Labour: Conservatives have caused primary school place crisis
http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/apr/16/labour-conservatives-primary-school-place-crisis Version 0 of 1. Labour has accused the Conservatives of causing a crisis in primary school places, claiming that a record number of children may be being taught in classes larger than the legal minimum allowed in England. The claim comes on national primary school offer day, as families across England wait to discover on Thursday the results of their applications for the more than 600,000 four- and five year-olds who will begin reception classes in September. Based on data from freedom of information requests, Labour’s shadow education secretary, Tristram Hunt, said that as many as 100,000 primary school pupils could be in classes bigger than the 30 children per teacher allowed by law. Related: Primary school places in England 'near breaking point' Labour’s claim is an estimate that extrapolates the number of oversize classes in 16,700 state primary schools using data from the 4,600 schools that gave detailed responses on class sizes to the Department for Education’s school census. “It is thanks to David Cameron, and his decision to spend hundreds of millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money on a few free schools in areas where there are no shortages of places, that the number of young children in supersize classes has more than tripled since 2010, and parents are finding it harder to get a place for their child,” Hunt said. The claim was rubbished by the Conservatives. A spokesman said there are now 11,400 fewer pupils in overcrowded primary schools – those with more than their official capacity – compared with 2010, when Labour was last in office. “Labour cut over 200,000 primary school places and even ignored official warnings to provide extra school places after a baby boom. The Conservatives have created over 400,000 school places. There are fewer children in overcrowded primary schools and, most importantly, one million more children in good or outstanding schools since 2010,” he added. The legal limit of 30 pupils was introduced by Labour in 1998. But the cap was amended by the Conservatives to allow exemptions, such as twins or returning family members of the armed forces posted overseas, that do not count towards the legal maximum. Hunt has pledged to reintroduce a hard cap of 30 pupils on primary school classes in year one and later. Labour has also said it would to end the opening of more free schools, which some blame in part for the shortage of school places. But Natalie Evans, director of the New Schools Network, which promotes applications for new free schools, said: “Over 90% of primary free schools opened or approved to open are in areas where new school places are needed. But they are also offering new choices in areas of low standards. It is critical that the creation of new schools where parents want them continues to be a priority for any new government.” The political jostling suggests that school places could became an election issue, with just three weeks until polling day. On Thursday, local authorities will begin informing families which primary school their child has been allocated, with the rising birth rate of recent years putting pressure on school capacity, especially in London and Birmingham, but also in cities such as Leicester and Brighton. Last year more than 20,000 children did not receive any of their named school preferences, as local authorities struggled to find places to match demand. Local authorities warn that the pressure will increase next year. “It is obvious that whichever party or parties forms the next government must produce sufficient funding and powers for local authorities to open more schools. It is only through those measures that demand can be met,” said Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers. |