An article in the Guardian by Anna Minton entitled 'A new kind of gentrification is spreading through London – and emptying out schools' rang a bell with many in Brent over the weekend.
In one passage Minton says:
…the decline is much starker in cities such as London, which are experiencing the most extreme gentrification: research showed that while the capital’s overall population is rising, the numbers between the age of 25–39, the typical age of housebuying and family formation, has recently dropped by 4%, with London Councils, the body representing the city’s 32 boroughs, attributing it to the shortage of family housing.
Brent Council has of course advised families on its waiting list to move out of London to housing that they can afford, despite the disruption this causes to schooling, family support and community cohesion.
In the South Kilburn regeneration there is no overall increase in the amount of social housing planned and much of the social housing will be more at more expensive housing association rents, rather than council housing rent. 'Viablility' issues means that the single developer, soon to be appointed, will try and reduce the amount of 'affordable housing' in the schemes still to be built.
In Southwark the Harris Federation is seeking to sack teachers as school rolls reduce. LINK
In Brent some primary schools are over-subscribed (have more applications for Reception places than the PAN - Planned Admission Number) but others have plenty of empty spaces. Unfilled places result in budget reductions as schools are funded per pupil.
The figures for the first round of offers to parents reveal many schools that have only filled half or less of their places. They may recruit more pupils in subsequent rounds as those who failed to get their first choice apply elsewhere but the situation will remain serious. Brent Council is likely to press for further reductions in the PAN of some schools so that they have fewer classes in each year group.
These are the schools that filled half or less of their places (offers/PAN) in the first round:
Brentfield 41/90
Carlton Vale 9/60 (soon to amalgamate with Kilburn Park in a new building)
Christchurch CofE 13/30
Elsley 50/120
Harris South Kenton 31/150 (previously Byron Court forced to academise)
Newfeld 20/60
Preston Park 61/120
St Mary's CofE 18/45
St Mary's RC 14/30
Stonebridge 20/90
Some of these are schools that expanded with new build and classrooms when primary numbers rose before Brexit.
The full list of oversubscribed and undersubscribed schools is below (hover over foot of table to enlarge):
9 comments:
Aren't we so very, very lucky to live in Brent who are regularly building the most new homes in the country and consequently forcing out the ordinary population, especially those between 25 & 39 years old. Yup, we will become a Borough of students, and old people with lots of empty schools. Many thanks to Butt and his BF Towerblock Tatler.
There no point in saying they don't know what they are doing, as we already know that. Presumably Towerblock's replacement will continue destroying Brent as a desirable place to live that it used to be.
I think gentrification is an issue for inner city councils but I am not sure this issue is affecting Brent yet, as there is still quite a lot of low standard / high density rental accomodation in the borough, I have a house in my road with 13 people from 3 families for example. I think if the council housing standards are fully enforced and applied I think that will have the effect of increasing the departure families with younger children.
If you look at the number of places offered in Brent historically, I am not sure that 2025 is that much of an outlier.
2025 - 3,144 reception places were offered
2024 - 3,310 reception places were offered
2023 - 3,213 reception places were offered
2022 - 3,183 reception places were offered
Have a look at the oversubscribed schools (inc.secondary). These set high standards re: uniform and academic prowess Sudbury Primary and East Lane -linked to Wembley High above other stuff - and wouldn’t be on the Education Secretary Brigitte friends list. Well done and keep going, ignore Labour.
Behind all these unsubscribed schools places are children whose Mum and Dad can no longer afford to live in Brent, have no alternative but to move out of the area, with any luck be transferred by the Companies they work for i.e NHS, Schools, any number of National Companies where their wages will go a lot further and they will benefit from a better standard of living.
and then you wonder why there is a glut of job vacancies for care assistants, anyone working in the service industry, because the minimum wage goes no where if you live in Brent.
I 'm not sure I would call it gentrification, no Waitrose, No Gails Bakery, No M&S Simply Food, unless you seek the measly offerings at Shell Petrol Station. However, if you seek cheap Fried Chicken, or Gambling facilities Brent must be borough of choice, as you will need to be a successful gambler to win enough money to keep up with your rent increases as minimum wage certainly doesn't. Mum and Dad are all looking to move elsewhere either by relocating with their company ( lets face it the NHS and local authorities are crying out for Staff ) or just looking for work elsewhere where minimum wages goes a lot further and not all on Rent of unaffordable housing.
There’s an entitlement there, where schools expect subscription. But many schools in Brent arnt good enough. The ones who are struggling with numbers would do well to buddy with more popular schools. Learn how to do better and be more responsive to modern ways of teaching and engaging parents.
@Martin Francis - please can you share the location of the table so I can download it?
South Kilburn post 2001 has masses more children but parents have options outside this car-free housing (51m towers policy since 2019) zoned neighbourhood. The new school and extended park are become urgent issues in what is regeneration year 24, and un-care zoned year 36.
Schools and central park up-grades never really entered officer/ political plan thinking as yet in 24 regeneration years, with population growth having more than doubled already. Is 2025 the year that changes and plan design for this car-free town scale neighbourhood finally arrives and is baked-in?
Kilburn has a neighbourhood plan 2025, South Kilburn needs a neighbourhood plan 2025. Decision makers should not keep growing inequalities in South Brent business as usual.
Local Green Space Designation for South Kilburn Public Open Space 2ha in 2025 and link the new school to using this re-newed and expanded green space with its small forest woodland.
Anonymous 11.19: https://www.brent.gov.uk/-/media/files/resident-documents/education-documents/how-places-were-offered-reception-2025.pdf?rev=cfe5ab8b07a4442aba88eb8d10a46ee4&hash=7CD57364ABE8358B07FE2DA6B4B5EFD3
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