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Holborn & St. Pancras Secondary School Campaign 23/01/06 Supporting material to Camden Council deputation (Statistics based on 2001 census- all figures are approximate) The shortage of secondary school places in Camden The LEA acknowledges that by 2010 there will be a shortfall of between 45 and 120 secondary school places borough-wide. As of this moment there is already an urgent need for a local secondary school south of the Euston Rd. Wards of Kings X, Bloomsbury, Holborn & Covent Garden total population 31,000 : Number of secondary schools 0. The sustainability of this community is threatened by the lack of local secondary school provision. What local people want the council to provide is a local, mixed, non -denominational community school south of the Euston Rd There are approximately 262 children of Secondary School application age (Y6) living in the three wards of Holborn & Covent Garden, Bloomsbury and Kings Cross (planning area 5). If we assume, based on a borough wide average, that 78% of these require a state maintained place, the figure is 204. This is the number looking for a secondary school for just 2006. The published catchment radius of South Camden Comuunity School (SSCS) is 0.793 miles from the school, which takes in approximately 50 of those children. This means that in these 3 wards 154 children A YEAR are living outside the catchment area of ANY Camden Secondary School (this number is equivalent to a 5 form entry secondary school). The Primary Situation Local primaries (Christopher Hatton, St Albans, St George The Martyr, Argyle and St Joseph’s) are oversubscribed and their own catchments shrink south, away from SCCS each year. They are already being asked to expand to meet existing need. We know from Camden’s own figures that last year at least 86 children went out of borough to secondary school from this area, but our understanding is that these figures include only those who apply through Camden’s transfer system. Very large numbers of local children are already having go out of borough for primary school places, due to local shortage at that level, and are therefore applying through other LEA’s. For each local family you speak to you will hear of another family that has moved out of the area because of the lack of secondary provision. Children who have grown up together are separated. The effect on the community is deeply destructive and this lack of provision for our children deeply unfair. What else is available locally? There is nothing locally and our nearest out of borough schools are oversubscribed. In this area, the nearest Secondary Schools outside Camden are the Elizabeth Garrett Anderson (Islington, girls only, approximately a half mile outside Camden); Central Foundation (Islington, boys only, approx 1 mile outside Camden); and The London Nautical School (Lambeth, boys only, approx half a mile outside Camden). Both Central Foundation and The London Nautical operate a banding selection process. Westminster schools prioritise children from Westminster primaries, and our closest is St. Marylebone ( C of E, girls) which, on top of this, prioritises those attending St Marylebone church above all other church goers. On our Southern boundary we have the city of London (which has no state secondaries) Expanding South Camden Community School Our understanding is that the executive for schools sees the expansion of existing provision at SCCS as an alternative to a new school in this area. Once the new Primary School in the Kings Cross redevelopment (about half a mile from SCCS) opens (intake 60 children per year), and taking into account the population increase, SCCS's catchment area will effectively shrink to the Euston Road. If South Camden were then to double in size, to an intake of 360 children a year, its catchment radius would only increase by 0.41 of that radius* (assuming an even distribution of children per square mile). This means that it would be back at its current position. Given the SCCS site, doubling its intake is unlikely to be an option, (and is a radical expansion really the best thing for SCCS anyway?) Expansion of SCCS may be economical for the needs of its immediate community, but will in no way affect the plight of the community south of Euston Rd as we will always be outside the catchment area. It comes down to numbers and distance. This is not about choice. A good local school for every child A local secondary school was actually built on Grays Inn Rd in the 1960's but, because of projections that central London would soon empty of families, it was considered surplus, was sold, and became Kingsway College. It is ironic that the building is still there and that the number of under sixteens living in Camden, south of Euston Road now stands at 4217. What about a site? It has often been said that there is nowhere to build a school in this area. We know this is not true. We have been doing the council’s job by researching possible sites. In the face of such a clear need, Camden must provide a site in the area which needs it. This community must not be deprived of essential facilities because of the price of land. It is this community, not the soil itself, which makes this a great area to live and work in. We are not a wealthy community but our children should be valued as highly as children anywhere. Objectives of this campaign We want the council to recognise and act upon this urgent need We want a community based, mixed non-denominational secondary school We want to work with Camden council as our elected representatives We want a commitment from Camden LEA to include plans for the creation of a new school south of the Euston Rd in its revised bid for “Building Schools for the Future” funds We want a full appraisal by Camden of any possible sites in the area |