1,800 school places need to be created by 2014 to meet demand

PLANS are being drawn up to create an extra 1,800 places for primary-age children after it emerged dozens of schools are bursting at the seams.

Staffordshire County Council says it will need to build either extensions or entirely new schools simply to ensure that every youngster has a place by 2014.

It will cost at least �7 million to tackle this critical shortage – and the final bill could be as high as �20 million if the local authority has to look at creating brand new primaries.

Any new schools would have to be opened up to competition, so they could be run as 'free' schools and set up by parents, businesses or other outside organisations. The additional places are the equivalent of at least six extra schools.

County councillor Liz Staples, cabinet member for schools, said planning was still in the very early stages, meaning she could not reveal exactly where the extra provision would be built.

She added: "Like many local authorities, Staffordshire is benefiting from an increase in primary-aged pupils. Across most of the county, this is welcome as it helps to reverse the recent falls in rolls that schools were experiencing.

"However, there is no single countywide picture."

The biggest pressures are in urban areas like Stafford and parts of East Staffordshire.

But rural communities, including villages in the Moorlands, are still struggling to attract children. Higher house prices mean many young families cannot afford to live there.

Government figures show there are currently 52 primary schools across the county which are either full or have exceeded their admissions limit. Between them, they have 541 pupils too many on their books.

But families in other parts of Staffordshire have more choice because there are 243 schools with spare places. Across the primary school system, 7,337 desks are lying empty.

The 1,800 extra places being planned across Staffordshire will take shape over the next three years. Mrs Staples said some classroom extensions have already been created to cope with rising birth rates.

Between now and 2014/15, the number of primary pupils in Staffordshire is predicted to soar from 60,002 to 64,102, although many of these children can be accommodated in existing schools.

Mrs Staples reassured parents that children would not be left without anywhere to go for their education. "We have got a statutory duty to put in enough places," she said.

The county council has yet to submit a funding bid to the Government.

Despite slashing overall money for school buildings, Education Secretary Michael Gove, pictured below, recently said his department will still be making �800 million available next year to fund more places across England.

He added in a letter to local authorities: "My priorities are the provision of additional pupil places where they are needed, and addressing priority building condition needs."

Neighbouring Stoke-on-Trent City Council is also having to expand 15 primary schools to cope with rising numbers of pupils starting in reception classes.

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