Shropshire 'future-proofed' to meet secondary school demand

Telford & Wrekin has ongoing contingency plans in place, while Shropshire Council has already developed plans to meet the anticipated pressures.

The news comes after it was revealed today by the Local Government Association that almost half of councils in England and Wales risk being unable to meet demand for secondary school places within the next five years.

New powers allowing local authorities to force academies and free schools to expand to meet any need for new places are required, it said.

The LGA said its analysis of Department for Education (DfE) data and local pupil forecasts showed 125,000 children faced missing out on a secondary school place by the 2022/23 academic year.

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for education and skills, said: “As part of our well-developed process of planning for school places in the future, the council has ongoing contingency plans which are designed to increase capacity across the borough as demand either from increased housing or population shifts take place.

“In planning for new schools as part of our Building Schools for the Future programme, we worked closely with planners and the design teams to ensure that all our secondary schools have the capacity to be expanded as the need arises.

“Similarly the school organisation team works closely with primary schools to identify which sites are most suitable for classroom extensions to be provided.

“At the current time, there are a number of projects under consideration in north Telford, south Telford, Wellington, Hadley and Newport.

“The combined total of these places is in excess of any shortfall identified within our school organisation plan.”

Phil Wilson, Shropshire Council’s service delivery manager – learning and skills, said: “Shropshire Council anticipates a modest increased demand for secondary school places in some parts of the county over the next five years and plans are already being developed to meet these forecast pressures.

"The council will be working collaboratively with a number of secondary schools and academies on this issue. It is anticipated that the forecast additional demand for pupil places can be accommodated either from within existing capacity in the county’s secondary schools and academies, or through minor expansion on existing sites if required."

Councillor Richard Watts, chairman of the LGA's Children and Young People Board, said increasing numbers of families face growing uncertainty when trying to secure a secondary place for a child.

He added: "Councils have worked hard to help create almost 600,000 additional primary places since 2010.

"This is no small feat. However, as those children move on to secondary schools, the majority of which are now academies, securing new secondary places in the areas where they are needed is becoming increasingly difficult.

"Councils are working with one hand behind their backs to help as many pupils as possible receive a place at their first choice school."