A “surge” in demand for secondary school places across Liverpool could continue for another five years as Liverpool Council warns of a lack of space.
More than 5,400 people across the city applied for a year 7 place this year, an increase of 180 on 12 months previous. With projections indicating a shortfall in places for the start of the new year, city council documents have assessed the impact on the wider education sector.
Officials have also warned that a large demand for places in primary schools years previous could continue through secondary schools until at least 2028.
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A report analysing the latest intake, to be discussed by the local authority’s education, skills and employment committee on Tuesday, said as Liverpool Council now only controls three of the city’s 29 secondary schools, it has no powers to make free schools, academies or voluntary aided schools expand to meet demand. It added: “This has provided a unique set of challenges.”
This included a delay to a new free school - due to open last September - which “would have provided much needed capacity” but was pushed back to 2024. The document said: “The council therefore had to work closely with our schools, academies and multi academy trusts to create the additional places that were required.”
As a result, 65 permanent places across the three schools were created for the new school year, with a further 197 temporary places were created across 18 other sites. Another 66 permanent places in three schools/academies for next year have also been confirmed.
It is hoped the opening of the new free school will provide 210 places next year, as well as another site in 2026. However, this may not be enough, warns the report.
It said: “While forecasts indicate the extra 341 permanent places that have been created since 2022 will address need for September 2024, they will not be sufficient for 2025-2028. Regard must also be given to the recently announced approval of a new free school scheduled to open in 2026.
“However, the council cannot account for those additional places in the immediate plan and must consider alternatives until the opening of the school is guaranteed.”
In this year’s admissions, a third of residents expressed a preference for just five schools; Liverpool College, Archbishop Beck, St Edward’s College, North Liverpool Academy and The Belvedere Academy. More than two thirds of parents were allocated their child’s first preference, compared to 82% nationally while 10% did not receive a preferred offer.
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