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Camden News - by TOM FOOT
Published: 11 September 2008

‘Our plan is to have a university partner for all secondary schools’

Critics warn Ed Balls that move will lead to ‘competition in education’

EDUCATION secretary Ed Balls has urged the worst performing schools in Camden to forge links with universities if they want to attract the best pupils, drawing criticism from unions who fear a scramble for status will damage teacher morale.
In an interview with the New Journal yesterday (Wednesday), Mr Balls unveiled his plan to drive up standards by rolling out closer links between secondary schools and universities of the kind being controversially proposed by University College London (UCL) in Swiss Cottage.
Asked how heads could boost schools like Hampstead and Haverstock – which have until 2011 to improve GCSE results or be transformed into academies – Mr Balls said: “Our plan in London is to have university partner for every secondary school.
“That includes academies and all maintained schools.”
He rejected concerns that inviting schools to go head-to-head would lead to a two-tier education system in Camden.
He said: “I was up in Banbury last year, where you had one school that was low performing.
“There was an academy opening near the low performing school. It had a new university sponsor, a new uniform and new money.
“The headteacher said ‘I’m worried’. But it made him pledge to redouble his efforts and to look for a university partner.
“In some ways that impetus can extend to everybody
“I think universities can increase collaboration between schools and help farm the education community. That is really important.”
Kevin Courtney, secretary of the Camden National Union of Teachers (NUT), said competition for universities with strong reputations like Oxford or UCL would be counter productive.
He said: “The NUT thinks that competition between schools damages education. We are not just saying this, we have evidence.
“The places with the best education system, like Finland, have no competition at all.
“What we will see with this is schools creaming off the best pupils.
“It would be fine if a university was linked to every school in Camden. But if you have one school attached to a more prestigious university it will inevitably be perceived as the best, whether that is the case or not.
“What we need is more resources going to people at the bottom.”
A proposed new academy in Swiss Cottage has already won sponsorship from UCL, one of the top 10 universities in the world.
While supporters claim the Bloomsbury university’s expertise in science and maths will boost pupils’ prospects, critics are taking Camden Council to court over the decision.
Solicitor Richard Stein, who is preparing for the High Court battle on November 5, said: “It is a weird and silly idea that just because you are successful in one field you will be in another.
“Secondary schools need to be run with special expertise, which should be provided by the council, which has a great record in running schools.”

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