School places under review

The move, agreed at a City of York Council education meeting, comes as the number of pupils moving up to secondary school is set to peak next year, pushing six schools beyond their normal admission limits.

When the new catchment areas for York were introduced last September, an area around the Groves was designated as being in both Huntington and Joseph Rowntree secondary schools' catchment areas.

But officers say that for the second year running, the vast majority of pupils in this area have been designated places at Joseph Rowntree School from September.

This was because the council decided, following discussions with the schools, that although both secondary schools were full, Joseph Rowntree had more room to accommodate them than Huntington.

Education officer Mark Ellis said Huntington now had 24 temporary classrooms and Joseph Rowntree School seven.

Two new temporary classrooms are to be installed at Joseph Rowntree to cater for extra pupils.

He said the number of primary school pupils moving up to secondary schools in York would peak at its highest ever figure this September at 2,113.

Four other schools, Canon Lee, Fulford, Millthorpe and Oaklands have also increased their limits.

Mr Ellis said: "Our prediction is that pupil numbers will begin to fall by 150 next year and 150 the year after. But it's difficult to predict. Housing developments are still going up."

He said the council would be looking to reduce the number of temporary classrooms at Huntington.

At the same time Joseph Rowntree School has asked to have its ordinary admission number reduced for the fourth year running, but the council has turned it down because of the current demand for places.

The joint catchment area of the two schools is to be reviewed, with options including dividing the current shared catchment between the two schools or allocating the area to only one of the schools.

Updated: 15:34 Wednesday, April 10, 2002