Lib Dems press case on new school (Kensington and Chelsea Liberal Democrats)

Kensington and Chelsea Liberal Democrats <info@kensingtonandchelsealibdems.org.uk>

Lib Dems press case on new school

October 20, 2009 11:25 AM

Councillor Carol Caruana and Tim Jones outside the Kensington Leisure Centre

Local campaigner Tim Jones with Councillor Caruana at the Kensington Leisure Centre, the proposed site of the new school

Kensington & Chelsea Liberal Democrats have been pushing the case for the new school in North Kensington to serve local children first and to preserve the sports facilities for the wider community. The Council are planning to build a new Secondary School on the site of the Kensington Sports Centre on Walmer Road.

Local team campaigner and education expert Tim Jones says:

"The Council have stated publicly that they would like the new school to be an Academy. Academies must have a private sponsor who will either be an individual or some kind of organisation. Sponsors have a major say on which children are offered places and also on the curriculum."

Colville Councillor Carol Caruana said: "One of the first things I did after winning the Colville by-election was to make formal representations to the Council about the new school. We Liberal Democrats believe this school must serve the local community first and offer places to local children first, no matter who the sponsor is. Parents are rightly concerned that the sponsor might select pupils based on something other than where they live. And this time, it should not be a faith school. This is a very diverse area and having yet another school dedicated to one religion would be wrong and unfair.

"Just as important as high quality education for our children is high quality sports facilities for the wider community, including swimming. I have called for the Walmer Road site to remain open during the day time for the community. We need a school AND a swimming pool- not an either/or."