Primary school places: £22 million school expansion plan announced

Enfield Council is urging residents to have their say on a multi-million pound school expansion programme launched in response to the borough's rapidly increasing primary age population.

The consultation on the project, which aims to provide an extra 2,400 primary school places in 11 schools over the next six years, will finish on October 31. Most of the building work will be completed by September next year.

Cllr Ayfer Orhan, cabinet member for children and young people, said: "We are running out of primary school places and we have a duty to provide our pupils with high-quality education in safe, secure and good facilities.

"This £22 million project will provide hundreds of extra primary school places in the areas they are most needed and improve our educational facilities ahead of the 2013 school year.

"We want parents and our partners to tell us what they think of the proposals so Enfield Council can be sure we get this project right and provide enough school places for Enfield's pupils for years to come.

"We need to accommodate the expected increase in primary school places so we can address parent's concerns that their children don't have to travel excessive distances to school."

People can complete the consultation here: Primary School Places Consultation

Enfield Council has been working with schools for a number of weeks to identify the schools most suitable for expansion and ensure that the extra provision is placed in the areas with the greatest shortage of places.

Enfield Council will also continue to work with sponsors of new secondary schools to cope with the demand due to be created by a burgeoning primary school population.

• Did you have problems getting your child a place at primary school this year? Do you think the expansion plan will work? Let us know your experience or opinion in the comment box below.