Four new schools needed to handle baby boom

FOUR new primary schools are needed across Oldham before the election to deal with a baby boom Labour claimed last night — despite the borough having more than 2,000 empty places already.

Labour wants the Government to prioritise school building in its Budget today, claiming a need for over 450,000 new primary places - more than 2,000 new schools - before 2015 to cope with pupil predictions.

Current Oldham figures suggest an expected rise of 935 to 22,264. At present 12 of 88 local primary schools are running with at least one pupil over their limit - but the figures also reveal there are 2,290 available spaces.

Some of this is down to the schools being in the wrong area for the pupils needing the places, or that pupils are the wrong ages for the available places.