Labour mayoral candidate Sadiq Khan has called for London-wide oversight of school places after new figures revealed that more than 50,000 London pupils are being taught in classes of more than 30 children.
The figures, which were published by the Department for Education earlier this month, also show that more than 2,700 pupils are being taught in classes of more than 40 – the highest number of any region in England.
Last year London’s local councils, which are responsible for education and schools provision, called on ministers to back their efforts to build the schools needed to meet the needs of London’s growing population.
However Mr Khan today said that “people who are starting a family don’t care about the boundaries between the 32 London boroughs, they just want to know their child will get a place, in a good school near to where they live, in a class of 30 or fewer.”
He said a “stronger role for the Mayor” was now necessary to address the issue and described the shortage of places as a “crisis”,
If elected in May Khan says he would establish a School Places Forum “to take the lead in coordinating and planning London’s response to increasing school places pressure.”
