Borough gets £63m from Government to tackle school place shortage (From Croydon Guardian)

Croydon gets £63m from Government to tackle school place shortage

10:11am Wednesday 6th March 2013 in News By Chris Baynes, Reporter

Croydon will receive more cash than any other borough in the country to fund a building programme for desperately needed school places.

The Government is to provide a bumper £63m to help pay for £163m of school expansions and improvements in the borough over the next two years.

The council is planning to create 25 new primary classes by 2014, which will eventually provide 750 new places in every year group.

An additional 17 one-year bulge classes will add spaces for a further 510 pupils.

There are also plans to introduce 12 classes at two new secondary schools, as the council strives to cope with a rapidly growing demand.

Current estimates suggest Croydon’s school-age population will rise from 52,000 today, to 66,000 in 2017 - a surge of around 28 per cent.

The £63m government funding package is £20m more than those offered to authorities in Manchester and Kent.

Councillor Tim Pollard, cabinet member for children, families and learning, said: "This is exceptionally good news for Croydon taxpayers.

"It doesn’t mean that we can be extravagant, but it does mean that we can create enough good-quality school places to meet demand without putting undue burden on local taxpayers."