Monitoring school attendance
The Education White Paper is likely to add another priority to the School Places and Planning sub-group around tracking pupil attendance, members learnt at their meeting of 27th April 2022. More details of the exact responsibilities will be forthcoming from the DfE shortly.
The number of applications for Bexley school places are still rising, unlike most inner London boroughs, with 2,878 (2,813) on-time primary applications received. More than 90% of year six children received their first preference secondary school on Primary National Offer day, with 99% of children receiving one of their top three preferences.
For the coming academic year, 324 of the 444 vacancies in the borough will be mothballed to save costs to the affected schools. Most of the vacancies are in the north of the borough, where the Thamesmead housing development is behind schedule.
In terms of special needs places, members also learnt that Cornerstone School will open in its new building from September 2022 and that TKAT, via Shenstone School, will be adding up to 20 PMLD and SLD secondary school places. This will complement the current offer at Marlborough School and will provide for the younger children who attend Shenstone School as a result of earlier expansion to its primary provision.
To date 31 Ukrainian pupils have applied to join Bexley schools, although not through the Homes for Ukraine scheme, and the Local Authority has shared DfE guidance with schools.
