THE schools minister is coming to Colchester to examine claims the town’s education shake-up would leave schools short of places for children.

Minister Vernon Coaker agreed to visit after Colchester MP Bob Russell told the Commons a dossier compiled by a concerned parent had cast new light on likely pupil demand.

Joe Slatter, who has twin boys at Monkwick Junior School, used Essex County Council data to re-examine the impact of shutting Thomas Lord Audley and Alderman Blaxill schools.

The council plans to move pupils at the two schools to a new academy at Sir Charles Lucas Arts College.

Alternatively, it says they could attend Stanway, St Helena or Philip Morant schools, all of which would be expanded under a £100million revamp.

Mr Slatter, unhappy at the prospect of bussing his children across town, unearthed evidence the changes could leave the town short of secondary school places.

He found council papers suggesting the Alderman Blaxill and Thomas Lord Audley sites might have to be reopened as early as 2018 to make up the shortfall.

He says the council has underestimated the number of Colchester primary school children in January 2009, by more than 600.

The county council wants to close the two schools to new pupils from September 2011, and shut them completely in 2015. It claims if this happens, the town will still have 900 spare secondary places in 2014.

However, a report to the council’s cabinet, discovered by Mr Slatter, contradicts this, warning: “If there continues to be a trend of net migration into Colchester, there may be insufficient places by 2018 or 2019.”