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Bad school situation looks set to get worse
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ADRIAN Betham is quite right to say that a new secondary school is needed in the south of the borough (Architect calls for school in Euston, April 26).
As anyone living south of the Euston Road knows, unless you are a Catholic girl, or you have an older sibling already attending the school, you have a one in four chance of getting a Camden secondary school place.
The situation is about to get worse. Mr Betham predicts 2,500 new homes in Euston, and the Mount Pleasant site could have up to 1,500 homes built on it. That’s 4,000 new homes without taking into account the massive King’s Cross development, likely to mean thousands more new homes.
However, bizarre as it may seem, neither the Euston nor the Mount Pleasant developments are being considered when predicting future population trends for this area.
As there has not yet been any formal development proposal made for either site, Camden is not obliged to include these in their calculations of where the greatest need for the borough’s new secondary school is.
Instead, Camden is claiming that the principle of ‘value for money’ means that they have no choice but to site the new school at Swiss Cottage, within 400 yards of another secondary school (Quintin Kynaston), and within half a mile of Haverstock School.
The residents of Camden may well query this definition of value for money. Through all the wranglings of the past year about where to locate a new secondary school, the criteria being used to make the decision have notably excluded the most important one – that of need.
The Holborn and St Pancras Secondary School campaign has made an unarguable case for the need for a secondary school in this area.
We welcome suggestions of potential sites, such as that of Central St Martin’s College, highlighted recently by the New Journal; sadly the council seems to have made up its mind already and is unable to think creatively about how the can be addressed.
POLLY SHIELDS
Holborn and St Pancras Secondary School Campaign
Millman Street, WC1
• THE chorus of Labour councillors hysterically backing every proposal for a school south of the Euston Road is sickening (letters 19 April). For 30 years their council refused to consider any proposals but now they jump on every passing band wagon.
Of course it would be good to have a school here that would reflect our own diverse population. But there is not a suitable site for a school that is available. The Lib Dem-led council has promised to look at any realistic proposal positively; we can hold them to that.
But the idea of having a split site in central London is a non-starter. It would be educationally, socially and environmentally unacceptable. The fact that it was even floated demonstrates the desperation of the campaigners.
Meanwhile, their time, energy and enthusiasm would be much better directed at ensuring that South Camden School is developed so that it gives the education that all our children aspire to and deserve.
ELIZABETH JONES
Heathcote Street, WC1
• THE letter on citizenship education and school run parking must be the most sanctimonious I have seen on your pages (Some parents can’t avoid the school run, April 26).
Very few of those living in Hampstead moved there before the many state and private schools opened, yet they act as if the problem is unexpected.
People living at any distance do need to drive their children to school. There are no school buses and crossing the borough by public transport is virtually impossible.
Instead of focusing on citizenship, the writer should try a little tolerance.
DONNA NATHAN
(Address supplied)
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