A New Deal for Schools

 In May 2010 you elected us on a set of promises to increase the quality, choice and diversity of education in our borough.  Local Conservatives have been working hard to deliver those promises.

School Places

Every year, our borough’s parents were put through great stress as they applied for schools thanks to a lack of planning by the leaders of the previous administration.  That led to a shortage of quality school places that let us all down.

As promised the Conservative Council has developed and published a ten year school place plan.  During this period we will add at least 12 permanent forms of entry over our 2009/10 primary capacity.  We will also need to add up to two secondary schools.  We are now working to implement this plan.

Increased Choice and Quality for Secondary Schools

We pledged to reverse the LibDem policy of banning sixth forms in our schools.  An astounding 87% of residents in our recent sixth form survey agreed with us.

As promised, we have launched a Sixth Form Forum, bringing together borough secondary schools and our two local colleges.  Following the successful outcome of the Forum’s feasibility study, work starts to turn this plan into reality.

A Catholic Secondary School

We were elected on a commitment to increase choice in our schools.
We specifically committed, before the election, to work for a Catholic secondary school in our borough as one element of our overall programme to deliver for all residents.
And yes, delivering for all residents means delivering for minorities as well as the majority.

With 200 spare places currently available in existing state secondary schools in the borough, any perceived shortage in non-Catholic provision today is in fact an issue with quality, leaving some parents unwilling to take up the places on offer.
But a new school at Clifden Road, whether Catholic or otherwise,  does not provide an alternative to delivering quality elsewhere.

Our secondaries are doing excellent work on a daily basis to raise standards.
Almost £50 million of Central Government money is going into three academies and they are expected to demonstrate strong improvements.
Sixth forms will play their part in raising standards too.

There is though a projected future shortage, as our published rising primary numbers show.
This applies to this borough and elsewhere and is why new schools must be built.
This is why, though there is a place for every Catholic child somewhere in London today, they are becoming increasingly hard to obtain.
Without new Catholic schools, it will be impossible in the near future.

We are already working on options for a tenth state secondary school in the borough.
Meanwhile a Catholic secondary school has had cross party support within the Council for years. The Council has felt it reasonable that as one in seven of our primary schools is Catholic so one in nine secondaries should also be Catholic.

Some have said we should wait until the next, or the next, or the one after.
We believe now is the time to deliver. 

Millions Invested in Local State Schools
with More to Come

•  Primary school capacity increased
•  Special Needs provision enhanced
•  Children’s Centres built
•  Additional secondary schools planned
•  6th Forms planned 

Parent’s Wishes First

Ultimately success in our schools comes down to quality teaching in the classroom and we are fortunate to have so many good teachers.  Our schools do well nationally, though we must aim to be competitive internationally.  The top performing countries and indeed our own system repeatedly show the same thing.  High performance is best enabled through strong local control, excellent and empowered head teachers and governors, with actively involved parents.

We promised to strengthen local direction of schools, putting parents’ wishes first.  We are delivering on this promise through our promotion of academies for all schools and the creation of community boards to increase parents input.

Our programme is the Council’s most ambitious in years to improve the quality, choice and diversity of education in our borough.  We are delivering on this programme and will continue to do so.