1,600 children could be left without school place
A £250 million plan to reorganise secondary education could leave almost 1,600 pupils without a school place in just over a decade's time.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council may be forced to expand its new academies not long after they are built, so it can help tackle this predicted shortfall of places.
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And if pupil numbers rise even further in future, taxpayers could end up footing the bill for more schools to be built – several years after four high schools are closed.
Today, the city council refused to explain why it is only allocating 13,050 places for 11 to 16-year-olds as part of its Building Schools for the Future programme.
Yet by 2019/20, its own figures, contained in a strategy document approved by the Government, show there are set to be 14,642 youngsters in the city's secondary system.
The council proposals include reducing the overall number of high schools from 17 to 13, including having five academies. It has justified its plans by saying it needs to slash surplus places and ensure every school has viable numbers.
Now campaigners fighting to save Trentham High from closure are calling for a review. They claim the reorganisation proposals are "doomed to failure", because some schools will end up being built too small.
Stuart Thompson, from Trentham, said: "It's ridiculous. They will need the equivalent of two new schools by 2020."
He currently sends his 11-year-old daughter to Trentham High and has a nine-year-old daughter at one of its feeder schools, Ash Green Primary.
Mr Thompson added: "I can't see why they won't keep the high school open if they are going to need more places."
The Sentinel understands the problem may be partly down to Government regulations, which mean local authorities can only plan school places using data for a 10-year period and they face tough limits on surplus capacity.
Although the number of children being born in Stoke-on-Trent is beginning to rise, after years of decline, some of these youngsters won't reach secondary age until after 2018.
As it means projecting so far ahead, the pupil numbers may prove to be an over-estimate. But if all 14,642 pupils do materialise in the high schools, there would be a major squeeze on classroom space.
The council would need to apply for extra Government cash if it wants to build extensions at the schools.
Roger Ibbs, portfolio holder for children and young people's services, said the pupil projections have been checked several times.
He added: "In his recent approval of the plans, the schools minister Jim Knight affirmed that the document, and the council's approach, were indeed sound. There will be no review of the programme."
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by Karen Pate, Trentham
Friday, November 21 2008, 8:53PM
“The ONLY reason given for the closure of Trentham High school was insufficient numbers. Given that the council have suddenly found 1600 pupils for whom they have a legal obligation to provide a place within their boundaries it is totally incomprehensible for Mr Ibbs to state that there is no need for a review of SERCO's proposals. The proposed site at Park Hall has still not been costed despite being talked about for over 12 months which is yet more evidence of incompetance by SERCO.
Prime minister Brown stated that he made a mistake by abolishing the 10p tax band and made swift reparation. It is surely time for the whole high school proposal to be re-drafted before it is too late or are our councillors above admitting a mistake?.
Just one more little point Mr Irving stated earlier this year that Trentham High school would have his backing if we could prove there were sufficient pupil numbers. Now that the council have admitted that their figures are wrong Is it too much to hope that he will be true to his word and back his local community school?”
by Chris, Newstead
Friday, November 21 2008, 7:30PM
“Once again Sir Roger Ibbs speaks out. Opps NewYear honours list not yet published.
Its about time this cllr stepped down from his post and other councillors took on a vote of no confidence in him. How can he represent his constituents who clearly he has a great dislike for, as well as remain impartial in making judgements. Where will our children be in 10 - 12 yrs time if its up to him? Crammed into extra large classroom sizes. The anti academies alliance recently reported one class in an academy having 90 pupils, joy I cant wait to send my children to one of those. Not.
Barry, just for reference its not just people who live in Trentham fighting to keep the school open so how can it be a fight of the "posh enders" in fact I know the person who is legally challenging the closure doesn't even live in Trentham but has children who attend / have attended the school, so once again people need to get there facts straight before making statements they know nothing about.”
by Chris, Newstead Estate
Friday, November 21 2008, 6:50PM
“I would also like to point out these pupil numbers being wrong will effect every school aged child and their family.”
by Noddy Holder, the 70's
Friday, November 21 2008, 5:23PM
“Isn't this story about the SERCOuncil's ridiculous and frankly unbelieveable and unjustifiable plans to sell this city short because they are desperate to build new schools no matter what the consequences for future generations and local communities?'Barry' is succeeding in his now transparent ploy to take the focus away from the real issue by baiting the Trentham community. We all know Barry is not Barry and he's also not from the West Mids, funny how he commented at 10.54, the first to comment shortly after this story was published..it's as if he knew it was going to appear..now who was quoted in the story...?”
by Anthony, Stoke
Friday, November 21 2008, 5:02PM
“This is Stoke not the West Midlands. WE do not need lessons from the likes of Wolverhampton amd Walsall in how to mess up the running of a city. WE can do it all ourselves.”