Kingston primary latest in temporary classroom bid (From Epsom Guardian)

Kingston primary school seventh to apply for temporary classroom

7:30am Saturday 26th May 2012 in News By Nazia Dewji, Reporter

St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School

A seventh primary school has applied for a temporary classroom.

Last week St Joseph’s Catholic Primary School in Kingston applied to put up a temporary classroom building for seven years.

If the application is successful the school will become the seventh primary school in the borough to have a temporary classroom on its site.

Last year five temporary classes were set up to cope with the demand for school places in the borough and this year the figure has already begun to rocket. And in the past five academic years there have been 36 temporary primary classrooms put up.

Councillor Andrea Craig said: “If the administration had planned better and responded quicker we would not be where we are now.

“I have huge concerns about bulge classes.

“When are we going to see the end of these?”

It is believed the primary schools crisis was started by the rising birth rate and a drop in children going to private schools in the area.

The issue became particularly prevalent after 212 children initially failed to get into any of their first three choice primary schools in 2008 and seven temporary classrooms had to be put up.

This year, to deal with the growing number of children in the borough, Kingston Council will introduce a further 180 reception places for children at the start of the academic year in September.

Councillor Liz Green said: “We are meeting the demands. We are providing a place for every Kingston pupil that needs one and have been doing that for a number of years.

"The temporary classrooms have all the facilities a normal classroom has and it does not affect the child’s learning at all.”