- First images of ‘new’ Riverside pool site unveiled
- Residents thanked for hospice generosity
- New grants to promote energy efficiency
- Station redevelopment plans approved
- Christmas waste and recycling collections
- Schools top national results tables
- Christmas and new year opening hours
- One step closer to ‘Achieving for Children’
- Borough’s bloomers praised by Mayor
- Residents asked about future plan for Twickenham
- Listening to Twickenham businesses
- Richmond calls for Government action on metal theft
- Robo-Attack at the Riverside Gallery
- Keep safe this Christmas
- Riverside jewel to be borough's latest open space
- Council with community at its heart
- Christmas cheer for older residents
- Crane Park Christmas present for residents
- Borough on the way to recovery
- Children with autism get special screening at Richmond Cinema
- Hampton families invited for sneak preview at new family centre
- Rocking at the Urban Christmas Carol
- Mr Marc Cranfield Adams
- Deck the Halls with the Garden Gang
- Residents invited to create local anthology about Barnes
- High quality secondary education for all
- Attention! Kneller Hall available for weddings
Release Date: 02/12/2011
High quality secondary education for all
Richmond’s Cabinet confirmed its commitment to providing high quality secondary education for all its residents last week, outlining its proposals on how it will provide sufficient high quality school places, establish sixth forms and support free schools.
In considering a report at last Thursday’s Cabinet meeting, members endorsed the plans to support the expansion of secondary capacity over the next five to seven years, even though the borough currently has spare capacity of more than 200 places in Year 7. The plans allow for provision of secondary places to in-borough residents to rise from approximately 970 today to over 1,700 if demand rises to that level.
To address this, the Council outlined multiple ways in which secondary capacity will expand over this period. These include: expansion within the Council’s five maintained schools on top of the addition of sixth forms, continuing to support the establishment of a Catholic secondary school in Twickenham, and support the multiple free-school applications being made in the borough, expansion in neighbouring boroughs, and if the establishment of a new community secondary, if required in or around 2016.
The Council is also working with secondary schools on the feasibility of introducing sixth forms, possibly as soon as September 2013, and is supporting schools that are working towards converting to academy status.
Cllr Paul Hodgins, Richmond Council Cabinet Member for Schools, said: “This Council is committed to increasing secondary school capacity, quality and choice for our residents. Whilst I acknowledge there is a lot of debate over the proposed Catholic secondary, we are preparing to expand our overall secondary system. There are many variables involved, and we will have to keep on top of it year after year. Timing of new capacity is important if it is to be successful, and we must continue to work to continue improving the quality of all places throughout our system. Capacity and quality must come together.
“Earlier this year we also carried out a consultation regarding the possible introduction of sixth forms. The results yielded a thumbs-up from students and parents, demonstrating their support for expanding the range of post-16 provision in the borough.
“We also have to consider the impact of free schools in the borough. Whilst it is difficult to gauge how these will affect our secondary school places, we will continue to be supportive of any applications that the Secretary of State approves – broadening the choice for parents.
“Improving secondary education within the borough is one of the most important priorities for this administration and indeed potentially the one that will cause the most discussion amongst residents. We will continue to work with schools, parents and governors to ensure that as our secondary schools improve, we are able to provide places in them for our children.”
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