School places funding report

A report from London Councils suggests London local authorities are spending £9,000 on every pupil making up for a government school places funding shortfall. While councils have strategies in place to create places, the total £1.04bn councils are spending on top of government funding is placing unprecedented pressure on council budgets. A total of 83,470 additional school places need to be created in London between 2014 and 2017. Cllr Peter John, London Councils’ Executive Member for Children’s Services, said: “Councils are pulling out all the stops to create places, but London’s rising population, particularly at school age, means they are running to stand still. The government needs to reassure worried parents and provide adequate school funding.”  Schools in Willesden are full and do not have large enough sites to expand. Despite considerable education service effort, there are WIllesden children without a school place.