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Warnings over £200m education spending
Teachers, governors and Glenda Jackson sign open letter
PARENTS, teachers and schools governors have joined Hampstead and Highgate MP Glenda Jackson in a warning to Camden’s education chiefs that they are playing around with £200 million of government investment without knowing where best to spend it.
The Town Hall has been told discussions on how to carve up the giant handout have not been far-reaching enough and a “once in a lifetime” opportunity to improve all of Camden’s schools is at risk.
Senior members of the Liberal Democrat and Conservative coalition were celebrating on Friday when the government confirmed that Camden will be included in a wave of funding known as Building Schools for the Future (BSF).
While plans are still subject to public consultation, they have already mapped out provisional plans including extensions for nearly all of Camden’s secondary schools and the building of a completely new one in Adelaide Road, Swiss Cottage.
Education campaigners say they may have acted too soon and want to build a new school without knowing where the biggest need in Camden is. A chief worry is the effectiveness of a parent survey which was recently distributed through the council’s free newsletter and made available on Camden’s website, a move many teachers and governors feel doesn’t go far enough.
In an open letter to the Town Hall – signed by Ms Jackson, union members and governors – campaigners said: “The current survey you are undertaking is self-selecting and inadequate. It would be a tragedy if the BSF bid failed to meet Camden children’s needs, so let’s get this right by involving the community in the process.”
Other signatories include William Ellis school governor Fiona Millar, Dr Michael Hand, a senior lecturer at the Institute of Education and members of the new school for the south of Euston Road campaign.
Teacher Andrew Baisley, a NUT organiser, said: “The letter shows the real concern of many that the process so far has been hastily put together without any consultation and so the bid fails to meet the real needs of Camden’s secondary schools.”
He added: “These decisions were made over the summer holidays without any consultation beyond a very small circle of people. This is a recipe for disaster. A successful programme is built from the bottom up with full consultation.”
The Town Hall insists that while it has already showcased plans for the proposed new school in Swiss Cottage – the public will still get a say.
Education chief Councillor Andrew Mennear said: “This is fantastic news for Camden and for the future of education in the borough. I would like to encourage as many parents as possible to fill in the school places survey, which is available on the Camden website. Every piece of information that can be collected will be invaluable in realising our plans to transform secondary education in this borough through the BSF programme.”
Liberal Democrat councillor John Bryant added: “While we still believe our current proposals present the best option for the future of education in Camden, this timetable gives us time for genuine engagement with governors, schools and the community on the detail and to look again at all the options and analyse their feasibility.” |
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