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Richmond upon Thames Liberal Democrats:Covering the constituencies of Twickenham and Richmond Park |
First Priority: Inclusive Secondary School
November 8, 2011 5:00 PM
• [Nov 01]: LIBERAL Democrat councillors argue that the first priority for a new secondary school must be an inclusive school to cope with the borough's rising 11 to 16 year old population. Conservative controlled Richmond Council plans to hand over the recently purchased Adult College site at Clifden Road, Twickenham, to the Roman Catholic Church for a new Catholic secondary school.
Cllr Malcolm Eady, Liberal Democrat education spokesperson, said: "Although we welcome the Council's purchase of the Richmond Adult and Community College site in Twickenham for a new secondary school, the first priority for the site must be a new inclusive secondary school. The steadily rising birth rate will, in 4 to 5 years' time, result in the borough requiring the equivalent of a new secondary school. If the Council continues to encourage existing secondary schools to provide space for sixth forms, then this will use up any spare space on our already crowded school sites, and so make it imperative that we use the college site for a new school.
"We support the Catholic archdiocese's wish for a state Catholic secondary school in the borough, but with limited public money and land available, the council's first priority must be to ensure there are enough community secondary school places. Hopefully, in time, it will be possible to provide both."
Given the public controversy over this issue, Liberal Democrats have called for a full and open consultation with parents and the public before a decision is taken as to the type of new school to be provided.
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