Yahoo News Head of sought-after Kent grammar calls for comprehensive to reopen to meet demand from new homes
The headteacher of a sought-after Kent state boarding grammar school has called for a now-closed comprehensive to reopen nearby to ease pressure on it. Cranbrook School head David Clark believes a replacement for the failing High Weald Academy, is necessary because of the numbers of homes being built in the area.
Non-selective High Weald Academy shut nearly two years ago - but a councillor said "the numbers are just not there" to reopen it. Mr Clark's school has a capacity of 940.
Of these, 240 are fee-paying boarders but who are educated for free. Mr Clark said he hopes a new Labour government will pledge support for the selective education system - while taking a swipe at the Tories for not recognising its own shortcomings.
Read next: Parents call police after boy is followed to the shop
Read next: Fury as vandals nick head of park statue
Mr Clark, who formerly worked at an independent school, said: “We are campaigning hard here in Cranbrook for this extra secondary school. We are supporting the parish council as robustly as we possibly can to reopen a non-selective secondary school to support the Cranbrook community.”
He said a “colossal” amount of money – reportedly more than £10m – had been spent on High Weald before its eventual closure. He added: “If closing the school is the right thing to do, fine, but don’t spend money on it. That is what has really upset people, especially when they keep being told there is no money.
“Of course people are angry – these are their taxes being squandered.”
He said there is a willingness to work with Kent County Council (KCC) to “make decisions together", adding: “We will work with anyone who wants to invest in education in Cranbrook and we want to see an empowered KCC facilitate that.
“I am not underplaying the complexities of managing education in Kent but I would like to see closer partnership between schools and KCC and more decision-making locally.
“The other frustration is house building- there’s an awful lot of house building in this area. I don’t know about it being too much (building) but the fact is these are family homes being built. Where are the children of these families going to be educated?
“We’re not asking for a new school, we’re asking for a school that’s already there. That is within the realms of possibility. The building is there, parking is there and the infrastructure is there – just reopen it at a fraction of the cost. That’s what we’re asking for.”
Mr Clark hopes that should Bridget Phillipson become the new Labour secretary of state after July 4 that selective education in Kent will continue.
He added: “We hope that she will support the continuation of selective education – but who knows? I sense that ‘none of the above’ is the most popular voting option at this election. The Conservatives are blaming (Nigel) Farage instead of blaming themselves.
“If you are a Conservative Party, behave in a Conservative manner but don’t blame external forces for your demise. Look inwards, look at yourselves. What have you done to alienate your core vote?”
Chairman of Cranbrook and Sissinghurst Parish Council Kim Fletcher said the community has become isolated with no secondary schools within a 10 mile radius in any direction. He suggested there is space at the old High Weald site, now run by the Leigh Academies Trust, for another school, possibly Mascalls Academy, to run a satellite there.
Mr Fletcher said that Cranbrook, Hawkhurst, Staplehurst and Biddenden (which fall into the Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone and Ashford boroughs) have collectively absorbed 1,000 new homes in the past three years, creating demand for school places.
He added: “We need a bit of honesty from KCC and a rigorous discussion with the Department for Education (DfE). KCC said there is not enough demand for it (a new school). It doesn’t make sense.”
If Labour does fulfil its election pledge to abolish the VAT relief enjoyed by private schools, it will merely heap further pressure on local state education providers, he argued. Critics have speculated parents will withdraw children if fees are passed on or the schools themselves go under.
He added: “Already there are people who are talking about taking their kids out of private schools. It is all right for Eton but the small schools have no fat to cut or cash in the bank. In some cases, if you lose three children out of each year group, the school becomes unviable. It will put pressure on the state sector.”
School was closed over falling numbers
KCC cabinet member for education Cllr Rory Love said the closure was driven by a falling roll – only 276 pupils in a 900 capacity. It was a DfE decision, not KCC, he added.
Cllr Love added: “We do not, ourselves, intend to seek to establish a new school to replace High Weald Academy, but other routes do exist to establishing new schools through the DfE. KCC continually reviews the need for school places to ensure sufficient provision in both the short and long term, working with borough councils as they develop their housing plans.
“There is currently no forecast need for the re-establishment of a non-selective secondary within Cranbrook in order to ensure a sufficient number of school places are available."
Kent education commentator Peter Read said that KCC sets the bar at 180 admissions per school and does not believe that a new school could satisfy that demand, particularly as the birth rate is falling. Only 24 schools have a roll of fewer than 180 and seven of under 150, the latter of which all have special circumstances.
In October last year there were 18,506 children in year six compared to 16,760 in reception classes, even before the potential effects of Covid 19 washes through. The apparent falling birth rate may also be driven by economic factors such as the cost of living crisis, rising mortgage payments and inflation.
He said: “I have every sympathy for the parents of the High Weald Academy children. It is a very difficult situation to be in.
“But why would KCC take the risk of sponsoring a new school? Why would anyone take that risk? I just don’t think the numbers are there. It takes about five years to get a school underway.”
KCC member for Cranbrook, Cllr Sean Holden, said: “It is perfectly understandable that parents want a school that is close but it appears that, based on the formulae used based on the expected intake, the numbers are just not there.”
