A group of parents has formed Sevenoaks Action for Community Education (ACE) which will work to ensure Sevenoaks has sufficient secondary school places that meet the needs of the community. We are a group with a wide range of views on secondary education. We wish to work for the benefit of the whole community and welcome interested people from all parts of the Sevenoaks area, and with all perspectives to join us. Whether you support the Knole Academy, a Grammar School, a Christian Free School, Comprehensive education or something else entirely we want to ensure your voice is heard. We are collecting thoughts in our short survey here
New figures from Kent County Council show that by the time children currently in Reception in the Sevenoaks area leave primary school, there will be a shortfall of around 180 school places in secondary schools. KCC has a duty to provide more school places for the children of Sevenoaks. If this does not happen children could be allocated places at schools as far away as Folkestone.
Even without this increase, over the next 7 years, thousands of our children will go to school outside the Sevenoaks area. How would you feel if your child had to:
• Commute for 1.5 hours each day
• Start their day at 7:30am and not be home until 6:00pm
• Continue with homework once they arrive home
• Have little opportunity to get to local activities and maintain friendships
This is what happens to the majority of Sevenoaks children at the age of 11.
In 2011/12 495 children will finish primary school in the Sevenoaks area. There are only 240 Secondary school places in the same area. Families like you are forced to send your children elsewhere. Is this what you want for your child?
We need more secondary school places in the Sevenoaks area. A range of new school places will be required. KCC has already acknowledged that they are looking into how to increase the number of secondary school places in Sevenoaks for the growing population. This is a fantastic opportunity for Sevenoaks.
As a community we have a unique opportunity to have a say in what type of school places are created.
Together we can do so if we really want to. We can make this better for our children.
Your views as parents and carers of our children are crucial to this process. We can then plan to resolve the problem.
Later this year we plan to conduct a survey to find out this information. Participate in the research! Please return the planned survey so your views can be taken into account. To help prepare for this survey we would like to know about the things you like and dislike about the current secondary school provision - have your say here
For further information contact:
info @ sevenoaksace.org
Like us on facebook: www.facebook.com/sevenoaksace
Follow us on twitter:@sevenoaksace
Join our mailing list
NOTE: Numbers of children leaving school based on KCC figures from the South Sevenoaks state schools which include Amherst, Chevening St Botolph's,Crockham Hill, Dunton Green Primary, Edenbridge, Four Elms, Halstead Community, Hever, Ide Hill,Kemsing, Lady Boswell's, Otford , Seal, Sevenoaks, Shoreham Village, St John's (Sevenoaks), St Katherine's Knockholt, St Lawrence, St Thomas' Catholic, Sundridge and Brasted , Weald Community.
Private school figures not publicly available.