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Tom BrakeLiberal Democrat MP for Carshalton and Wallington |
Stanley Park High Site for a local primary school
I welcome the decision to consider using the former Stanley Park High School site as a primary school. The Council's Executive Committee is due to consider the proposal which, if agreed, could provide extra primary places as soon as September 2013.
I am regularly contacted by parents who cannot find a local primary school place at all, let alone one of their choice and this should ease this problem. The demand for primary school places has increased as a result of a baby boom, and more people from outside the borough wanting to access our excellent schools. As a result, it is expected that an extra eight forms of entry will be needed by September 2013. The council has been expanding existing schools for the past few years, and another five are set to add extra classes in time for the start of the next school year.
The plan is to create a new four form entry primary school using the existing school building to allow it to open sooner. The site would also provide facilities for pupils with Special Educational Needs.
I am also pleased to confirm that All Saints Primary School will be increased by September 2012 to allow a full class of an extra 30 pupils. Last year Sutton Council expanded five primary schools and will expand another five, including All Saints, in time for next year.
These children will all need secondary school places in the coming years. Cllr Kirsty Jerome, , Executive Member for Education and Schools at Sutton Council, and I will continue to lobby the Department for Education for more funding to make sure we can continue to provide permanent school places as the pupils move up through the schools.
Primary school Demand
There has been an increased demand for primary school places over the last few years throughoutLondon. In order to meet the high demand for primary school places, local schools were extended to increase their intake for September 2011: Barrow Hedges Primary, Beddington Park Primary, Devonshire Primary, Muschamp Primary and Dorchester Primary.
The Council is exploring an expansion of the following schools for September 2012: All Saints Benhilton C of E Primary School,CheamCommonInfant SchoolandCheamCommonJuniorSchool,BrookfieldPrimary School, St Elphege'sCatholicInfantsSchooland St Elphege'sCatholicJuniorSchool, All Saints Carshalton C of E Primary School. A public consultation was held last year.
£7m has been spent so far on accommodating the extra pupils its schools would admit this September. As pressures remain on school places, Mr Bolger, Sutton Council's Chief Executive, has called on the Government to raise the limit of class sizes from 30 to 32, stating that this would not harm education.
Whilst I understand why this might be helpful in solving Sutton's shortage of infant school places, I cannot support this proposal and nor does Sutton's Councillor who leads on education, Cllr Kirsty Jerome, who was not consulted on this matter. A shortage of places must be addressed by ensuring that the local and national Government makes funding available to extend existing schools or build new ones. I will continue to campaign to ensure Sutton has the best schools provided the best education in order to ensure a better future for local children.
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