Camden New Journal - News: Minister stays silent on the UCL academy bid

Publications by New Journal Enterprises

Home

Archive

Competition

Camden New Journal - by DAN CARRIER
Published: 11 October 2007

Lord Adonis speaking at UCL yesterday

Minister stays silent on the UCL academy bid

Lord Adonis refuses to comment until Camden makes a proposal

GOVERNMENT minister Lord Adonis has refused to comment on University College London’s bid to set up a city academy in Camden.
The education minister attended a conference at the university in Bloomsbury to sell the idea of colleges and universities establishing academy and trust schools around the country.
Speaking to delegates who included provosts, principals and lecturers from universities including Nottingham, Manchester and Warwick, the minister sung the praises of academies and urged the assembled academics to forge close links with schools in their areas.
But when quizzed over why an academy would be a better option for Camden than a council-run community school, Lord Adonis – who has championed the academy programme – refused to discuss the issue. He said: “The proposal has not been put to us yet, so I will not comment on it. It is for Camden and UCL to put together a plan for the school and then pass it on to the government. Until I see that, I will not comment.”
But while addressing the meeting yesterday (Wednesday), he said that UCL had a long history of working with schools.
He said: “In a way, it is back to the future for UCL: University College School in Frognal was part of the college before they parted company in 1907.”
He added that he hoped the models of private schools having strong links with universities could be repeated in the state sector through partnerships such as UCL and a new Camden academy.
He said: “These links between independent schools and universities are deep and historic. We want to extend these links so each school has a university partner.”
Lord Adonis said: “I was hoping the Provost Malcolm Grant would roll out the stuffed remains of Jeremy Bentham (the philosopher who founded (UCL).
“He would have agreed with this, and not just on the utilitarian grounds of providing the best education for the greatest number of people, but because this plan brings UCL back to its roots.”
But critics of the plan held a demonstration outside the meeting and called on the college to offer its expertise to all schools in the borough.
The Campaign for State Education’s Lucy Anderson said: “People want a new school but not an academy. UCL could work with the council to create a community school – this should not simply be forced through.”
She added the anti-academy campaign, backed unions including the National Union of Teachers, Unison and the UCL’s own union, were hopeful that a legal challenge would mean the council had to reconsider its plans.
She said: “The council’s consultation process was flawed and that means they are in serious trouble on the legal front.”

Comment on this article.
(You must supply your full name and email address for your comment to be published)

Name:

Email:

Comment: