Laburnum School Meeting – Hackney Independent Backs Campaign

A packed meeting of Laburnum School parents on 14th May was told by the Chair of Governors, Graham Myers that their school was under threat. He said that no decision had yet been made but that a consultant’s report made a number of errors.

Are there more places than kids in this part of Hackney? “We don’t think that they have done their sums right.”

Should the school be closed because it is in ‘special measures’? “This fails to take into account the progress made in the last year. We are confident that we will get off special measures soon.”

On nursery places: “They have forgotten about nursery places. There are already too few nursery places in the South of the Borough.”

So a D-minus for the consultant – but what happens next?

A “consultation” process will start in mid-June. Parents’ views will apparently be considered by the Learning Trust, which takes over Hackney Education on August 1st. If Hackney Council consultation is a joke, then what will it be like for the unaccountable Learning Trust?

Speaking at the meeting for Hackney Independent, Peter Sutton pledged our support for the fight to keep Laburnum School open and proposed that a parents’ committee should be set up to act as an independent voice for parents. This was agreed by the meeting and the Hackney Independent has been invited to attend to support the campaign.