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Theo Blackwell |
Governors will battle to save special school
EDUCATION chiefs were forced to pull back from plans to close down a celebrated special school last night (Wednesday) after pressure from governors.
Conservative councillor Andrew Mennear said his department would think again about what should happen to the 60-student Jack Taylor School in Ainsworth Way, Swiss Cottage.
He said: “We have agreed to spend more time consulting. There has been contact made with the school and the governors to discuss it with them this week.”
The suggestion it should close was part of a report drawn up by officers plotting a massive schools overhaul which will ultimately see a city academy in Swiss Cottage.
Jack Taylor governors had been looking at “federation” arrangement with Swiss Cottage special school but were shocked to learn just before Christmas that the amalgamation did not match council thinking.
Jessica Asato, chairwoman of governors, said: “We were thinking that the federation idea was something we could all work on. To put in a council report that the school is closing is so damning to morale. Staff would start to think about what they are going to do, the headteacher would think about his future and who will think about sending their children to the school when they have read that it is to close?” She added: “We know we have to move buildings and we have worked with the council up to now but after being told the school is to close when we thought we were working towards a federation together means we are prepared to fight for Jack Taylor.”
As part of its school masterplan funded by a £200 million government grant, Camden plans to build a new special school on the same site as the academy in Adelaide Road. It is currently home to Swiss Cottage Special School and Frank Barnes School for Deaf Children. Camden upset parents and governors at Frank Barnes late last year by announcing closure plans without finding an alternative.
Labour deputy leader Councillor Theo Blackwell said: “The Tory and Lib Dem coalition has been duplicitous in its dealings with Camden’s special needs community. These kids and their parents have suffered the brunt of the Town Hall plans, in a process which wasn’t clear from the start. How they have managed to make a £200 million investment from the government into a bad news story for local people is beyond me.”
Cllr Mennear said: “The plan was always to have a brand new special school on the site. Jack Taylor has to move from its current building. The word closure was on the consultation paper but we will spend more time consulting and working with the schools involved to get the best outcome.” |
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