Showing posts with label Islamia Primary School. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islamia Primary School. Show all posts

Friday 28 July 2023

BREAKING: Yusuf Islam breaks silence on Islamia Primary School move and announces postponement of decision until a review of south Brent schools has been carried out

In a letter today  to parents and guardians of Islamia Primary School, Yusuf Islam confirmed an agreement with Brent Council to postpone a decision on the school’s site until a further review of primary schools in the south of the borough has been carried out.

 

Dear Parents / Guardians, Assalamu alaikum wa Rahmatullah

Whoever is mindful of Allah, He will make a way out for them, and provide for them from sources they could never imagine.” (Qur’an 65:2-3)

I begin by wishing everyone the best of blessings for this new Islamic year, 1445H. May Allah swt make it a year of peace, success, and progress for all associated with our schools, organisations and the community beyond.

As many of you are aware, the Foundation has been working for a long time with the Board of Governors, in consultation with Brent Council, to progress arrangements for a bigger and better home for Islamia Primary School. This story goes back to 2007, when we first helped the local authority to accommodate extra children coming from the closure of the Avenue School. I would like to acknowledge the efforts of your dedicated Governors to ensure that an appropriate outcome is achieved.

Last week, I had a meeting with the Leader and Chief Executive of Brent Council to discuss the issue face to face. They ideally wanted a decision about the proposed site on Strathcona Road by Friday 21 July. Al- hamdulillah, we were able to obtain an agreement to put off that decision until a further review of schools in the south of the borough.

During the meeting, I advised the Leader that the Foundation has agreed to extend the school’s stay at Salusbury Road until at least the end of the next academic year, 2024, to provide additional time for the local authority to identify any possible alternative sites.

As a result of this extension, we were assured by the local authority that the funds allocated for the school’s relocation would remain secure and available for the primary school until at least the end of this year, by which time we will be able to review other possibilities they may come up with.

Insha Allah, we will have a wonderful opportunity to provide IPS with a new home that offers modern facilities and resources. This is the least that the pupils, parents, and staff of the school deserve after having to cope with the difficulties caused by the split-site arrangement (Winkworth Hall) for well over a decade.

At the same time, we continue to work on ambitious plans to modernise the Salusbury Road site for our secondary schools as part of a comprehensive long-term vision. We have had to keep these plans on hold for 15 years, so that we could accommodate the needs of the primary school, but it is now time for us to move forward with more determination for those plans.

Twenty-five years ago, we made history by becoming the first Muslim government aided school in this country. Many parents today are not fully aware of the immense struggle we had to go through to secure state funding. But Allah is the Granter of success.

This is the 40th anniversary year of our school’s opening, and I believe that we are at the doorstep of another milestone, insha Allah. As we know, Allah promises “with hardship comes ease” (Qur’an 94:5-6). 

 

Islamia Primary parent, Jamad Guled, was contacted by Wembley Matters for an assessment of what this means for Islamia families:

There is a sense of relief among the parent body. We all remember the initial tone of the consultation. The move to Strathcona sounded inevitable back then and if it did not materialise the only other proposed outcome would have been the closure of the school. As parents and stakeholders we were extremely alarmed and we have raised our concerns with the school governors and Brent Council.

This communication is far more positive and acknowledges the need for a local solution which is paramount to current families. It also recognises the the importance of preserving this extraordinary school. This is reassuring in many ways and we hope that the Yusuf Islam Foundation, IPS Governing Body and Brent Council will take into account stakeholders' views and will work together to find a satisfactory local solution so that children are not left behind.

 


Friday 21 July 2023

Islamia Primary Governing Body hopeful that more suitable options for school move may be identified by end of Autumn 2023 -stay of eviction until at least the end of August 2024

 

Sofia Moussaoui, Chair of Governors of Islamia Primary School, today wrote to parents and carers, suggesting that a more suitable site for the evicted school might be found than that at Strathcona in Preston ward.

The proposed move to Strathcona has been opposed by the great majority of parents and community that responded to the informal consultation as Wembley Matters revealed earlier this week. LINK

The letter stated:

Following the personal intenvention fo our Founder Yusuf Islam, earlier this week, and a meeting with Cllr (Muhammed) Butt, it has been agreed that Islamia  can remain on the current site at least until the end of August 2024, to enable further consideration of the needs of the school and further work to be done to identify a more suitable local solution, I understand that Yusuf Islam will also be writing to parents and that letter will be sent on when received.

