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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Secondary school places: Hodgins dodges the questions - AGAIN
October 13, 2011 10:12 PM
• [Oct 07] Cllr Malcom Eady* writes: CLLR Hodgins** recent (30th September) letter to the RTT again failed to answer parents' basic concerns about the future provision of secondary school places in the borough. As he recognised, this is one of the main worries behind the opposition to his plan to provide a new Catholic secondary school on the Clifden Road site.
The borough's birth rate has risen considerably over the past few years. One of the consequences of this was that last September the Council provided an extra 360 places [12 forms of entry] at reception classes in its infants and primary schools compared to 5 years ago. The parents therefore quite reasonably want to know how and when the Council is going to expand our secondary schools.
Cllr Hodgins has two answers. First he just states that we had 200 places spare last September. What he does not tell us what will happen in 5 years' time. I have done this and my results are her and here. My estimate is that by 2016 we will be 169 places short, if we assume just moderate improvement in our secondary schools. Most of the shortfall will be on the Middlesex side of the river (108 places): this is why the Clifden Road site is so important.
Cllr Hodgins' second response is that Free Schools will be set up. One has tried and failed to get Government support. They did not have a site, and I do not know of suitable one in the borough. The Department of Education has had a 60 % cut in its capital programme and the capital bill for the first 24 free schools came to £124m, so a free school on an expensive local site is unlikely to be high on the Government's priority list.
Cllr Hodgins' fall back response is to expand existing schools, but only a few of our secondary schools have extensive grounds, and these are often constrained by strict planning policies. He is currently trying to push through the Conservatives' sixth form policy, which will require a significant amount of land. His problem is the land cannot be used twice. Again, the need for the Clifden Road site for a new school becomes strategically very important.
To make matters worse, Cllr Hodgins' other great plan is that our all our secondary schools should become independent academies. This would make any strategic planning for school places, and school expansions extremely difficult.
He should have consulted with parents and put his plans up for detailed scrutiny, before offering the site to the Catholic Church.
* Liberal Democrat Education Spokesperson
** Council cabinet member for education
• Cllr Eady's forecasts:
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