School places jiggery-pokery

An impact assessment for the Scottish Council of Independent Schools estimated that numbers would fall by 13 per cent, and as if by magic a new methodology for calculating school capacities has increased the number of places in state secondaries by, yes, 13 per cent.

Labour-run Edinburgh City Council is trying hard to demonstrate it has room in its secondary schools to cope with the expected departures from the private sector when the imposition of VAT kicks in next year, says John McLellan

A report last year indicated extra space was being found by doubling up classes and using community facilities, but a report to today’s education committee doesn’t go into much more detail other than it’s all down to more efficient use of space. Nevertheless, schools in the most affluent areas are still very close to capacity and not without problems.

Firrhill, likely to be one of the most pressurised, doesn’t have enough toilets to cope, and 13 out of 23 schools have “limited” dining and social space, a recipe for trouble. Boroughmuir’s PE facilities are already acknowledged as inadequate.

There is significant capacity in some schools, but at those least likely to be affected by independent school fall-out. The council can build as many classrooms at Castlebrae and Wester Hailes as it wants but those children forced out the private sector don’t live in the catchments. They used to, but that was before the last Labour government ended the assisted places scheme. Some things never change.