Immigration was a major factor that led to dozens of children not receiving an offer for a secondary school place, it can be revealed.

Middlesbrough Council told parents of more than 100 Year 6 pupils last week that they had not been offered a place at one of the town’s schools.

The authority said schools were full due to “unprecedented demand”.

It has now emerged that the demand was a result of a number of factors - the largest being international new arrivals.

Figures seen by the Local Democracy Reporting Service reveal that this year, the council received 61 more applications for school places than anticipated.

More than half of those - 36 - were international new arrivals - effectively more than one extra school class.

The council was also wrong-footed after 35 fewer children than expected applied to schools outside Middlesbrough.

An extra 23 pupils from other boroughs were allocated a Middlesbrough school than was the case in 2018.

Another factor was that Outwood Acklam cut its admissions by 60 places. However Outwood Ormesby made up for some of this deficit by temporarily taking on an extra 45 pupils.

Oversubscribed schools in Middlesbrough included Macmillan Academy, Acklam Grange, Outwood Academy Acklam, Trinity Catholic College and The King’s Academy.

Outwood Academy Ormesby and Unity City Academy were not oversubscribed but all places were allocated.

Of approximately 2,000 Year 6 children who applied to go to a secondary school in Middlesbrough this September, the council was unable to offer a place to 4.7% of them.

According to Middlesbrough Council’s school admissions Guide for Parents 2018/19, schools have an obligation to place pupils considered vulnerable “as quickly as possible”.

One characteristic of vulnerability is defined as “children whose parents have been unable to find them a place after moving to Middlesbrough, because of a shortage of places”.

The council guide says: “There is an expectation that all schools recognise that they share a collective responsibility to ensure that vulnerable children are admitted to a suitable school as quickly as possible."

What is the council's response?

Helen Watson, Middlesbrough Council’s executive director of children’s services, apologised for the distress the lack of places is causing those parents and children affected.

She added: “This situation has arisen due to a number of complex factors including an increase in the birth rate and a fall in the number of children securing secondary school places outside Middlesbrough.

“It is also extremely difficult to predict trends in parental preference, but a higher number of children from outside Middlesbrough applying for places here is a reflection of the improvement in and attractiveness of our local schools.

“We are working hard to resolve the immediate issue, and in the longer term plans are already in train for the development of a new secondary free school which we hope will be ready to open in September, 2021."

Ms Watson said she was confident the authority would find every child a place by September, with “as many of those as possible” in Middlesbrough.

Cllr Jan Brunton-Dobson, Middlesbrough Council’s executive member for education and skills was contacted on Friday but has not yet commented.

Eastern European pupils 'putting pressure on school places'

It is not the first time the issue of migration and school places has been raised in Middlesbrough.

Last September Andrea Williams, Middlesbrough Council’s director of education, said migration from eastern Europe was “causing pressure” and “pushing children further and further out” from the centre of the town .

The comments came after the director fielded a question from Conservative Cllr David Coupe on how South Middlesbrough school places would cope with more houses being built at Hemlington Grange.

The director said there was a “shortage of places” in central Middlesbrough’s primary schools and the authority had worked with Breckon Hill Primary School to enlarge it to cope with more pupils.

“Certainly in terms of primary school places we are struggling,” she later added.

“That’s why we have more places at Breckon Hill School and we will have to look at other schools if pressures continue.

“We are in discussions with secondary schools about place planning and how we can meet these needs - not just because of migration, but also because of the increase in birth rates coming through primary schools.”

Ms Williams explained how housebuilding in the past “had not resulted in a net gain of children in the town” and the department was “working closely” with the council’s regeneration team on the assumption more children will need educating in the borough.

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