'No money' to expand primary

Adam Hewitt • Published 17 Jul 2010 22:00 0 Comments

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THE freezing of a £7.8m primary school expansion will leave east Reading short of places, it has been claimed.

St John's School in Orts Road was to grow as part of a scheme boosting pupil places across the town's 'central band'.

But while Wilson Primary in the west will get its £6.2m expansion, and another £8.5m is being spent on Katesgove Primary in the centre, St John's has lost out due to slashed Government funding.

A report by Reading Borough Council's head of business transformation, Kevin McDaniel, admits: "There is a risk that the number of children requesting places will exceed capacity in September 2011 due to deferring the decision to expand St John's."

It says all schools have been told about the funding decisions, adding: "All understand, though some are unhappy with the result for their organisation."

Labour schools spokesman Cllr Jon Hartley told Reading's Cabinet last week: "It seems to be the position of this Cabinet to just wait and see. What is going to happen in east Reading? The original programme included St John's School and now it doesn't. There is a very clear risk there simply won't be provision in time, in any kind of suitable building."

He said council forecasts showed the need for places in east Reading continuing to grow, but education leader Cllr Mark Ralph said: "We did include St John's, but those same officers that you are so complimentary about improved forecasts considerably and informed me the school would have the space and facilities for this coming year."

He blamed Labour for the council having "no money" to do what it wanted. The St John's expansion was going to cost £165,000 next year, £679,000 in 2012/13, £1.89m in 2013/14 and £5.066m after that.

Headteacher Angharad Brackstone had no comment.

This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 06 Aug 10

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