Brentside and Elthorne may take two extra classes in each year
Residents have until Monday 14 July to give their views on plans to increase the number of places available at Brentside High School and Elthorne Park High School; both in Hanwell.
Ealing is experiencing significant increased demand for primary schools. There are now 28 extra permanent forms of entry in the borough’s primary schools; the equivalent of 5,880 additional places when all the year groups are full. The latest projections indicate that even more will be needed; as many as eight extra forms of entry.
Ealing council is expecting additional demand on secondary places in 2016 and it's anticipated that at least 21 extra forms of entry (3,150 places when full) will be needed by 2021.
Brentside High School, Hanwell, is in an area of need and the governing body is now consulting on creating two extra classes in each year group for ages 11-16. This will take the school from eight forms of entry to 10 and provide an additional 280 places when full if the plans go ahead.
Governors at Elthorne Park High School, also in Hanwell, have also been asked to take more pupils. They are now asking parents and local people to consider expanding from six forms of entry to eight, eventually creating an extra 300 places. The sixth forms at both schools will also expand if the proposals are agreed.
Other options being explored include expanding The Ellen Wilkinson School for Girls, west Acton, and Greenford High School. In addition, a report on a search for sites to build new high schools in Ealing and Acton is due to be reported to the council’s cabinet in September.
Councillor Binda Rai, cabinet member for children and young people, said: “I am passionate about education and believe that every child deserves a place at a good school. All London boroughs are dealing with high demand for primary places and Ealing is no exception. Despite huge pressures, we have been able to meet local need through investment and careful planning and we will continue this approach as children reach secondary school age.
“We are expanding existing high schools where we can, however we recognise that this won’t be enough and are also looking to create new schools in areas of high demand. The biggest challenge is finding sites suitable for a school so I am looking forward to reading the results of our borough-wide site search later in the year.”
Local residents and parents are being asked to comment on the initial proposals at Brentside High School and Elthorne Park High School. To give your views, go to www.ealing.gov.uk/consultations and click on current consultations. All forms must be returned by midday Monday 14 July.
If these initial proposals are agreed, a wider, formal consultation will take place in the autumn.
23rd June 2014
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