Extra funding to boost primary school places
Lambeth has been awarded £9 million by Schools Minister Vernon Coaker MP to help expand the number of primary school places in the borough to help meet growing demand for places.
The additional school places are being funded as part of £300m of new investment from the government, helping local authorities which are under pressure from increases in pupil numbers.
This means that the council can create a planned total of 300 new reception class places across Lambeth over the next three years.
Councillor Paul McGlone, Lambeth Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People’s Services, said: “Our hard work in getting the best possible deal for Lambeth’s children has paid off.
“This is a fantastic result, and the next step is to talk to our schools and local parents to make sure we provide school places and new schools in the areas where they are needed most.”
In the short term, the council has added temporary classes at schools to provide additional places in some of the most popular local schools. In Streatham this year extra classes have been added at Jubilee, Hitherfield, Crown Lane and Immanuel & St Andrew’s primary schools.
Additionally in Streatham from September 2010 further reception classes will be provided at Immanuel & St Andrew’s school. Lambeth Council’s cabinet has approved plans for permanent expansions, including ten more forms of entry by 2012.
Schools Secretary, Ed Balls, said:
“We’ve listened carefully to concerns from some local authorities, particularly in London, facing specific issues around rising demand for reception-age pupils over the next few years.
“Overall, more than 4,000 primary and secondary schools, at an average of 25 a week will have been built, rebuilt or refurbished by July 2010 since 1997 – the biggest sustained period of school building for decades.
“Building Schools for the Future (BSF) is the biggest single government investment in improving school buildings for over 50 years, rebuilding or renewing every secondary school in England. BSF is
expected to improve the life chances of 3.3 million young people.”
