Liverpool 'needs two new schools' to meet pupil demand

The council said it will work with the Department of Education to plan ahead

An extra 400 Liverpool secondary school places will be needed over the next two years to meet demand, a councillor has said.

There is "such dire need" for places the equivalent of two new schools will be needed, Liverpool City Council's cabinet member for education said.

More than 5,000 people applied for a Year 7 place for 2022, up by 315 on 2021.

But Tom Logan said the council had "no silver bullet to fix the issue".

Jonathan Jones, director of education and skills, told the education and skills committee the council could not simply open up a new school to address the admissions problem, stating a free school or academy would have to be established.

There are currently 5,473 places available in Liverpool schools, with 81 additional year 7 places created since 2021, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

One school, St Francis Xavier's College in Woolton, reduced its published admission number by 19.

Earlier this year De la Salle Academy in Croxteth was saved from closure after the government had issued the school a financial notice to improve.

Mr Logan said the council would work with the Department of Education to plan where additional places would be needed "over the next 10 to 15 years".

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