Deficit of up to 50,000 Primary School places in London

A report has shown that London needs up to 50,000 new school places over the next seven years to cope with the demand

A baby boom and the effect of recession causing parents to opt for state schools rather than private has put a strain on the education system.  The problem is that the money to provide the much needed places is not available.

Children’s Secretaru Ed Balls is to pledge 100m to help local authorities around England to create 15,000 primary school places to help local authorities facing the pressure of surges in demand.  He had already pledged 200m.

What are the implications of this for parents and children?  Local authorities will do their utmost to fill places in all schools.  More and more parents  find themselves being offered

Early planning, including  moving to a different location, choosing state as apposed to private educate  are some of the strategies parents now employ to obtain a good education..

The Mail states that Councils are contemplating measures such as ‘transporting very young children to schools several miles from their homes and failing to guarantee places for siblings at the same school’, according to the report.

Meanwhile, parents abandoning aspirations of sending their offspring to private schools have also contributed to rising demand.

Some pupils are temporarily being taught in school libraries or church halls because schools lack space.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1226954/Migration-credit-crunch-fuel-primary-school-places-crisis.html#ixzz0bxr5XYZO