Lambeth Academy discusses benefits

Tuesday, 20, Nov 2007 12:00

An academy in south London set-up by local parents in conjunction with the council has been described as a resolute success by the chair of the governing body.

Elmgreen School in Lambeth was established in September and has since been flooded with applications for its 180 places.

Following news that the Conservatives are planning to expand the academy programme if they win the next election, Sandy Nuttgens of Elmgreen School said the school was doing "exceptionally well".

Describing the benefits of being an academy, Mr Nuttgens told the Today programme: "I think people were really impressed with the ethos of the school, which is about great parental engagement all the way through the school.

"Lambeth had a majority of either faith schools or single sex schools and so what we really wanted was a community school which served everyone in our community."

According to Mr Nuttgens, the council had approached parents about setting up an independent school in conjunction with them.

He said the "level of expertise" provided by the authority had been essential, but parents had ultimately had the power to shape the institution.

The academies – which cost £25 million each to build – were first announced by Labour MP David Blunkett when he was education secretary.

Due to the substantial price tag and the poor disciplinary records of some academies, the Liberal Democrats called for the programme to be stemmed in their 2005 election manifesto.

But far from distance themselves from Labour policy, the Conservatives today pledged to extend the scheme, saying they wanted to give parents, businesses and charities more opportunity to set-up and run independent institutions using state funding.