As parents desperately try to get their child into their local school, many local authorities are turning to unusual methods to ensure there are enough places available.
Many of you may be thinking that an extra mobile building will be added on the school playing field, but that is far from what local authorities have in mind. Instead, many councils are turning to unused commercial properties on the high street to teach children. Buildings which used to house the likes of Woolworths and Game could soon be teaching your child his or her times tables and joined up handwriting this term.
Local authorities are legally bound to try to accommodate children into their chosen school, so they are turning to these unused buildings as an emergency solution for hundreds of children. Other popular buildings that local authorities are using are offices, bingo halls, warehouses and police stations.
Speaking of the situation, Deputy Leader of Brent Council, Rocky Gill, said: “We have exhausted spaces in our schools and will continue to review the possibility of parks and open spaces, retail properties and even split shifts education.”
78,000 children are currently of primary school age, which is biggest rise in the numbers of primary school children for the last ten years. According to official figures from the Government, around 23,000 children missed out on a place at their chosen school this year and the situation is only going to get worse over the next ten years as the Government predicts than an extra one million school places will be needed.
Is your child being taught in a make-shift classroom? Or did your child miss out completely on a place at your chosen school? Share your stories with us below.
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