Thousands more Kent secondary and special school place needed over the next five years


Thousands more Kent secondary and special school places will be needed over the next five years.

Kent County Council (KCC) has unveiled a plan for the expected future need of spaces for students across Kent for 2022 to 2026, excluding Medway.

KCC education chiefs believe there will be demand for 6,600 new secondary school places by 2026, the equivalent of of more than seven secondary schools.

Meanwhile, the pressure for Kent special school places continues to grow. The number of “permanent” special school spaces is forecast to rise by another 778 from 2022 to 2026.

Cllr Shellina Prendergast (Con), KCC’s cabinet member for education, said the authority has been "fairly spot on" with predictions for school place growth in recent years.

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