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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
Eady: The lack of a co-ordinated approach on schools is worrying parents [letter to the RTT]
August 12, 2011 5:44 PM
• [Aug 12] Sir: THROUGH exceedingly poor timing and poor understanding of the issues, the Conservative administration has managed to foster two diverse and competing campaigns by borough parents concerned over secondary school admissions. The administration has aggravated the problem by rushing through decisions and allowing very little public examination of the competing requests for new school sites.
The background to the concerns is that in four to five years' time the borough will require more secondary school places. The exact number will depend on how successful our three academies are at continuing the improvements in their schools: if the academies were not to make any improvements, then we will not have a problem until 2017; if they make moderate improvements, we will need at least five extra forms of entry by 2016; and if they become as good as our other schools then the date moves forward to 2015.
The indications are that they are making good progress. There is some room for expansion at a small number of schools, but if the administration presses ahead with its desire for sixth forms, then the schools will have to use this space for post-16 education provision.
There have been calls from Catholic parents for the removal of the linked school system. We will support the review of the system, although it should be remembered it was put in place to maximise the number of borough children attending our borough secondary schools. The review will probably not produce many more places for borough children, although it could help children at our Catholic primary schools' gain entry to our secondary schools,
For many years we have supported the Catholic archdiocese's wish for a state Catholic secondary school in the borough, but, with uncertainties over available resources, it should not now be at the expense of community secondary school provision. The latter-must have the first call on available council and Government funds and land. I do of course hope that, with Government help, we can fund both schools.
Without Government help the only site in the borough, which the council could afford to purchase for a new school, is that at Clifden Road, Twickenham. We therefore welcome the council's proposal to purchase the site. However, given the urgent need for extra community secondary school places, we consider it premature to offer it to the Catholic archdioceses for a new Catholic secondary school.
Parents need to see coordinated policies, not ones that create competition for limited resources. The policies have to be seen in the context of solving specific problems, not answering political "nice to haves", such as sixth forms. The council should be concentrating on the production of plans for expanding our secondary school instead of encouraging them to become independent academies. Expansion will be much harder to organise once the schools are no longer under council control.
The Conservatives' educational policies lack strategic planning. They believe that independent schools and minimal council involvement can solve the problems, Well, it is this lack of co-ordinated planning that is worrying parents and dividing the borough.
I remain, yours, etc.
Cllr Malcolm Eady, Liberal Democrat education spokesperson
• Purchase of Clifden Road site site for the provision of school places [Council minute, July 21]
• A new community secondary school must be the first priority [July 18]]
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