HIGH SCHOOLS
Other options being explored
include expanding The Ellen Wilkinson
School for Girls, in north Ealing; and
Greenford High School.
If these initial proposals are agreed,
a wider, formal consultation will take
place in the autumn.
In addition, a report on a search
for sites to build new high schools
in Ealing and Acton is due to be
presented to the council’s cabinet for
consideration in September.
TACKLING DEMAND
Councillor Binda Rai, cabinet member
for children and young people, said:
“I believe that every child is entitled
to a good education and that means
providing them with a good school.
“The situation in London is not
to our liking, because all London
boroughs are having to deal with a
high demand for school places, with
Ealing being no exception.
“Through careful planning and
investment, Ealing has successfully met
the growing need for primary school
places and is now tackling the predicted
demand for high school places.
“In some cases, this is being done
through the expansion of existing
high schools. Here, I must thank all
“I would like to assure parents that
we are determined to provide the
best facilities and buildings for our
children and young people.”
the governing
bodies for working
positively in
partnership with
the council to expand our schools so
that, together, we are able to help
meet the need for extra places.
Councillor Rai looking at areas of demand
BUILDING THE BEST
“I would like to assure parents that we
are determined to provide the best
facilities and buildings for our children
and young people.
“When we permanently expand
a school, we don’t just add extra
classroom space; we invest in the
whole school. The primary schools
that we have permanently expanded
have benefited from new social spaces,
dining facilities and other resources.
SEARCHING FOR SITES
“However, we recognise that this
expansion programme in itself won’t
be quite enough to meet the need for
places; we are therefore also looking
to create other new high schools in
areas of high demand, as we did with
William Perkin High in Greenford,
which opened last year.
“The biggest challenge is finding
suitable sites for a school, so I am
looking forward to receiving the results
of our borough-wide site search,
later in the year. This should help to
signpost us towards land that is both
suitable and available, so we can
create more local schools. The big
increase in high school applications
isn’t expected until 2016, but we are
taking action now to ensure that we
have sufficient places for the future.”
MORE INFO
■
Visit www.ealing.gov.uk/
education
around ealing
Autumn 2014
11