Is it a choice of Healthcare over Education?

By aloquifique | Wednesday, October 20, 2010, 12:51

Jon De Maria, spokesperson for The Neighbourhood School Campaign is lobbying (and some considerable way down the line) for the old Bolingbroke Hospital to become a new, 900 pupil Free School, including a sixth form. Jon is pleading for volunteers to help the campaign by asking for them to spare an hour this weekend to hand out leaflets on Northcote Road.

Studio Octopi design for 'Bollingbroke School'
South elevation of Bolingbroke site

He is keen to get the community to oppose a planning application already submitted by St Georges Health Trust to sell the Grade II listed building off for residential development. St Georges Hospital, who own the site, are committed to selling it to the highest bidder in order raise as much cash as possible to fulfil its obligation to the local community and provide modern and enhanced healthcare facilities. The application for residential conversion also includes 1600 sq metres for Healthcare provision.

So here's the rub. Do you want to see flats there or a new secondary school? It's a real battle of healthcare versus education. There is no state school within a 7 mile radius and local primary children have to do battle for state school places with a multitude of either unlocal or oversubscribed secondary school choices. Wandsworth Council has put in an offer to St Georges Healthcare Trust to purchase the property on behalf of the school - but is the offer high enough? St George's priority is getting the highest possible price so it can keep to it's own healthcare provision goals for South London and their advice is that the best price will be realised in the residential market. To that end they have submitted a planning application to Wandsworth Council for the rennovation to take place.

No wonder Jon is desperate. They're so close to realising their dream of a new school in Wandsworth with the blessing of Michael Gove and an already appointed education provider to run it. This must feel like the whole project could be slipping through his hands. Jon, on his facebook page writes "Two minutes now to email the council will make a big difference to your child's education. Take action together and the politicians take notice. To quote Shelley "Rise like lions .. Ye are many, they are few"'.

So. Where do you stand? Healthcare for South London or local secondary Education. Flats or schools? If it's schools, contact Jon and he'll send you some leaflets to hand out at the weekend. He'll be eternally grateful.

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Comments

Broadwater is I think a 2FE school - are most of the 60 odd parents leaving Year 6 unhappy with the school choices they have for their children? In terms of resources, your closest secondary school Burntwood is about to have £40 million spent on it. Is that the type of investment and support you are talking about?

By JonatNSC at 16:03 on 02/11/10
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I live near Broadwater Primary School in Tooting. Children at this school (which is in a ward that is in the poorest quarter of wards in the Borough as opposed to being in one of the richest) have the following Wandsworth secondary school choices - 1) Burntwood (0.8 miles); 2) Ernest Bevin (0.8 miles); 3) Chestnut Grove (1.7 miles); 4) Southfields Comm College (1.9 miles). They are much too far away to get into Graveney on distance and will be much too far away to benefit from your new school unless it expands dramatically. As you can see, they have the same choice as parents in Northcote ward except they are further away from their nearest mixed, non-selective state school, Chestnut Grove (and there are of course even more primary schools that are nearer to CG than they are). No one is campaigning to set up a new school here but, from the data, it looks like they may need additional school choices just as much... In fact, given the lower level of affluence, one could argue they are in need of more investment and support. This is the issue I have with making decisions based on the pleas of one group of parents - we need a systematic approach which considers every child in the Borough. It is not your fault that this is not in place Jon, but surely these facts about Broadwater (which I imagine may be replicated in many other primary schools) are interesting in the light of your argument that parents in your area particularly need more choice?

By LJBrownie at 14:05 on 02/11/10
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Thank you Jon for your more measured response. I am not easily offended but equally I think helpful and open debate rarely involves personal attacks - when it does that's usually a sign of weakness in the argument... I certainly can't see any danger of you lying down and being walked on in any circumstances! Good news to hear that you will be setting the admissions criteria with careful thought. I have seen that statement on your website. However, in the council's report (which I understand may be out of date as it is from September), they talk about your proposals for a straight line distance criteria.

By LJBrownie at 13:51 on 02/11/10
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Laura - By its nature, politics and campaining is divisive and at times it can get ugly. If I have offended anyone of a delicate nature then I would (politely!) suggest that they should think twice before negative posting if they are not prepared for pushback or are easily offended. That's the nature of the game. Also, to paint your side of the debate as being 'whiter than white' here would be far from accurate I am sure you would agree? I have no issue with people opposing what we do, but if we did not stand up to innuendo, misuse of facts, challenge cant, double standards and the like then we would get nowhere. We may lose some supporters along the way and we will gain others but at no time will we lie down and be walked on. We are not ideological about what we are doing ("what matters is what works") but many people who oppose us are - and that is an arguement that is pointless trying to win. As for your concern on admissions, I have lost count the number of times I have posted below (and elsewhere) that we are acutely aware of the importance of getting this right and that our campaign has always been in part about social inclusion and the benefits arising from that - giving people who have no voice an opportunity to be heard. A non-selective and comprehensive intake, all abilties/all backgrounds - that statement has been on our website for over a year now. The campaign is not solely about the Northcote ward. Do you honestly think the politicians and charities such as ARK would get involved if that was all it was about? I would (again politely) suggest that knee jerk opponents to our campaign need to take a wider perspective and stop boxing shadows at this point in time. And finally - if you would like to meet me or other members of our group over a coffee and/or drink then I have no problem with that at all ( you can email the campaign through our website.)

By JonatNSC at 12:42 on 02/11/10
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And finally, one of the (many) concerns of people I have spoken to in our community is that the school will find it difficult to be socially inclusive given its affluent location and the typical use of distance to determine admissions. In the event that the school goes ahead, I would encourage you to consider findnig some way of setting aside places for children from less advantaged backgrounds rather than applying pure distance criteria. I understand that Michael Gove has suggested that free schools could set aside places for children who are entitled to free school meals. I think (although do correct me, if I'm wrong), that around 25% of Wandsworth primary school pupils are entitled to free school meals so it would be encouraging to see you setting aside the first 25% of places for these children.

By LJBrownie at 11:27 on 02/11/10
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