KCC ‘has not ignored schools crisis’


Continued from page one Thismeansthatbythe endof


the decade, the equivalent of 3,200 additional schools will be needed as the population reaches a 50-year high. Applications for primary school places in Kent were up by 200 this year, with 85% of the 16,499 applicants allocated a first place choice and 96% one of their choices. However, 661 parents learned that their child did not get a place at any of their chosen schools. Councils have already been reported as looking at convert- ing disused police stations, churches, council offices – even sheds and car parks – to ease the pressure on places.


In Tunbridge Wells, a free school is being created on the former Kent and East Sussex Hospital site, and Cllr Whiting said the growth in free schools and academies brought poten- tial for new opportunities. “In some inner cities, schools


have their playgrounds on the roof,” he said. But he denied claims by the LibDems that KCC has ignored the impending crisis. Cllr Whiting, who was instru- mental in putting together the Kent education commissioning plan, which is updated annu- ally, said: “As a result of this plan,we are much better placed than many local authorities – andmuch better placed than we were.We also have a very good


A CAMPAIGN has been launched to have a new school built in Heath ward, where prob- lems over school places are already acute. “Every parent in central Maidstone should


have a school inwalking dis- tance,” said Cllr Rob Bird, pictured. “Otherwise we will have gridlock as parents drive kids from, say, Alling- ton to Loose.” Pupil numbers escalated


with development around Hermitage Lane and the site of the old Maidstone hospital. Maidstone’s draft Core Strategy proposes building a fur- ther 1,366 properties around Barming, Her-


baseline to work from, based on figures from the 2011 census.” Cllr Whiting said the census


had revealed a growth in child numbers in the South East three times higher than anticipated. “We are awarewewill need to provide 10,000 more school places in the next couple of years,” he said, adding that par- ents should have schools close to home and not have to travel. “It’s no good having a shortfall


in Staplehurst and expecting the children to fill vacant ca- pacity in Barming.” Maidstone Locality Board is currently reviewing the KEC Plan, which will be re-pub- lished in October. Mr Gerard said he was exas-


‘Every child should be able to walk to class’


mitage Lane and Allington – and, possibly, a two-form entry primary school. A site had been earmarked for a school in


Heath ward, but a S106 legal agreement with a developer of the old Oakwood Hos- pital lapsed and it reverted to the developer for housing. Cllr Whiting explained: “We cannot build


a school and leave it empty for four ormore years. At the time of the agreement, there was no demand for the places and the agree- ment lapsed. “The current planmeans we will examine


the demand for places for the next two to five, 10 and even 20 years and it will be continually reviewed.”


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perated that Maidstone contin- ued to press ahead with house- building at a time when pressure on school places was already evident. He said: “The birth rate in Maidstone has risen from 1,500 a year in 2002 to 1,900 now. Yet rather than building more schools, the Conservatives are just building more houses. “With massive development planned on sites such as Her- mitage Lane, I really fear for the current crop of babies. Where will these extra 400 children a year – plus all the incomers – go to school? “I don’t want Maidstone chil-


dren to be left in sub-standard, emergency accommodation.”


Figures reflect UK trend GOVERNMENT statistics say one in fiveUK primary schools is full or over capacity Pupils could be crammed into classes of


over 30 or sent miles from their homes as schools struggle to cope as birth rates and im- migration rise. A school in Somerset is seeking permis-


sion to teach from two converted sheds while Barking and Dagenham council is council is considering leasing space in for- mer MFI andWoolworths stores. Last year Chancellor George Osborne said


the schools’ budget will rise from £35billion to £39billion over the next four years and that an extra £600m will go to local authorities ex- periencing pressure for school places.


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