School places issue was discussed in September 2014 Assembly. All of the minutes of the assemblies can be found at http://www.lewisham.gov.uk/getinvolved/l...fault.aspx

Extract from the minutes on School Places provision

Meeting of Forest Hill Assembly, Tuesday, 16th September, 2014 7.00 pm (Item 18.)

Minutes:

Cllr Paul Maslin and Chris Threlfall highlighted that issues around there not being enough school place provision has been raised in the past in Forest Hill regarding Horniman and Fairlawn. The pressure for school places in Forest Hill and Sydenham will continue. Other wards across Lewisham are experiencing the same problems. They explained that the way the department deals with it is to forward plan by looking at how many places they think they need , then negotiate with schools and their governing bodies about how we are going to supply them. He explained that part of the restraints are definitely financial, 2008 was the first year where extra places needed to be created and it has escalated from thereon.

He explained that by now they would have liked to have created more permanent places, not just by putting on an extra class , but, for example, to change one form of entry to two , or a two form entry to three. Some of this has happened but they have had to rely on introducing bulge classes and will continue to do this.

One positive is that the process started in 2009/10, so 7 years worth of a bulge class will now create an ongoing space. In 2016 , across the Borough, there will be spaces as one bulge class comes through and the next one starts.

The next couple of years are going to be difficult, he explained that for Forest Hill and Sydenham they are in the process of planning and negotiating, with the aim of providing around three forms of entry, through a combination of some purpose expansion and some bulge classes.


Michael Abrahams, chair of Forest Hill Society and local resident highlighted the problems in the area , where children who live 253 m away from the school are not getting spaces when children who live 250 m away are. They are then having to attend schools that are further away with no direct buses to get to them.


Q1. I don’t understand why school places weren’t put in the local area rather than a mile or a mile and a half away?

A1. It was based on a financial decision that the Council had to take when looking at value for money. The Council is very sympathetic to those who have to travel further, the legal guidelines are stated as up to 2 miles away but we do try to accommodate classes as close as possible to the area whilst looking at best value and budget limitations.

Q2 Down the road from the Horniman, the Council have bought a building that

is to be used for housing, why hasn’t it been used for education purposes?

A2. The Council has a responsibility, legally and morally to provide a range of Services. Homelessness has increased, the borough has restricted use of land as well and this decision has been taken to try to balance these competing priorities.

Q3 Is the situation at the Horniman permanent?

A3. Feasibility is being looked at. The Council would like to offer places there but whether this can happen is yet to be decided.

Q4 Will those attending bulge classes now get places in secondary schools?

A4. We are looking at the potential expansion of a couple of schools through using other sites and exploring financial avenues. The cost of building a new school costs around 25 million and we are also looking at who might be the provider of a new school.

Cllr Upex asked Cllr Maslin and Chris to come back to the assembly at a future time to update on these issues. They agreed to do so.



On the other hand, Council is facing the biggest overspend in dealing with homelessness. Currently the need is increasing and available properties decreasing resulting in more families being placed in temporary and nightly accommodation which have ended in £3m overspend this year. Redeveloping Hamilton Lodge is just one way of dealing with the increased homelessness issue the borough faces. I will not write further on this issue as it is included on our assembly agenda for 17th February to which everyone is invited to attend.