Camden New Journal
Publications by New Journal Enterprises
spacer
  Home Archive Competition Jobs Tickets Accommodation Dating Contact us
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
spacer
By DAN CARRIER
 
Pow wow over school row

A PANEL of education experts and politicians will present an wish-list tonight (Thursday) at Camden Town Hall’s council chamber.
Holborn and St Pancras MP Frank Dobson will be joined by Acland Burghley head teacher Michael Shew, executive member for Education Lucy Anderson, Gospel Oak governor and former Downing Street aide Fiona Millar and Primrose Hill school governor Abdul Farah to discuss their hopes and fears over the government’s education bill.
Mr Dobson and Ms Millar have been vocal opponents of the government plans – and now they have been joined by Mr Shew, an influential head teacher in Camden, and the Town Hall’s own education chief Cllr Lucy Anderson to put forward alternatives and attempt to influence the government in making further changes to the plans.
Cllr Anderson will reveal a plan of action so schools and the local education authority can have a clear response to the government’s plans.
She said the council’s cabinet of executive councillors would be meeting in March to discuss how the proposals to allow schools to become trusts, manage their own buildings and admissions policies, would affect pupils in the borough.
She added: “The jury is still out. We believe the best way to educate people is by supporting good community schools managed by the local authority.”
Acland Burghley’s Mr Shew, whose 1,250-pupil school in Tufnell Park is regarded as one of the best in Camden, says he supports the government’s aims – but is wary of some of the ways they want to go about raising standards.
He told the New Journal: “The white papers aims are to raise standards for all, but especially for the most disadvantaged – and no one can disagree with that.
“But the problem I have are how some of the proposals are going to address that key aim.”
He said he was not yet convinced that turning schools into individual trusts would help pupils across Camden.
He continued: “I have concerns that giving more schools independence, particularly with admissions criteria and opening up governing bodies so they are less representative of the local community, will make schools less responsive.”
Mr Shew added: “I am concerned that when one school goes it alone in Camden it will have a knock-on impact and that could be unfair.”
spacer
» A-Z of Theatre
» Local Reviews
» Local Listings
» West End Reviews
» West End Listings
» Theatre Tickets
» Theatre & Hotel Packages













spacer


Theatre Music
Arts & Events Attractions
spacer
 
 


  up