1,287 spare secondary places shows free schools arent needed
29/07/2010
WANDSWORTH’S SECONDARY SCHOOLS ARE UNDERSUBSCRIBED BY A TOTAL OF 1,287 PLACES, DISPELLING THE ARGUMENT THAT FREE SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIES WILL LEAD TO IMPROVED EDUCATION IN THE BOROUGH.
Figures released by Wandsworth Council, following a Freedom of Information request by Wandsworth Save Our Schools Alliance show that Wandsworth secondary schools have nearly 1300 spare places, with over 300 places available in 2009/10 year 7.
Countering the argument in favour of free schools and academies is the additional information that 3,726 ‘out of borough’ students attend Wandsworth schools, whereas only 2,288 Wandsworth students attend schools in other local authorities.
Jane Eades, Chairwoman of the Wandsworth Save Our schools Alliance said: “At a time when Wandsworth has lost £300,000,000 in funding for building projects, it defies logic to allow small groups of parents to set up schools in "disused shops or factories" and create more surplus places. Every surplus place costs money: buildings still have to be maintained, premises staff need to be employed, teachers still need to be employed. To add to this by allowing parents to create even more spare places, with a lack of control on the education being provided by them, is a recipe for disaster.
“Like Cameron, it would appear that there is a group of parents who, rather than work with the local authority, don't trust any local school and argue that there are no places available to them in schools they want to send their children to.”
Leader of Wandsworth council, Edward Lister has heralded the Academies Bill as the best piece of legislation since Thatcher introduced the right to buy council homes in the eighties. The academies bill which was rushed through parliament on the 26th July now means that schools could become academies as soon as September and the setting up of free schools is now given the green light. Councillor Lister has been clear to say that he hopes many of the new free schools and academies will be set up in Wandsworth.
But teachers, parents and unions are worried that the creation of free and academy schools would create a 2 tier education system and lead to the ‘ghettoisation’ of schools, with some schools simply becoming dumping grounds for the children that are not wanted by other schools keen to maintain academic standards.
Without schools working together in co-operation with their local authority competition will be created which will not, as some claim, lead to improved standards but will lead to a breakdown in communication and the fragmentation of local education.
Contact: Nadine Houghton BWTUC Organiser 07946 172 461