Waverley Junior Academy

Alexander Stafford Excerpts

Thursday 19th May 2022 Commons Chamber

[Alexander Stafford (Rother Valley) (Con)]

I rise to deliver a petition on behalf of the residents of Rother Valley, calling on Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to take urgent and immediate action to extend the number of school places at Waverley Junior Academy for local children by introducing temporary classrooms this September so that no child loses out, as well as finding a long-term, permanent solution for the future.

The petition, both online and on paper, has received strong local support, with around 2,000 constituents signing it. The people of Rother Valley call on Rotherham council to reflect local needs in its decisions and on developers to build the infrastructure needed for the newly built communities. It is high time that the local authority and the developers delivered on that priority.

The petition states:

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to implore Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to implement a temporary solution to this problem, in the form of temporary classrooms, to enable local children to attend their local school.

And the petitioners remain, etc.

Following is the full text of the petition:

[The petition of residents of the constituency of Rother Valley,

Declares that provision of school places at Waverley Junior Academy must be extended for applicants this September via temporary classrooms; further that it is unacceptable that 39 children from the village, some living less than 200 metres from the school, have failed to get a place because Rotherham Council failed to adequately predict the level of need for places; and further that developers must follow through on their commitment to adequately build the infrastructure needed to support communities.

The petitioners therefore request that the House of Commons urge the Government to implore Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council to implement a temporary solution to this problem, in the form of temporary classrooms, to enable local children to attend their local school.

And the petitioners remain, etc.]

[P002731]