Concerns about Rivendale

This is a summary of some of the various concerns we had about Rivendale’s proposal at Milson Road and then the suggestion of proposing for Jasmine Studios.

Local parents were very concerned about the impact that this new proposed school would have on their children in local community primary schools. The offer excellent education and life opportunities and parental satisfaction in these schools is very high amongst all level preference entrants. Local parents want to protect their local schools.

The presence of another school so close to stable community schools will make it very hard for them to continue efficiently serving pupils in the community. Schools have to be full to be economically viable – when they are not, whether they are free schools or local authority schools, the children in them suffer as a consequence. Existing primaries were (and are) not full even at Reception throughout the areas where there is supposedly the most ‘need’, and the recently approved ARK Conway school in White City had to be downgraded in part as a result of getting fewer than expected first preference applicants. There is no need for another school here and the inevitable dilution of pupils across schools would have a devastating impact on our good and rapidly improving community schools.

There is no evidence provided from the Council to support of lack of pupil places in this particular area. The Council has not responded to Freedom of Information Act requests for this data. In fact, because of the high migration into and out of the area, there is a consistent availability of places. Addison and other local schools have met demand in every recent year. In areas where there has been expanded need due to influx of pupils, local schools have been able to fill those needs and expand as necessary. Upcoming housing bill changes may have a very large impact on the outflow of particularly more migrant groups from Hammersmith and Fulham.

The NHS Demographics for Hammersmith and Fulham evidence clashes with the claim that there is rapid population expansion in this area. (This is the most recent data available.)

There is a lower percentage of primary aged children than other places in London (p 9 and 10)
‘Between 2009 and 2026, the highest population increase is expected to be in Wormholt & White City, College park & Old Oak and Sands End ward.’ (p 12)
The latest (Sep 09) ONS report on short-term migration shows that H&F has the 7th largest estimates of short-term migration as a proportion of its population (some 15,200 in total or 9% of population). (p 15)
Latest 2008 Mid Year Estimates show nearly a quarter less international migrants coming into the Borough while around 15% more left the Borough than in previous years which means overall lower net gain in international migrants (p 16)
One in five households (20.1%) had a different address one year before the Census date, a mobility rate which is seventh highest rate of any local authority in England and Wales. Of those who have moved, 3.4% had arrived from outside the UK. (p 24)

The Stage 2 proposal process for free schools required robust evidence of strong parental demand. From what is known to date only some statements of interest in learning about a new school had been collected to move the proposal forward to the current Stage 3 business case development, and many of those well in advance of being able to know much about the proposed school (before the Academies Act was passed). Rivendale is apparently not required to resubmit under the stronger proposals process which includes a stronger and more substantiated evidence base.

At the initial consultation in February, Rivendale said there were approximately 34 people interested from throughout the Borough. At the time Rivendale was interested in Jasmine Studios, Rivendale supporters reported Rivendale saying there were 22 people interested.

If the Department for Education says ‘enquiries of interest to develop free schools’ does not prove ‘demand’ for opening a new school, (and the therefore deny freedom of information act requests on the basis that it is insufficient evidence of demand) then how can a proposal requiring ‘robust proof of parental demand’ be supported to business stage with a list of names of people who showed ‘interest’ in learning about a new school? We do hope that addressing this issue is part of the new free schools proposal process.

The original Milson Road site was not felt appropriate by many because of its small size, lack of outdoor space and location on narrow residential road. Even the Bulletin 99 Primary School guidelines would have deemed it too small by almost 240msq for internal space, and many thousands for external space. There was a diagram used to recruit a headteacher in the TES that illustrated a playground on the roof of the building. Because of relaxation in permitted development, this may have been done without requiring any planning consent.

Jasmine Studios was a concern by residents worried about the overrun of pupils onto Brook Green as well as clogging traffic on Shepherds Bush Road. The property drive emptied onto a major artery, and the building was bounded by a London Fire Brigade engine building as well as a rail crossing.