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Parents ‘forced to choose faith schools or private education’
MP highlights predicament of families taking children out of state sector
MARK Field MP has joined the debate about the need for new schools provision south of Marylebone Road.
In Parliament this week, he quoted from the West End Extra to voice concerns that education chiefs are out of touch with the population boom that has seen an influx of families to the fashionable area.
The MP for Cities of London and Westminster, a young father himself, bemoaned the lack of choice for parents, saying the current predicament amounts to a catch-22 where parents are forced to place their children in faith schools or opt for private education.
Families and local educational campaigners have called for a fresh survey of educational needs after Westminster City Council admitted the last time such a review was conducted was more than 20 years ago. The council maintains there is adequate provision, highlighting the £152million Building Schools for the Future scheme that will boost the number of available places.
Mr Field said: “The demographic change I have seen in central London and across the capital has gathered enormous pace over the past decade. The problem in my constituency is that choice is limited, and is often confined to faith-based schools.
“A significant proportion of parents take their children out of the state sector, and I fear that they often represent the articulate voice that could make a real difference.
“Westminster has some fantastic local state schools at primary school level, but I am afraid that they are exclusively faith-based schools, either Church of England or Roman Catholic.”
Currently, if you have a son, you are limited to a choice between two city academies north of Marylebone Road in Lisson Grove (King Solomon Academy) and Paddington (Paddington Academy), or stumping up the cash for private education. Primary school choices are even more limited, with many parents forced to play the “religion card” to win a place at any of the four Church of England and Catholic primary schools.
Mr Field added: “Part of the problem is the assumption that those who live in my city-centre constituency are wealthy enough to send their children to private schools if they do not qualify for one of those excellent faith-based schools.
“With the worsening economic situation people are increasingly keen to see a good state school in the area. They want a good school now, not the promise of excellence four or five years down the line.
“Many parents in my constituency are keen to have a non-denominational secondary school and nursery. There is a particular concern about provision for boys. As someone who has a 14-month-old son, I have an eye and firm ear to these matters.”
Westminster’s education spokeswoman Councillor Sarah Richardson said the number of quality places was on the rise.
“In the Marylebone area, we have already made provision to increase secondary school places,” she said. “Under the Building Schools for the Future programme, intake at St Marylebone will increase by one form of entry, 30 pupils per year group, from 2010 onwards.
“This September the brand new King Solomon Academy will also welcome their first Year 7 pupils and is set to grow each year, until there are classes for children from nursery age right through to sixth form.” |
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