Extra funding for Bristol schools announced this week shows the government recognises the city’s chronic need for school places, the council leader has said.
Yesterday it emerged the city will receive a further £22.8million funding to create more new primary places.
The additional funding for 2012-13 follows £19million already allocated by Government, and an £18.3m emergency fund for this financial year.
It is estimated that the city needs an extra 3,000 primary school places by 2015. Over the last four years, there has been a 20% increase in the number of children starting school in the city – one of the biggest increases in school population anywhere in the country.
“The fact that we have received the highest amount for any local authority outside London shows how the Government has recognised Bristol’s acute need for more school place funding,” said council leader Barbara Janke.
“This is testament to the strong case that we, together with all our city’s MPs, have made to the Department [of Education] ministers.
“The Government’s overall funding – together with our extra £20 million from the Investing in Bristol’s Future package – will mean that we can continue our ambitious investment programme to fund additional primary places across the city.
“We already have plans in place to create an extra 370 reception places for next September and are looking at opportunities to support additional places for next school year and beyond.”
