Jul
28
Written by:
FJG
28/07/2010 10:48
A rise in birth rates and new building developments in the town have helped to place a bit of strain on primary school places in Colchester over the last couple of years and figures from the Office for National Statistics highlighting a growing birth rate suggest that this trend is likely to continue. The ONS figures showed that 123,000 more children were born nationally in 2008/2009 than in 2002/2003.
In the ECC School Organisation Plan birth rates in Essex were also demonstrably higher with 16,005 births in 2008 in comparison with 14,198 in 2000. The county’s primary schools were already showing signs of strain in the last academic intake and nationally the latest figures published by the DCSF in 2008 showed that appeals for primary school places were up 2.2%. As yet there are no figures for 2009, but there were indicators suggesting that the demand for places was even higher in the 2009 intake.
Samantha Hale, Education Solicitor at Colchester solicitors Fisher Jones Greenwood said “places in local schools and schools that are considered academically superior are already in great demand with a large number of parents not being allocated places for their child at their preferred school. Many Colchester primary schools had waiting lists in 2009 that remained open well into the second term of this year with some having up to 10 children still on the waiting list for a place.” Samantha also said that she had noticed a greater demand from parents needing help and advice relating to appeals on primary school admissions in 2009/2010.
Essex County Council has published a School Organisation Plan available on their website outlining how the County will cope with the rise of primary school places needed. They stated in the report that “'Where there is a demonstrable need for additional places in an area, then consideration would first be given to determining whether the increased demand could be met by expanding existing successful and popular schools in the area concerned. Where the disadvantages of such a proposal outweigh the advantages, then alternative proposals, including the expansion of other schools in the area, or the construction of a new school, may be brought forward.”
Recent press coverage about schools in Colchester appears to rule the above solution out and in light of government spending cuts, any expansion of existing schools or construction of new schools seems unlikely in the short term. It appears that shortages of primary school and secondary school places in the region may be here to stay and many parents may have to seek legal advice on school admissions to help them find a place for their child.