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Not all
rosy in schools garden
• Well what a surprise! Fourteen Camden school governors
appointed by the Labour Party think your readers should be reminded
about the high quality of schools in Camden.
Implicit in their letter of April 20 is that this legacy might
be under threat if they vote for anything but Labour in the
elections.
Let me make it quite clear that the Liberal Democrats have never
sought to amend Labour’s schools spending plans over the
last four years and do not intend to change the generous spending
regime in the next four years either.
We accept that the quality of education in our schools is generally
good and there is much to be proud of in our pupils’ achievements.
However there are two issues that Labour has failed to address.
The first is the fact that Camden has the worst pupil attendance
rate of the 12 Inner London boroughs. If stricter measures are
taken with those parents who are complicit with their children’s
truancy, or who think it is acceptable to have family holidays
that extend for weeks during term time, then the quality of
our schools’ teaching would have a greater impact on learning
outcomes.
The second issue is that Labour has not addressed the shortage
of school places in Camden, most acutely felt in the north west
of the borough and south of the Euston Road.
It is unfair that parents in these areas are paying a high council
tax to pay for our generously funded schools, but are forced
to accept places for their children in second rate schools in
neighbouring boroughs like Westminster and Brent.
It is the Liberal Democrats who are pledged to tackle these
issues when they achieve power on 4th May.
Cllr John Bryant
Liberal Democrat
West Hampstead ward
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