The issue of school places in Waverley reaches Parliament
The MP for Rother Valley presented a petition signed by nearly 2,000 people in Parliament earlier this week
Last updated 20th May 2022
Alexander Stafford, local Member of Parliament for Rother Valley, presented his petition to Parliament on Thursday calling for extended school provision at Waverley Junior Academy.
The petition, signed by almost 2,000 people, gained traction after it became clear that 39 families, each living 0.5 miles from the school or closer, had been denied a place for their child at their local school.
Alexander convened a public meeting for affected and concerned families and is calling on Rotherham Council to act now so that a solution can be implemented in time for September.
Families welcomed the suggestion of temporary classrooms being erected as an interim measure whilst a more permanent solution could be found between Howarth, the developer at Waverley, and the Aston Community Education Trust, who are responsible for Waverley Junior Academy.
Alexander is therefore calling on parliament today to urge Rotherham Council to pursue a temporary classroom stop-gap solution and apply pressure on the developer to meet their obligations in terms of school provision in the new community.
Alongside his parliamentary efforts, he is in contact with Rotherham Council CEO, Aston Education Community Trust CEO and the local lead at Harworth, with whom he is in the process of arranging a meeting.
Mr. Stafford believes of lot of people in Waverley have been let down:
“The fact that 39 families have been told that they are unable to send their children to their local school is unacceptable and represents a failure of Rotherham Council to make an adequate assessment of the local need.
This has resulted in significant stress and disruption for local families at a time when this is just not needed.
It is disappointing because the Waverley development was a real step forward for the council in terms of developing brownfield land and attempting to build communities rather than just houses, but once again they have fallen short.
The council now needs to ensure they exert pressure on the developers to meet their obligations this year, so that families’ minds can be put at rest.”
In response, a Rotherham Council spokesperson said:
“We understand the frustration of families who’ve not received their first-choice place.
“It’s 21 children from Waverley, plus 18 from further afield who have not been given their first-choice places at the new school. All those children have secured places at other nearby schools.
“Because of that, government funding cannot be used to support temporary classrooms, and would mean substantial cuts to other school budgets in the locality in the immediate area.
“The Council has reached out to Mr Stafford seeking his assistance in approaching the Department for Education in relation to this matter.”