Council and democracy

Transforming Croydon schools

Residents in Croydon are being asked to take part in a consultation programme that is expected to transform education in London's largest borough. 

The investment of £350 million will see the emergence of new academies, federations and school mergers - hosted in a wave of new buildings. 

For a long time now, around one in three pupils leaving Croydon primary schools - including many of the most able - have not gone on to a secondary school in the borough. The council wants to change that. It recognises that although there are many good schools in Croydon, some are not up to scratch and all can improve further. It wants to see more emphasis on achievement and discipline and an enhanced programme for gifted and talented children so that all parents have the confidence to send their children to their local school.

Raising standards is vital not just for existing residents but for the council's plans to regenerate the borough. To encourage new business to invest in Croydon, the borough needs schools that will equip children - tomorrow's employers and employees - with the skills and qualifications they'll need to help businesses succeed and to which the employees of those businesses are happy to send their sons and daughters.

The council is set to launch an extensive consultation that will explore opportunities to:

• ensure more children leave local schools with a good set of qualifications and skills
• ensure more children can go to a good school near to where they live, reducing the length of school journeys and cutting traffic congestion and the risk of young people getting caught up in bullying and antisocial behaviour
• create high-quality learning environments where young people are inspired to succeed
• allow more young people to stay on at sixth form at their own secondary school
• improve provision for pupils with special needs
• improve discipline.

The range of options being considered includes:

• closing underperforming schools and opening new academies
• expanding popular schools
• developing greater choice and diversity for post-16 learning in all schools and colleges by opening new sixth forms
• using federations to ensure that average schools work with stronger schools to drive up standards.

There are currently five schools in Croydon which fall below the Government's minimum threshold of acceptable attainment: Selhurst (which is closing in August 2008), Selsdon High School, Addington High School, Haling Manor School and Ashburton Community School. Specific proposals for these schools are to:

• close Addington High School and Selsdon High School and create a new split-site academy in the locality
• close Haling Manor School and Westwood Language College and create a new academy in the north of the borough
• lower the intake at Ashburton and create an on-site sixth form, both of which should help to improve standards of achievement and behaviour, and explore turning the school into an academy.

The review includes proposals for all secondary schools in the borough - from refurbishment through to expansion or amalgamation. Details of the proposals that will go out for consultation are contained within the report to Cabinet on 9 June. The meeting will be webcast and the report will be available to the public on www.croydon.gov.uk/secondaryreview.

Parents and anyone else with an interest in raising education standards in the borough will have an opportunity to attend one of a series of consultation events taking place at venues across the borough in June. In addition, there will be an opportunity to participate in an online consultation at www.croydon.gov.uk/secondaryreview.

Councillor Maria Gatland, cabinet member for children's services and adult learning said: "For too long too many parents have not been able to access the quality of secondary education they should be able to expect for their children here in Croydon. 

"For the borough to benefit from economic growth, we must ensure that our children and young people - the employees of tomorrow - gain the skills and qualifications demanded by employers. We want to attract people to the borough because they want to send their children to our schools.

"Around one in three pupils leaving our primary schools are not going on to a borough secondary school. It's time to give a better selection of education options here in Croydon and attract some of these children back into our schools. It's time to take the tough decisions necessary to transform our schools. This Administration has the vision, ambition and determination to tackle what should have been addressed years ago.

"Attendance, behaviour, attainment and achievement are issues we must address if we are to provide schools that local parents want for their children.

"We have a once in a generation opportunity to transform education in Croydon. We need to take this opportunity to remove weaker schools, create academies and use federations to ensure all our schools raise their game."