Dear Sir,
It was great to get the good news that the Government has given the go-ahead for the UCL Academy, the new Swiss Cottage Special School and the new South Camden Community School!
As the Executive Member for Schools from 2006 to 2010, I worked extemely closely with Camden's officers, UCL, staff and Governors at SwissCottage, Jack Taylor and SCCS and am delighted for all of them that their hard work has been rewarded; just as I am thrilled for the families who will benefit from the provision of the eight additional secondary school forms this will bring to Camden. We had to fight off two Judicial Reviews and work frantically to secure a future for Frank Barnes School along the way, but it was definitely worth it.
Now the Labour Council must deliver these new places on schedule. That means the Academy should open in September 2011 to its first year seven students. It was always going to open in temporary accommodation. No excuses please - just steer the project home on schedule and withinbudget!
At the same time of course, we await with interest the announcement over how future rebuilding schemes will be decided. I was as disappointed as everyone else to lose the rest of our BSF programme, but we must use all the work which has already been carried out to our advantage whenever the new guidance is announced.
And we must also not forget either the need for new primary school places in the north of the borough or for a new secondary south of Euston Road. It would be good to see Camden exploring ways to use the new free school proposals to the advantage of local families rather than sitting on its hands and pretending the change isn't happening...
Yours etc
