Labour will attempt to solve London’s primary school places crisis by making it easier for councils to set up community schools.
Shadow education secretary Stephen Twigg today told the party conference he would “put local communities and parents back in the driving seat” and “end the practice that stops good local authorities setting up new schools”.
The capital’s booming population could leave 90,000 children without a primary school place by 2016, according to London Councils.
Mr Twigg said Education Secretary Michael Gove “thinks the way to build new schools is to throw darts at a map”. He added: “While there’s a crisis in primary school places, free schools are built in areas with spare places.”
Labour claims that local authorities are only receiving funding for free schools. Mr Twigg told delegates: “I say, engage with local parents and communities and you won’t end up with the chaos and waste of schools that don’t open or are half empty.
“Instead of decisions made in Whitehall, we will restore a partnership between local and central government and end the rule that stops good local authorities setting up new schools.”
He added: “We know what Michael Gove really wants — profit-making schools. Let me be clear, I will never allow profit-making schools.”
Mr Twigg also revealed ambitious plans for “quality work experience”. “In primary school, companies should provide ‘work discovery’ programmes and in secondary school, every young person should get work experience linked to their studies — not just two weeks of photocopying,” he said.
And he outlined a “New Deal for Teachers”, under which some would get help to pay off student loans if they agreed to work in inner-city schools.
He also said that all schools should be able to shape their own curriculum.
