Claygate Primary School in previous years
2016
'Cruel' battle for secondary school places as Elmbridge students face 2,000-place shortage by 2025
Children and parents campaign outside Claygate Primary School on Thursday morning
Elmbridge primary students face a “cruel” battle for school places as the borough faces to see a 2,000-place shortage in secondary schools by 2025, according to council reports.
The Surrey Infrastructure Study, undertaken by Surrey County Council, found that there was a three per cent deficit of secondary school places in Elmbridge in May 2015, with that number expected to jump to 38 per cent as more than 2,000 students are expected to be without a secondary place in 2025 in nine years.
According to the documents, Elmbridge will see a 49 per cent increase of pupils in the next nine years, but only 300 additional school places have been planned for the borough between now and then, meaning most of the 2,332 extra pupils needing secondary places in Elmbridge will not get them.
Claygate councillor Mary Marshall recently met with 26 Claygate parents whose children had failed to make the catchment area for Hinchley Wood School or Esher High School, and have instead been offered a place at Epsom and Ewell High School – two bus rides away with a change in Kingston.
She said: “It’s a mess. I had a meeting with some very, very distressed and emotional mums who had quite a difficult evening and all got together to work out what to do and how to do it.
“Three years ago I said it would happen and It’s happened 10 years before I thought it would. I think it’s far worse than that.
Realistically, Surrey has enough school places for every child but they’re not in the right places. It’s just cruel. It’s an absolute nightmare. Mums are thinking of home-schooling or giving up work just to shuttle their children to and from school.”
Poor transport links could mean three hours of daily travel for pupils, she added.
Both Elmbridge high schools run feeder systems, meaning children not in catchment areas miss out, especially if they do not attend designated primaries.
Claygate mum Donna Galea, whose 11-year-old daughter will now attend Epsom and Ewell High School, condemned the idea that children who miss out on places would face a “one and a half hour journey” to school.
said: “All her friends will be placed in a different area, she will be the girl travelling alone at night to a village that’s quite dark. There’s other ramifications that the council haven’t taken into account whatsoever.
“They’re not commuters, it’s not their choice. I don’t think it’s fair to expect 11-year-olds to undertake a journey I wouldn’t domyself.”
Mrs Galea also criticised the catchment area, which allows students living in Kingston to go to Elmbridge schools. Esher and Walton MP Dominic Raab said there was “considerable long-term pressure across Surrey”.
He said: “There is clearly a disproportionate amount of pressure in Elmbridge by 2025, compared to any other borough, so I would expect the county Council to look at how to address that now.”
The ElmWey Learning Trust submitted plans for a new free school to the Department for Education earlier this month. It could house up to 900 secondary pupils from September 2019 at a base between Walton and Molesey.
Rydens Enterprise School in Walton is also seeing a form expansion.
2015
- It is RESOLVED that the council nominate a representative to a committee to be established by Claygate Primary School to explore community use of the school swimming pool. AGREED unanimously. (10SEP15)
- AP 33 Done. Next Steps on potential use of swimming pool for community are in the hands of Claygate Primary School. (12NOV15)
- Decision-making process lies with governors of school and SCC. Require outdoor changing room, toilets and lifeguards — meaning a substantial financial commitment. It was noted that Sport England may provide support as well as CPC. However, the onus is on the school. An important consideration is the depth of the pool. (3DEC15)
- The Chairman expressed his thanks to Cllr Shearman who has been dealing with the question of whether the Claygate School swimming pool can be made available for use by the community. Darryl Taylor has requested a meeting with the Parish Council. Cllrs Shearman and Sugden will follow up. (9JUL15)
- Cllr Sugden referred to the proposal to construct a tarmac multi-use games area (MUGA) with fencing surround at Claygate Primary School. An application has been made to SCC Planning & Development Group and is awaiting approval. Claygate Parish Council Planning Committee has no objection to the construction and siting of the MUGA. Cllr Sugden will respond. (23JUL15)
- Claygate Primary School planning proposal to construct a MUGA. The Parish Council has no objection to the construction and siting. Cllr Sugden will respond. Cllr Sugden was not in attendance. (13AUG15)
