'Real risk' Nottingham schools could run out of space due to migration into city

There is a “real risk” more children may end up being placed in schools away from their Nottingham homes because so many are running out of space. Nottingham City Council says many schools are already admitting over their admission numbers, and it may mean it will have to incur “significant transport costs” for children who are being placed out of area.

Officials say rising numbers of families migrating into the city from other countries are causing extra pressure on the education system. If a school place cannot be found for a child through the normal admissions process, the council says can use its ‘Fair Access Protocol’ to ensure a place is found as quickly as possible.

This is normally used for children who are vulnerable, including asylum seeking children, children from the criminal justice system, or those who have been refused a place due to challenging behaviour. However, the authority says the number of children being considered through Fair Access has “increased drastically over the past 12 months”.

The issue is due to be discussed at a Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee meeting on November 13. “The main reason for this was a large increase in inward migration to Nottingham City from other parts of the world, such as Africa, Pakistan and India,” council documents say.

“The committee may be minded to assess the risk that is posed to the council if the current levels of children moving into the city remains. This includes not being to place children within a reasonable walking distance, and thus the council could be failing in our duty to provide education provision, or have to incur significant transport costs for children and families who are being placed out of area.”

The council says the problem is largely impacting secondary schools, but has recently started to affect primary schools. According to documents, a total of 218 children of secondary school age were considered under the Fair Access process in 2021/22.

The number of children then increased to 410 in 2022/23 and 629 in the last financial year of 2023/24. Most secondary schools are now full in all year groups, and almost every child who moves into the city has to be put through the process.

Panel meetings are now held every three weeks, and school places are considered for around 40 children each time. Meetings for primary school children were also set up in September due to increasing demand in this age group.

To ensure a school place is found within 20 days, the council says it has a budget to pay for extra support, including paying for uniform when a family is in financial hardship, or funding a teaching assistant or behavioural support officer. “In areas such as Sneinton, there is a real concern over capacity, especially with families being moved into temporary accommodation in the area due to their refugee asylum seeker status,” council documents add.

“The local authority has had several meetings with the [Department for Education regarding capacity issues, and a potential to not be able to place children through Fair Access, with little or no solutions forthcoming.”