Laura Sharman 31 August 2018

Councils warn of secondary school places 'emergency'

Half of all councils England may be unable to meet demand for new secondary school places within five years, town hall chiefs have warned today.

The Local Government Association (LGA) said 134,000 children face missing out on a secondary school place by 2023/24 unless new places are created.

It warns that councils have very limited ability to fulfil their statutory obligations to provide school places now that two-thirds of secondary schools are academies.

It is calling for councils to be given the power to open new maintained schools, and direct free schools and academies to expand.

Cllr Anntoinette Bramble, chair of the LGA’s Children and Young People Board, said: 'No family should face uncertainty over securing their child’s secondary school. But the reality is we face an emergency in secondary school places where the number of pupils is growing at a far faster rate than the number of places available.

'This is why councils need to be given the powers to help solve this crisis. As a starting point they should be allowed to open new maintained schools and direct academies to expand.

'It makes no sense for councils to be given the responsibility to plan for school places but then not allowed to open schools themselves.'

SIGN UP
For your free daily news bulletin
Highways jobs

Head of Democratic Services, Elections & Monitoring Officer

Harborough District Council
Grade 12 £67,236 – £71,223 plus £3000pa Statutory Officer Allowance
We are looking for an accomplished and proactive leader for our vacant post of Head of Democratic Services & Elections Market Harborough, Leicestershire
Recuriter: Harborough District Council

Residential Youth Practitioner

Oxfordshire County Council
£37035 - £39513
The Move On Service provides intensive supported housing accommodation for young people aged 16 to 18 years who are in the care of the local authority, working to create individual plans for those requiring additional support for their transition towards Witney
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Locality and Community Support Worker - North

Oxfordshire County Council
£37035 - £39513
The Locality & Community Support Service in North Oxfordshire are seeking to recruit a Locality Support Worker to join their Locality & Community Support Team. The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic worker who is passionate about improving outc Banbury
Recuriter: Oxfordshire County Council

Social Worker

Durham County Council
£35,412 - £39,152 (pre-progression) / £40,777 - £45,091 (post-progression)
We are looking for social workers who have completed the assessed and supported year in employment to join our Families First teams, working with our Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council

Social Worker

Durham County Council
Grade 9 £35,412 - £39,152 (Pre-Progression) / Grade 11 £40,777 - £45,091 (Post-Progression)
Are you a nurturing social worker passionate about supporting parents so that children can remain with their birth family?     This could be the right Durham
Recuriter: Durham County Council
Linkedin Banner