MILLIONS of pounds worth of investment in schools has paid off as Colchester now has 175 SPARE primary school places.

Colchester primary school application figures have been released by Essex County Council showing 2,532 primary school places in total available this September.

With the latest NHS data showing there are 2,357 pupils in Colchester who could start school in September, it means there is enough capacity to accommodate them all.

It could be the first time in close to ten years primary schools have not been stretched although applications for the most popular schools still outstrip supply.

In 2012, the council commissioned extra places at nine primary schools in the borough and in 2014, it expanded St John’s Green Primary School, Monkwick Infant and Junior schools, along with Montgomery Infant and Junior schools.

The following year it opened the 420 place Braiswick Primary School and Camulos Academy which also has 420 places.

In 2016, the council said it planned to spend around £360 million on primary and secondary school places across Essex.

Last September, it expanded Home Farm, St Michael’s, Stanway and Stanway Fiveways primary schools, creating 875 new school places.

There are plans to build a 420-place primary school on land south of the Tollgate Centre in Stanway which could open next year.

Back in 2010, it was a different landscape as schools were bursting at the seams.

Just a year after Queen Boudica Primary School was built off Turner Road, Colchester, it had to undergo a £3 million expansion to meet demand.

This year, the council said Essex-wide a record 89.4 per cent of children due to start reception have been offered their parents’ first preference.

Hamilton Primary School again proved popular for Colchester families, with 60 places available and 100 first choice applications.

Kendall Church of England Primary has 30 places but received 61 first choice applications. Montgomery Infant and Nursery was also popular with 90 places but 114 first choice applications.

However, some schools remain under-subscribed.

Stanway Fiveways Primary School, which has 90 places, only had 47 first choice applications, and St George’s Infant School and Nursery, which has 90 places, only had 52 first choice applications.

Ray Gooding, councillor responsible for education, said: “I’m delighted we’ve increased capacity in Colchester primary school places.

“It was always our aim to ensure we could manage the predicted population growth and every child would have a school place.

“I’m delighted with how many parents have this year received their first preference of primary place and I wish their children every success in the future.”

100 PARENTS DID NOT APPLY FOR SPOT

A HIGH number of families did not fill out an application for a school place for their children this year.

Figures from the county council show there were 139 families in Colchester who did not complete a September 2019 application.

The reasons for this are not clear but it comes after the county council stopped sending school application reminder letters in the post.

However, Essex county councillor Ray Gooding, responsible for education, said it may because families have left town or children have chosen a different way of schooling.

He said: “We were successful this year in encouraging parents to apply online and on time and my thanks go out to all those who made this a straightforward process.”

He added: “Those who didn’t apply may be moving out of the area, or choosing private education.

“I also wish those children the very best as they continue their education elsewhere.”