School places crisis puts 4,000 on waiting lists

More than 4,000 children are on a waiting list for places in London schools, figures reveal today.

A snapshot survey of 12 boroughs across the capital shows the extent of overcrowding - with more than 900 of those pupils staying at home because of a lack of space in classrooms.

It comes after London Councils warned of a dire shortage of places in the future with pupil numbers in the capital expected to rise by 140,000 by 2015.

Local authorities are obliged to offer school places to all local children. But more than 700 on waiting lists have not been offered a place, while some of those at home have rejected their offer. Thousands more are on the waiting list because they want to be transferred to another school. The figures show:

In Croydon, 382 children are on school waiting lists. Of these 138 have been offered a place but turned it down and are at home.

In Westminster, 204 children have not been offered a place. In Hounslow, 44 students have not been given a place and in Newham, 165 pupils are still waiting for an offer.

In Islington, 197 children want to move from one school to another. A Westminster council spokeswoman said it was having to cope with an influx of families moving to the area, including from outside Britain. Nickie Aiken, Westminster council's cabinet member for children and young people, said: "The rise in birth rates and immigration show no sign of abating, with many newcomers into the country choosing to settle into our area. We've had to find places for an extra 569 pupils over the past five years."

In one case, Chelsea Barber, 12, from Croydon is being taught at home by her father because she has not been offered a place at a "good" school. Nick Barber said: "My daughter is sitting at home with no education, but I'm not going to send her to a school that's no good."

Chelsea applied for a state place after the private school she had won a scholarship to closed unexpectedly. A Croydon spokesman said: "We are making great efforts to ensure all children have offers for school places within four weeks of application. However, our admissions system is affected by the fact that Croydon is now the only non-port of entry for asylum seekers in the UK."

It comes as the charity Family Action warned the new cap on housing benefit will put pressure on schools in outer London, as many families are pushed out of the centre.