News from Westminster Labour

Westminster parents left scrabbling for primary school places

Primary schools crisis hits North Westminster as parents search for reception class places for their children. Conservatives fail to get their sums correct and provide for an increased number of children.

North Westminster primary schools are in crisis, again, as the Conservative-run Council has once again failed to plan for enough places for primary school children.

Alerted by parents who had failed to get a primary school reception class place for their children, Labour Leader Paul Dimoldenberg asked the Head of Schools, Angela Drizi for an explanation for this unsatisfactory state of affairs.

Ms Drizi told Councillor Dimoldenberg: “In terms of availability of reception class places in North Westminster you are correct in surmising that there is a current shortfall of places in North Westminster this year. We have had a rise in applications to Westminster schools in reception this year and this may be a trend that is set to continue. Therefore, we are currently working with a number of schools to temporarily increase their size for reception to ensure we have sufficient places to meet the extra needs this September whilst working on a long term strategy to address this issue in the north of the borough. Negotiations are still taking place with a number of schools but I hope to be in a position to confirm where the extra places will be next week as we are aware that a number of parents are very anxious to have arrangements confirmed and the end of term is fast approaching.”

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said: “Why has the Council again failed to plan ahead for the increase in school-age children? This last minute scramble to provide school places could have been avoided if the Council had taken education more seriously. Education has a very low priority with Westminster Conservatives and by merging the Education Department with Hammersmith & Fulham Council to save an estimated £2.5 million a year the situation will get worse not better.”

“Westminster Conservatives have let down parents and their children in North Westminster. Parents are entitled to a full explanation and an apology from the Conservatives for this basic failure to provide enough recepti

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