bulge classes

[oimissus]

does anyone have any idea when the council are going to announce which primaries are bulging for 2014? I know it's in December sometime. Thought I'd start a thread rather than just PM Renata or James as I know lots of us will be interested to know!

thanks

[nunheadmum]

Ivydale has already announced that it won't be taking a bulge class in 2014. Not sure if the details of which schools are taking one has been decided.

[simonethebeaver]

I've been told that Goodrich definitely isn't. I don't know how likely that could be to change though!

[Mae]

When did ivydale announce that as I was at an open day a couple of weeks ago and the head teacher said they couldn't say they would or wouldn't be at this point....

[oimissus]

if the council tell them they have to, then unless they have a fabulously good reason not to, they don't have any choice in the matter! Fairlawn had to bulge last year, despite only having one hall for all assemblies, lunches and games. They don't want to again but the head said if they were told to again this year, they didn't have any choice not to.

That may only be the case for community schools, I know church schools can be asked but they don't have to.

[rachel83]

How can a school be forced to bulge if there simply isn't space for the extra students (assemblies, playtime, lunch etc)?

[James Barber]

Hi oimissus,

Not strictly true.

An education authority such as Southwark Council can tell schools its responsible to expand against the wishes of the head and governing body. But it can't direct academies or free schools which don't report to local education authorities.

We'll have the East Dulwich Harris Free Primary school opening Sept 2015. This will provide 60 additional places. But Southwark Council have decided, as they did with the Judith Kerr before it opened, not to include this school in its admissions process. This time round Judith Kerr and its 50 places are in the admission process.

So we've seen 110 extra places go into the system locally in a relatively short space of time. This should take the building pressure for this round.

Hi rachel83,

Hopefully we won't get to that stage. But they can be. The schools that bulged over the last few years often returned a former classroom from being used an ICT suite of music room to a classroom. In the case of ICT suits they've been replaced with trolleys of laptops and iPads taken to classrooms.

[oimissus]

that's why I said this may be only for community schools - that doesn't include free schools or academies, does it?

[Grotty]

DKH took a bulge this year on the agreement that they got extra funding for a new building/reception area. So schools can benefit in the long-run from a one-off bulge...

[nunheadmum]

Mae - Ivydale announced it in the last school newsletter, now on their website. I expect the headteacher didn't know for sure at the time of the open day.