis
A shortage of primary school places is looming in Kent just
years after dozens were closed or merged by the county council
because of falling pupil numbers.
A previously unpublished report ,obtained by KM Group, reveals
that in some parts of the county there won't be enough primary
school places for pupils in 2011-2012.
Gravesham and Dartford will be the worst affected. In these two
districts, there will be an estimated 223 more places needed than
are available.
In Tunbridge Wells, there could be an estimated shortfall of 90
places.
The report, prepared by education officials at County Hall last
year, questions whether KCC went too far when it embarked on a
hugely controversial programme of school closures and mergers in
2006.
The programme, affecting more than 40 schools, led to widespread
opposition and triggered campaigns across the county.
At the time, KCC warned empty desks were costing it
millions each year and a falling birth rate meant it had no
option.
Now it appears that the authority believes it may have
miscalculated and is concerned that it has curbed parental
choice.
Under KCC's own guidelines, schools are required to have between
five and seven per cent surplus capacity to cushion any unexpected
additional demand for places.
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But the report indicates that spare capacity across Kent's
schools will be under one per cent next year - way below the
recommended level.
The
projections are bound to raise questions about whether the
authority miscalculated when it embarked on its controversial
programme.
But that charge was rejected by Cllr Gary Cooke (Con), deputy
cabinet member for education.
"You have to look at the bigger picture and with all schools,
there are a number of different factors affecting demand.
"What we are seeing at the moment is some peaks that were not
unexpected. There is spare capacity in the system to enable these
to be managed."
A section of the report headed "Has the LA [KCC] removed too
many places?" details how the authority has moved from having too
many spare places to the prospect of having too few.
It shows that in 2005-2006, there were 3,299 spare places across
its 424 primaries.
In 2008-2009, that had reduced to 1,479 but projections for
2011-2012 show there could be just 108 spare places for the 16,500
children likely to start school in September - a surplus of just
0.7 per cent and at least 600 fewer than should be in reserve.
The report drew a withering response from those who tried to
resist school closures.
Any Roberts, a governor of Ripple School in east Kent - at the
time the county's smallest school, said: "We said at the time that
the long term figures showed the population was increasing.
"It was all ignored for short term gain by KCC, which did not
look at the projections for the future. Now it has come home to
roost."
Wednesday, September 08 2010
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