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Fragmented school places system 'harms education' Fragmented school places system 'harms education'
(about 7 hours later)
The system for creating new school places in England is fragmented, risking harm to children's education, head teachers have warned. The system for creating new school places in England is fragmented and confusing, risking harm to children's education, head teachers have warned.
Lack of cohesive local planning means new schools are not always opened where there is most need, says the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).Lack of cohesive local planning means new schools are not always opened where there is most need, says the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT).
Meanwhile, the rise in pupil numbers will make it even harder for parents to secure school places, it adds. The warning comes on the final day for parents to submit this year's applications to primary schools.
The government said it wanted to ensure a good school place for every child.The government said it wanted to ensure a good school place for every child.
Local authorities, academies and central government take decisions on school places in isolation, warns the union.Local authorities, academies and central government take decisions on school places in isolation, warns the union.
The warning comes on the final day for parents to submit this year's applications to primary schools. The rise in pupil numbers will make it even harder for parents to secure school places, it adds.
The Academies Act 2010 stipulated all new schools had to be academies or free schools, so local authorities lost their power to create new schools but retained responsibility for having enough school places locally.The Academies Act 2010 stipulated all new schools had to be academies or free schools, so local authorities lost their power to create new schools but retained responsibility for having enough school places locally.
Places planning 'Squeezed into classrooms'
"Since 2011, the powers of local authorities in planning school places have been significantly reduced without an alternative system to take their place," said NAHT general secretary Russell Hobby. Tony Draper, president of NAHT, said there needed to be a local agency with "oversight and clout" to work alongside local authorities and make sure there were school places where they were needed.
"There is a desperate need for long-term planning that spans all sectors... we cannot afford inefficiency and conflict." Too many areas where children were currently being "squeezed into classrooms, taught in mobiles, taught in corridors, and that's not acceptable", he said.
The Local Government Association (LGA), wants powers to build new schools restored to councils. He added that new free schools must be located where there was a need for school places, "not just at the whim of a group that want to build a free school in an area where there is already capacity".
The Local Government Association (LGA) wants powers to build new schools restored to councils.
It said some councils struggled to find sponsors for new schools, while academies, independent of council control, could be reluctant to expand to meet demand for school places.It said some councils struggled to find sponsors for new schools, while academies, independent of council control, could be reluctant to expand to meet demand for school places.
"If they are not willing to expand, then powers to create new schools should be returned to local authorities," said Roy Perry, chairman of the LGA's children and young people board."If they are not willing to expand, then powers to create new schools should be returned to local authorities," said Roy Perry, chairman of the LGA's children and young people board.
The LGA says councils have managed to create 300,000 extra primary places in recent years by increasing class sizes, converting non-classroom space and diverting money from repairs.The LGA says councils have managed to create 300,000 extra primary places in recent years by increasing class sizes, converting non-classroom space and diverting money from repairs.
'Over-stretching''Over-stretching'
But Mr Hobby warned "over-stretching capacity" could cause teaching quality to drop.But Mr Hobby warned "over-stretching capacity" could cause teaching quality to drop.
He pointed out the government's own figures suggested at least 200,000 more primary and 80,000 more secondary places would be needed within five years.He pointed out the government's own figures suggested at least 200,000 more primary and 80,000 more secondary places would be needed within five years.
Labour said its own analysis suggested half a million children were now in "super-sized" primary classes and pressure on places was starting to hit secondary schools. Labour said its own analysis suggested half a million children were now in "super-sized" primary classes, and pressure on places was starting to hit secondary schools.
"The current system for planning new places is essentially broken," said shadow education secretary Lucy Powell."The current system for planning new places is essentially broken," said shadow education secretary Lucy Powell.
The government's approach "is clearly not working for parents up and down the country". "Some families applying today will go straight on to a waiting list with no offer of any school places, and soaring numbers of children will continue to be crammed into ever-expanding classes," she said.
"Some families applying today will go straight on to a waiting list with no offer of any school places and soaring numbers of children will continue to be crammed into ever-expanding classes," she said.
But a Conservative Party spokesman called Labour's statistics "misleading".But a Conservative Party spokesman called Labour's statistics "misleading".
"At the same time as pupil numbers were booming, the last Labour government cut funding for school places by £150m, scrapping almost 200,000 places," he said."At the same time as pupil numbers were booming, the last Labour government cut funding for school places by £150m, scrapping almost 200,000 places," he said.
"So rather than trying to scare parents with misleading statistics, they should be backing the measures we've taken to clear up the mess they left behind.""So rather than trying to scare parents with misleading statistics, they should be backing the measures we've taken to clear up the mess they left behind."
'Funding doubled''Funding doubled'
The Department for Education said 95% of parents had received an offer at one of their top three preferred schools last year, while the average infant class size had remained stable.The Department for Education said 95% of parents had received an offer at one of their top three preferred schools last year, while the average infant class size had remained stable.
"The government doubled basic-need funding for new school places to £5bn between 2011 and 2015, helping create half a million new places since May 2010," said a spokeswoman."The government doubled basic-need funding for new school places to £5bn between 2011 and 2015, helping create half a million new places since May 2010," said a spokeswoman.
The government had also opened more than 250 free schools, around three-quarters in areas facing a places shortage, she added.The government had also opened more than 250 free schools, around three-quarters in areas facing a places shortage, she added.
"However we know more needs to be done, that's why we will now invest a further £23bn in school buildings up to 2021, creating 500 new schools in the next five years and 600,000 new school places.""However we know more needs to be done, that's why we will now invest a further £23bn in school buildings up to 2021, creating 500 new schools in the next five years and 600,000 new school places."
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