Camden New JOurnal - Letters: Has minister learned his lesson on schools

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Camden New Journal - LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published: 24 May 2007

Has minister learned his lesson on schools?

Open letter to Lord Adonis of Camden Town:
• LORD Adonis, I know that as a minister in the Department for Education and Skills you are taking a close interest in the proposal for a new school in Camden.
So I was very interested to read a quote from you about the Haringey schools competition where a community school bid had beaten off bids from academy schools.
The BBC reported you as saying: “The result showed there is a level playing field and we are giving communities genuine choice and a real say in raising standards of education.”
I must say that your conversion to the notion of the level playing field between academies and community schools is reassuring.
Up until now many people have been reporting you as telling Camden Council that it will only get a good deal on the Building Schools for the Future scheme if it goes down the academy route.
Can we now assume from your quote that if Camden were to successfully put forward a community school, then the funding for the borough and the school would be the same as for an academy?
KEVIN COURTNEY
Branch secretary
Camden NUT, NW1

• WE have been following the recent exchanges in the Camden New Journal about whether Camden’s new secondary school should be an academy or not. For us, the ‘academy’ issue is less relevant than who actually ends up running the school.
We are not members of the Church of England but we chose a Church of England primary for our children because of the ethos of church schools.
They have thrived in the inclusive, stimulating environment and, on the basis of our experience, we would like to add our voice to all the others calling for a Church of England secondary school. Please, Camden, let us have this choice at secondary level.
ONN MIN and LIZ KON
Address supplied

• EMMA Jones and Polly Shields (Letters, May 17) declare there is little support for a new school in Swiss Cottage. This is absurd.
Perhaps their perception is because the case for building a school in Swiss Cottage seems obviously compelling and parents have not felt the need to keep remaking arguments that the council itself has made.
The vast majority (something like 140 of 150) of the children who initially did not have secondary school places for September lived in the north of the borough.
I have three young children. I live in no-mans land as far as secondary schools go.
Without a new school in Swiss Cottage I struggle to see where Camden will accommodate my children, and I know of parents nearby who have been offered no secondary place in Camden.
As to what type of school would be best for Camden, certainly several of the options are appealing, but I agree with both Jennifer Dawes and Kathryn Parker (same letters page) that a CofE school would offer a welcome addition to Camden’s portfolio.
ANNIKEN and RICHARD WILLIAMSON
Address supplied

Send your letters to: The Letters Editor, Camden New Journal, 40 Camden Road, London, NW1 9DR or email to letters@camdennewjournal.co.uk. The deadline for letters is midday Tuesday. The editor regrets that anonymous letters cannot be published, although names and addresses can be withheld. Please include a full name, postal address and telephone number. Letters may be edited for reasons of space.

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