By SWLondoner staff

Seven Lambeth schools will be able to expand and create school places to help combat the growing problem across the borough.

Following a funding application from Lambeth Council, the Department of Education has agreed to give financial support to provide new, high quality school places throughout the area.

Huge pressure has been put on local schools and several have had to create extra ‘bulge’ classes and use portable classrooms for lessons.

Councillor Rachel Heywood, Cabinet member for Education, said that although the exact amount and timescale has yet to be clarified, a number of schools and pupils will benefit greatly from the funding.

“This is absolutely brilliant news, and it is largely thanks to the great deal of work that went into the funding applications,” she said.

“It means that we have been able to maximise the levels of financial support coming into Lambeth over the next couple of years to create much needed places in schools, which will be a great relief for teachers, pupils and parents.”

The schools identified to benefit are:

Iqra Primary School

Paxton Primary School

St John’s Angell Town Church of England Primary School

St Leonard’s Church of England Primary School

Sudbourne Primary School

Woodmansterne Primary School

Wyvil Primary School and Centre for Children With Speech and Language Impairment

The funding comes as Labour claims the government is not doing enough to combat a shortfall in primary school places in England, and say that there will be 120,000 fewer places than there are pupils for September.

The government said Labour’s calculation was “simplistic”.

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