Plans to expand primary school in worst borough for pupil places

Blocks: the scheme includes Kensington and Chelsea’s first special needs school
Isobel Frodsham20 April 2018

Plans have been approved to build a new primary in the borough with the worst record on school places for four-year-olds this year.

Kensington & Chelsea council is to demolish Barlby Primary in North Kensington in stages to make way for a school much bigger in size. The school will remain open during the work.

The new buildings would include the borough’s first special needs school and would cater for 530 pupils, a rise on the 368 children there now. Eighty places will be at the special school and 30 will be available as part of the new nursery.

But the application sparked concern among some residents, who said the bigger school would lead to traffic congestion and noise pollution. They also claim the design — replacing single-storey buildings with three- and four-storey blocks — is not in keeping with the nearby conservation area.

According to the plans, the site in Barlby Road will increase from just under 33,000 sq ft to 64,000 sq ft.

The council’s planning committee unanimously approved the application. There were seven objections.

The Standard revealed this week that 68 per cent of children in Kensington & Chelsea got their first choice primary school for September — the lowest proportion in London.

Speaking after the planning meeting, Barlby’s headteacher Anthony Mannix said the demand for school places — particularly for those with additional needs — was “very much an issue”.

“Our primary school is heavily oversubscribed, therefore not all parents are getting their first choice because they want us as their first choice,” he said.

“Parents of children in the Kensington and Chelsea don’t have a special school to send their children to. Currently, children in this borough have to travel elsewhere. This proposal is providing those parents with a special school.”

But resident Mary Cleary, who lives in Barlby Gardens, said: “People have to be educated and there is a need for a special needs school. But the site isn’t big enough.”

A council spokesman said: “There is growing demand for a local special school as the number of children with autism continues to increase and currently many children have to travel out of the borough to receive specialist education.” He added: “We want to work with those who may have concerns.”

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