Herne Hill Forum Primary School Places

1. Herne Hill ForumPrimary School Places Cllr Jim Dickson December 2012

2. Primary schools in Lambeth • Recent HM Chief Inspectors report 2011-12 assessing theoutcome of all school inspections carried out in England over 2011/12. • Lambeth was 8th equal in the country for the percentage of pupils who attend good or outstanding primary schools (84%). • We are also mentioned as an example of a LA whose schools have significantly narrowed gaps in achievement between those pupils facing deprivation and those who do not. • Lambeth schools are at the top of the London league table after Camden, Islington and Wandsworth and above all our London statistical neighbours. • We have achieved these amazing outcomes through the enormous commitment to positive outcomes for children and young people, close working together and mutual trust of school staff, governors, headteachers and the Council.  

3. School places overview in numbers • Over 300 permanent reception places need to be created per year to 2015. • There will be around 3250 pupils in reception at primary schools by September 2012. • In 2012, 3580 applications were received for Lambeth Primary schools of which 479 were late applications. • Applications for primary places in 2013 close on 15th January 2013 - it is very important to apply on time. • 700+ places have been created in reception and year 7, under the Labour administration since 2006 in order to accommodate demand. • £38m needs to be committed over the next year to meet growing demand for primary school places. • £37m is being spent by Lambeth on primary schools this year. • £10m is being raised by the sale of the Old Lilian Baylis and Beaufoy sites for investment in primary schools. • 2714 children (of which 2394 are Lambeth residents) have submitted on-time application forms highlighting preferences for Lambeth secondary schools for Sept 2013. • For 2012 there were 2396 on-time applications from Lambeth residents for Lambeth secondary schools followed by 180 late applications (2576 total). • In 2013 there will be 331 more places created in year 7 at secondary school (180 City Heights, 125 Durand, 26 Dunraven). • There should be sufficient places for all children wishing to attend a Lambeth secondary school until c 2016.

4. The problem in Lambeth • The number of applications for reception has increased by 37% since 2006. • The increase in demand has been particularly acute in the south of the borough - around 70% increase in applications. • It is difficult to forecast but it is very likely the dramatic increase in primary place demand will continue. • The number of reception applications to primary schools has increased by 966 since 2006, equivalent to 32 forms of entry • The shortage is expected to spread to secondary places in around 2016. • Growth in the birth rate is clearly a primary cause but there is also significant increase due to people coming into the borough and reduced numbers leaving the borough or choosing private education as Lambeth’s schools have improved.

5. The current position in Lambeth • Applications in 2012 have been extremely high and there have been many late applications (479 in 2012), making it very difficult to plan creation of sufficient places. • Every child who applied by July this year received a place for the start of term in September 2012. • The vast majority of children and parents get their first choice school and in 2012, 92% primary school pupils received their top three choices of school.

6. Applications increase in Lambeth

7. Number of applications received for Herne Hill schools for reception 2012/13

8. What the Council has been doing • Lambeth has created 32 bulge classes in the last five years. • In order to meet more of the immediate demand for primary places, Lambeth has been created 11 permanent additional primary FE which are now either complete or approaching completion. • While additional places have been provided by temporary “bulge classes” in recent years, this is becoming increasingly difficult. It is disruptive and not resource-efficient. • In total £28m of funding for expansion projects has been committed in the last year with around £10m coming from the council. • This is enabling a further 8FE to be created with several projects about to start on site.

9. Action for Herne Hill • In 2009 1 temporary FE was added in Rosendale and 1 permanent FE was added in Jubilee. • Jessop was permanently expanded in 2007. Works were completed 2011. • In the current plans, Jubilee is in the pipeline for expansion and hopefully Rosendale, subject to finding an affordable plan that satisfies the school's ambitions. • This would create an extra 60 permanent places for each year. • St Jude's is being discussed for inclusion in the expansion plans. • Schools have been chosen for permanent expansion based on parental choice (popularity), geography (southern locations have been prioritised) cost per place and speed of delivery. • A key issue is the absence of sites in the ward and a railway line.

10. What next? • While we have been given a green light to plans to provide another 8 permanent forms of entry by 2014 further funding is required. • Latest projections suggest 11 additional FE need to be initiated in the next year, on top of the projects recently commenced. • If substantial further government funding is not announced in January then the council will need to provide funding itself or face many Lambeth children having no school place. It is likely that a decision will need to be made about this as part of the February finance review, weighing this up against other council priorities.