Classrooms are half empty at several Kent schools

by political editor Paul Francis

Five secondary schools in the county have more than half of their available places for new pupils vacant, according to county council figures.

A further five have 40% of their places available for Year 7 pupils unfilled.

But at the same time, more than a third of schools have taken in more pupils than they have available places for.

Of these 28, nine are academies and 13 are grammar schools.

Data from Kent County Council has revealed wide variations in the intake of Year 7 pupils across the county's 99 secondary schools.

It will prompt concerns that those with more empty desks could struggle to survive in the long term.

At the same time, the figures suggest the growing number of academies, which control their own admissions and are independent, is making it more difficult for the education authority to plan provision.

According to the figures, the five schools with the highest number of unfilled places are: The Marlowe Academy in Ramsgate (34% of places taken); High Weald Academy (38%), Walmer Science College, Deal (40%); Hextable School (45%) and Pent Valley Technology College (48%).

Those other schools with more than 40% of places unfilled as at September last year are: The Community College, Whitstable; The Chaucer Technology College, Canterbury; Dover Christ Church Academy; Meopham School, Gravesend and New Line Learning, Maidstone.

Kent County Council has downplayed the significance of the figures, but
acknowledged planning to ensure there was not a high number of unfilled
places was more difficult.

Cllr Mike Whiting (Con), cabinet member for education and pictured right, said: "It is a very different landscape in planning terms. In the old days, we had complete control over planning places.

"Now we are in a situation where rightly the government wants to see popular schools expand and not have their intake kept low. The problem is that academies set their own admissions."

Cllr Martin Vye, Liberal Democrat education spokesman, said the government was making it impossible for the council to do its job as schools got greater freedom.

"The county council has a duty to ensure standards improve but if schools are not under our control, it is very much more difficult. That is something the government has to sort out.

"We should have more clout to intervene. If a successful academy school wants to expand there is nothing we can do about it."

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