THE IMPACT OF POPULATION
GROWTH IN WEST KENT
It is expected that the population of the Sevenoaks area will continue to grow as new residential housing developments become available. We have therefore examined below the impact of a growing population on the provision of grammar school places in West Kent.
The Expansion Of Grammar School Places
Q: Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, said last week that it is “absolutely fine” for grammar school places to expand in West Kent due to the significant increase in population there. By how much will the population of West Kent grow, and how many extra grammar school places will be needed to take account of this growth?
A: In October 2011, Kent County Council (“KCC”) published its projections for population growth in each Kent district*. In relation to Sevenoaks district, and the three nearby districts where Sevenoaks district children attend grammar schools (Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Dartford), KCC predict that by 2018 there will be 1,700** more children aged 10 and 11 years. This means that 850 extra secondary school places will be needed at West Kent schools per academic year by 2018.
Approximately 35%*** of West Kent children pass the 11 plus exam and are therefore entitled to grammar school places. Consequently, by 2018, approximately 300 extra grammar school places will be needed in West Kent to take account of the predicted population growth. 300 extra grammar school places is equivalent to 10 extra classrooms of pupils per academic year; or 70 extra classrooms for all academic years. This is too large an increase for the existing West Kent grammar schools to cater for via expansion at their existing sites.
The only practical solution is for a grammar school to be established on a new site with plenty of space available for expansion. The (shortly to be vacant) Wildernesse school site in Sevenoaks would appear to be the only suitable location large enough to accommodate the extra grammar school places needed to take account of this population growth.
The problems caused by explosive population growth in West Kent is also being felt at primary schools in Tunbridge Wells and Kings Hill (part of Tonbridge and Malling district), as well across the border in Sussex, as the articles below explain:-
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Primary-places-pressure/story-15051839-detail/story.html
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/village-facing-breaking-point/story-12016846-detail/story.html
http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/Tunbridge-Wells-primary-places-pressure/story-15042873-detail/story.html
http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/East-Grinstead-primaries-make-room-baby-boom/story-15295498-detail/story.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103682/Primary-school-classes-taught-sheds-converted-shops-rising-birth-rate-immigration-increase-demand-places.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
*http://www.kent.gov.uk/your_council/kent_facts_and_figures/population_and_census/population_forecasts.aspx
**According to KCC, in 2012, there are a total of 10,500 children aged 10 and 11 in the districts of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Dartford. In 2018, KCC are predicting that there will be 12,200 children aged 10 and 11 in those districts, an increase of 1,700 children (or 16%).
***In 2010/11, 50% Sevenoaks town children passed the 11 plus exam. For Kent as a whole, the figure was 28%. (There are 10 state primary schools that serve children from Sevenoaks town (Amherst, Weald, Sevenoaks, St Thomas', Chevening, Otford, Lady Boswell's, Dunton Green, Seal and St John's). In 2010/11, these schools had 337 pupils in year 6, and 167 (50%) of these children passed the 11 plus exam).
Alleviating The Stress Of The Appeals Process
Q: How will a growing population impact on the grammar school places appeals process, something that is already very stressful for young children?
A: At present, due to the shortage of grammar school places in West Kent, many Sevenoaks area children who pass the 11 plus exam are not offered grammar school places when the initial allocations are made on 1st March every year. In many cases, these children are required to go through a stressful appeals process in order to be offered the grammar school places they deserve. This process can take many months, and in some cases can run up to (and beyond) the beginning of the academic year on 1st September.
This process, together with the uncertainty of outcome, can prove extremely stressful for young children and their parents. Furthermore, this problem will get much worse as the population of West Kent grows, creating an even greater shortage of grammar school places, meaning that many more 10 and 11 year old children will suffer unnecessarily.
A non-super selective Sevenoaks grammar school would eliminate this problem by ensuring that there are adequate local grammar school places available, meaning that all local children who pass the 11 plus exam would immediately be offered a grammar school place on 1st March every year.
The current shortage of grammar school places in West Kent also causes problems for the only secondary school currently located in Sevenoaks, the non-selective Knole Academy. On 1st March each year, many Sevenoaks area children who pass the 11 plus exam are offered places at The Knole Academy, much to their disappointment. However, several months later, as an outcome of the appeals process, these children are often awarded grammar schools places, and therefore they decline their places at The Knole Academy.
According to The Knole Academy head teacher, this causes significant problems for her school. This is because the school finds itself unable to plan for its new intake of pupils until a very late stage because it does not know the number of pupils to be admitted, and therefore how many teachers will need to be employed, how many classes will be required, and what the lessons timetable will be.
A non-super selective Sevenoaks grammar school would eliminate this problem by ensuring that there are adequate local grammar school places available, meaning that all local children who pass the 11 plus exam and choose a selective school would immediately be offered a grammar school place on 1st March every year, and would never be offered a place at The Knole Academy. The Knole Academy would then know at an early stage the number of new pupils that it would be admitting, and it would therefore be able to plan with confidence the number of new teachers and classes required.
Links to articles featuring Sevenoaks area children who passed the 11 plus exam but were not offered appropriate grammar school places when the initial allocations were made are below:-
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Grammar-lottery-victim-100-mile-round-trip-school/story-12020033-detail/story.html
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/School-places-farce-hits-twins/story-11986568-detail/story.html
It is expected that the population of the Sevenoaks area will continue to grow as new residential housing developments become available. We have therefore examined below the impact of a growing population on the provision of grammar school places in West Kent.
