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Hammond Welcomes Plans for a New School in Wimbledon

Date: Thursday, 21 January 2010

Stephen Hammond, MP for Wimbledon, has welcomed the news that the London Borough of Merton is to start detailed work on purchasing a site for a brand new two-form entry primary school in north Wimbledon.

Stephen Hammond said: “This is excellent news for Wimbledon’s parents and children. The huge demand for primary school places has for too long put pressure on existing schools, and this new capacity will be most welcome.”

“I congratulate the Council on this development and look forward to working with them to ensure that education standards in Wimbledon are as high as possible.”

-ENDS-

For more information please contact Stephen Hammond on 020 7219 3401.

Notes to Editors
The planned development will be the first new primary school to be built in the borough for over 30 years The council has identified north Wimbledon to be a priority area for a new school as in this part of the borough there is, and has been historically, a shortage of primary places. Also, the site constraints of existing schools in the vicinity make expansion particularly difficult.

For the past three years Merton has been under pressure to provide an increasing number of primary school places to accommodate the borough's rising child population – due in part to the largest birth rate increase in decades. The population rise is also partly the result of more short term issues such as the knock-on effect of the recession and a relatively slow housing market. However, independent projections show much of this increase will be sustained, requiring long-term solutions.

To cope with the borough's population expansion, six of Merton’s existing schools have already increased their number of reception classes. A new school will complement these expansions, providing the additional places needed.

The council’s ambition is to purchase the site so that construction can start in time for the new school to open in September 2013.