Pupil crisis for schools

Sixty-six schools in Walsall are short of pupils, with classes in nine of those a quarter empty, new figures have revealed.

There are 2,948 primary places vacant in total, although this number has fallen in the last year following the closure of five schools.

Walsall Council's children's services boss Councillor Zahid Ali has now asked the authority in charge of schools, Education Walsall, how it proposes to deal with the problem.

The worst affected schools are: Beacon Primary, in Willenhall, which has 188 spare places (46 per cent); Busill Jones Primary, in Bloxwich, has 79 (25 per cent); Edgar Stammers, in Coalpool has 126 (27 per cent); newly opened Fibbersley Primary, in Willenhall, has 204 (32 per cent); King Charles Primary, in Bentley, has 75 (36 per cent); Meadow View JMI, in Great Barr, has 129 (33 per cent); Pelsall Village has 121 (34 per cent); Salisbury Primary, in Darlaston, has 120 (38 per cent); and St James Primary, in Brownhills, has 108 (34 per cent)

Much of the problem has been blamed on the decrease in the population numbers of primary school age children.

Councillor Ali said: "What is of concern to me is these nine schools have a 25 per cent surplus. There must be no complacency on behalf of Education Walsall and yesterday I asked them for a thorough action plan because it is clear that where there is a surplus that school is having problems."

The report was produced by Serco's strategic leader Susan Lupton.

Education Walsall bosses have ruled out any school closures at this point. Spokeswoman Claire Clews said: "We are not currently consulting on the closure of any Walsall school."