Better Schools, More Choice

Demand for places is soaring. More than 5,200 children are born in the borough each year, compared to around 4,000 in 2001. The good reputation of our schools also attracts applications from other boroughs, which legally we cannot refuse if those applicants meet the schools oversubscription criteria.

In 2012 67 per cent of pupils got into one of their three top choice schools, compared to 78 per cent across the whole of London . We need to improve on that. Here are some of the ways we will do it.  

Expanding popular primaries

We're spending £10m on expanding 11 local schools. Permanent additional places have been provided at

• Hillbrook, Tooting
• Smallwood, Tooting
• Riversdale, Southfields
• West Hill, Southfields
• Swaffield, Wandsworth
• Penwortham, Tooting
• Granard, Putney
• Shaftesbury Park , Battersea
• Southmead, Southfields

Read more on primary school expansion and the need for more places.

Building new schools

Expanding existing schools won't be enough. We are building new schools as well.

Subject to planning permission, a new 420-pupil primary is proposed on the site of the former Putney Hospital to open in 2015. It will be an academy, and the council's Academies and Free Schools Commision hs been working hard to ensure it will be run by the highest quality provider.

Millions of pounds have been ploughed into improving school buildings at Southfields Community College and Burntwood. New buildings at both are scheduled to be fully open in late 2013. 

An ambitious scheme is being developed to renovate the former Salesian College buildings in Surrey lane for St John Bosco School , currently located in Putney.

Ernest Bevin has opened its new £5m sports hall.