The Expansion Of Grammar School Places
Q: Michael Gove, the Education Secretary, said last week that it is “absolutely fine” for grammar school places to expand in West Kent due to the significant increase in population there. By how much will the population of West Kent grow, and how many extra grammar school places will be needed to take account of this growth?
A: In October 2011, Kent County Council (“KCC”) published its projections for population growth in each Kent district*. In relation to Sevenoaks district, and the three nearby districts where Sevenoaks district children attend grammar schools (Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Dartford), KCC predict that by 2018 there will be 1,700** more children aged 10 and 11 years. This means that 850 extra secondary school places will be needed at West Kent schools per academic year by 2018.
Approximately 35%*** of West Kent children pass the 11 plus exam and are therefore entitled to grammar school places. Consequently, by 2018, approximately 300 extra grammar school places will be needed in West Kent to take account of the predicted population growth. 300 extra grammar school places is equivalent to 10 extra classrooms of pupils per academic year; or 70 extra classrooms for all academic years. This is too large an increase for the existing West Kent grammar schools to cater for via expansion at their existing sites.
The only practical solution is for a grammar school to be established on a new site with plenty of space available for expansion. The (shortly to be vacant) Wildernesse school site in Sevenoaks would appear to be the only suitable location large enough to accommodate the extra grammar school places needed to take account of this population growth.
The problems caused by explosive population growth in West Kent is also being felt at primary schools in Tunbridge Wells and Kings Hill (part of Tonbridge and Malling district), as well across the border in Sussex, as the articles below explain:-
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Primary-places-pressure/story-15051839-detail/story.html
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/village-facing-breaking-point/story-12016846-detail/story.html
http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/Tunbridge-Wells-primary-places-pressure/story-15042873-detail/story.html
http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/East-Grinstead-primaries-make-room-baby-boom/story-15295498-detail/story.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2103682/Primary-school-classes-taught-sheds-converted-shops-rising-birth-rate-immigration-increase-demand-places.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
*http://www.kent.gov.uk/your_council/kent_facts_and_figures/population_and_census/population_forecasts.aspx
**According to KCC, in 2012, there are a total of 10,500 children aged 10 and 11 in the districts of Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Tunbridge Wells and Dartford. In 2018, KCC are predicting that there will be 12,200 children aged 10 and 11 in those districts, an increase of 1,700 children (or 16%).
***In 2010/11, 50% Sevenoaks town children passed the 11 plus exam. For Kent as a whole, the figure was 28%. (There are 10 state primary schools that serve children from Sevenoaks town (Amherst, Weald, Sevenoaks, St Thomas', Chevening, Otford, Lady Boswell's, Dunton Green, Seal and St John's). In 2010/11, these schools had 337 pupils in year 6, and 167 (50%) of these children passed the 11 plus exam).
Alleviating The Stress Of The Appeals Process
Q: How will a growing population impact on the grammar school places appeals process, something that is already very stressful for young children?
A: At present, due to the shortage of grammar school places in West Kent, many Sevenoaks area children who pass the 11 plus exam are not offered grammar school places when the initial allocations are made on 1st March every year. In many cases, these children are required to go through a stressful appeals process in order to be offered the grammar school places they deserve. This process can take many months, and in some cases can run up to (and beyond) the beginning of the academic year on 1st September.
This process, together with the uncertainty of outcome, can prove extremely stressful for young children and their parents. Furthermore, this problem will get much worse as the population of West Kent grows, creating an even greater shortage of grammar school places, meaning that many more 10 and 11 year old children will suffer unnecessarily.
A non-super selective Sevenoaks grammar school would eliminate this problem by ensuring that there are adequate local grammar school places available, meaning that all local children who pass the 11 plus exam would immediately be offered a grammar school place on 1st March every year.
The current shortage of grammar school places in West Kent also causes problems for the only secondary school currently located in Sevenoaks, the non-selective Knole Academy. On 1st March each year, many Sevenoaks area children who pass the 11 plus exam are offered places at The Knole Academy, much to their disappointment. However, several months later, as an outcome of the appeals process, these children are often awarded grammar schools places, and therefore they decline their places at The Knole Academy.
According to The Knole Academy head teacher, this causes significant problems for her school. This is because the school finds itself unable to plan for its new intake of pupils until a very late stage because it does not know the number of pupils to be admitted, and therefore how many teachers will need to be employed, how many classes will be required, and what the lessons timetable will be.
A non-super selective Sevenoaks grammar school would eliminate this problem by ensuring that there are adequate local grammar school places available, meaning that all local children who pass the 11 plus exam and choose a selective school would immediately be offered a grammar school place on 1st March every year, and would never be offered a place at The Knole Academy. The Knole Academy would then know at an early stage the number of new pupils that it would be admitting, and it would therefore be able to plan with confidence the number of new teachers and classes required.
Links to articles featuring Sevenoaks area children who passed the 11 plus exam but were not offered appropriate grammar school places when the initial allocations were made are below:-
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/Grammar-lottery-victim-100-mile-round-trip-school/story-12020033-detail/story.html
http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/School-places-farce-hits-twins/story-11986568-detail/story.html
