COUNCIL chiefs have met to ensure they can meet the increased demand for school places in Warwickshire.
Warwickshire County Council’s (WCC) Cabinet gave its approval to the annual school places sufficiency report at a meeting on Thursday November 10.
And from next year there will be even more places available thanks to significant expansions at schools across the county.
The school sufficiency statement sets out the number of school places available at both primary and secondary level.
It details out how many places are available this year and compares it to the number expected to be required over subsequent years up until 2028.
With growth in secondary pupil numbers expected across much of the county, WCC Cabinet noted that extensive proposals to expand provision at existing schools, and to develop new schools, will ensure all young people in the county have access to education.
The future proposals outlined in the update would be in addition to the significant investment that has already been made in recent years to increase school places in Warwickshire, including expansion at Stratford School, Shipston High School, Kenilworth School, Etone Collage in Nuneaton and The Queen Elizabeth Academy in Atherstone.
Alongside this, Warwickshire has seen the new Houlton School open in Rugby and will welcome the opening of Oakley School in Warwick/Leamington in September 2023.
Coun Kam Kaur, WCC’s spokesperson for education, said: “At Warwickshire County Council the educational attainment of the county’s children and young people is a key priority for us. Supporting us towards this aspiration, I am thankful to say, is the fact that Warwickshire is a county that boasts so many schools that have been rated as Good or Outstanding by Ofsted.
“This report is really positive as it demonstrates that, despite rapidly changing demographics and need for school places at both Primary and Secondary Level that we can continue to be a county that ensures its children and young people have access to a school and the education that they deserve.”
Coun Peter Butlin, WCC Deputy Leader,, added: “Despite the expected increasing demand for secondary school places over the next six years, we are confident that Warwickshire is prepared through the prudent use of existing buildings and new builds, supported by our Capital Investment Fund, where required will ensure that we stay ahead of the game and ensure children do not go without a school place.”
