Plans to build a new CofE secondary school in Kingston have been given the go-ahead by Kingston Council.

The proposal for the school , named Kingston Church of England Secondary School, was approved yesterday (22 June) the Council has said.

The school will be run by the Diocese of Southwark Board of Education and built on the Kingsmeadow site in Norbiton, leased at a 'peppercorn rent' by Kingston Council.

Kingston Council will also provide 10% of the funding for the school, with the other 90% coming from the Department for Education.

The school will be mixed sex and non-academically selective.

Importantly, it will provide 920 school places for children in the borough amid a crisis in school capacity for Kingston's growing young population.

In 2021, 158 children in the borough were left without a place at one of their preferred secondary schools or an alternative on offers day in 2021, compared to none in 2017.

The Council predicts this number will continue to rise so that by 2023 asking schools to take in 'bulge' classes will be unsustainable.

Significantly, 60 out of 180 places in each year group at the school will be reserved for Anglicans and other Christians who can demonstrate regular practice/adherence.

The remaining 120 places will be 'Open' to children of any faith or none and majority of these will be allocated based on proximity to the school.

This means that when the school is at full capacity, a maximum of 300 places will be reserved for practising Christians.

Kingston Council has confirmed that any unfilled 'Foundation' places - those reserved for children with active Christian faith - will automatically become 'Open' places.

In addition, the school will have specialist resource provision for up to 20 pupils at the school across time.

The provision will be for pupils who have social communication needs, including autism, and mild to moderate learning difficulties.

Overall, the new school will take in pupils aged 11 to 16 years old and be made up of six forms of 30 per year, plus pupils needing specialist resource provision.

The Council supported the Diocese's application for the new secondary school after it was made in 2018 and was set to decide on the proposal at a committee meeting in March 2021 this year.

However, the decision was delayed after Humanists UK pointed out that the consultation on the plans did not accord with government guidelines on setting up new schools, as responses to the consultation were solicited by the Diocese and not by the Council.

Another consultation took place in April and May 2021 and 245 responses were given by local residents and organisations, as well as some from outside the borough.

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The Council confirmed to Nub News that 143 of the responses (58.4%) were in support of the plans, with 97 (39.6) respondents objecting and 5 (2%) neutral.

A spokesperson for the Council said: "It should be noted that the representation period was not a referendum, and that the Committee was required to consider not just the proportions of those in support and objecting, but the arguments put forward in the representations."

The Council's approval is also subject to a subsequent decision being taken to allocate the proposed council-owned site for the school, a commitment of 10% of the capital cost (estimated at £2.5m) and planning permission being granted.

A website for the school can be found HERE .

Responding to the news, Councillor Diane White , Portfolio Holder for Children's Services said: "This is wonderful news for children and families across our borough.

"On each National Offer Day for Year 7 admissions in the last few years, there have been a large number of unplaced children across Kingston.

"Although I recognise that a significant minority of respondents to the Diocese's consultation were opposed to the school and faith schools in general, church schools in the borough are very popular and play an essential part in our local family of schools.

"The new school will help meet the growing need for more secondary school places and will give our parents and carers certainty that enough places will be provided and give them increased choice.

"Importantly, it will also include excellent educational provision for 20 children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans whose primary needs are Social Communication, including Autism, and Mild to Moderate Learning Difficulties.

"In addition, the local community will benefit by having access to the school's facilities outside school hours.

"The Diocese of Southwark has considerable experience of delivering high quality education provision, with schools in 12 local authorities across South London and Surrey.

"Kingston does not currently have any Church of England secondary provision, so this new school will add to the diversity and will provide a natural destination for some of the children attending the 10 Church of England primary schools within the borough."

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