The parents are assured that the Governing Body and Local Authority continue to consider the suitability of the Strathcona site for Islamia Primary School and no final decision has been taken on the suitability of relocating to that site: 'that decision cannot be made until we are clear on whether there will be any other options.'

The mention of a 'more suitable local solution' suggests that a site in Queens Park or Kilburn is being sought, despite earlier Council claims that no site in the area was available.

The overdue formal consultation, to be managed by the school, cannot be carried out until a potential site/s can be included in the proposal.

A parent commented:

This communication sounds more positive compared to past ones and parents are hopeful a local solution will be identified soon. This is a highly successful and resilient school in Brent. We need a good outcome to celebrate a fantastic school that is going to turn 40 this year.

Tuesday 18 July 2023

Islamia Primary move to new site and closure strongly opposed in informal consultation.

Islamia Primary School has responded to my Freedom of Information Request with some of the information requested over the proposed move of the school to another site, Strathcona, in Preston war of Brent.

The summary of informal consultation responses shows that the majority of parents and the wider community reject both Options offered in the consultation. 96 parents did not want to move to Strathcona and want Islamia to be offered the new South Kilburn building (currently ear-marked for Carlton Vale Infants and Kilburn Junior School) or another suitable site in the area.

Options offered in the consultation.

 

Option 1. For the school to relocate to a new site (the only one offered was Strathcona)


Option 2. For the school to close with pupils moving to other local schools with spare places.


 

I requested pupil mobility data to see how uncertainty over the future may have affected the school. There has been movement but Islamia operate a waiting list and state that the school is full at 420 pupils. 

 

 

The timetable for the move as tabled by Brent Council is now way behind and there appears to be little prospect of the school moving in time for a September 2024. The Council paper said that the Yusuf Islam Foundation had agreed an extension of the eviction to January 2025 only if there are unforseen events. The delay in the start of statutory consultation, apparently in order that mitigations for the move be agreed between the school and Brent Council, may not qualify as an unforseen event. 

 

 

The school responded to my request for copies of all correspondence with the Yusuf Islam Foundation and Brent Council regarding the eviction notice on the school and the subsequent search for alternative premises, survey/s of the Strathcona site and refurbishment/new build proposals, by saying that the request should be made to the Foundation and Brent Council.

Following the school's response I have sent another FI request:

1. Are the Governing Body going to undertake a statutory consultation on the move of Islamia to the Strathcona site (or another site)?

2. If so, what mitigations have been agreed with Brent Council?

3. If so, what is the timeline for the statutory consultation?

4. If the school is to move what is the timeline/target date for opening of the school on the new site?

5. Has a new eviction date been agreed with the Yusuf Islam Foundation?

 

Thursday 18 May 2023

A dribble of information on Islamia Primary says the Governing Body and Brent Council are considering 'mitigation measures' over move No information on what they are mitigating!

 It has proved really difficult to find out what is going on regarding the proposed move of Islamia Primary School to the Strathcona site in Preston ward. The informal consultation finished in November and there has not been a whisper about the results leaving parents and the community in the dark. I submitted a Freedom of Information request to Brent Council and as you can see the response still gives no details of the results of the consultation but does say the Islamia  Governing Board and the Council are working togather to 'consider mitigations measures'. What they are mitigating remains a secret.

The Council also fails to answer the question about the opening date of Islamia on the new site. As statutory consultation has not yet started the original date, negotiated with the Yusuf Islam Foundation looks most unlikely as either complete demolition and new build, or partial refurbishment and a new block, were proposed for the site.

This is the formal response to the FoI:

Details of the outcome of the public consultation on the proposed move of Islamia Primary School that was completed in November 2022.
The informal consultation that ran until November 2022 was managed by the Governing Board of Islamia Primary School. The responses and the concerns raised have been considered by the Governing Board and the Governing Board has been working with the local authority to consider mitigation measures. At this point in time, the Governing Board has not made a decision to proceed to statutory consultation.
 
2. Update on when the school will move and operate on its new site
(previously proposed for September 2024).

Operation of Islamia Primary School from the proposed Strathcona site will depend on the timing and outcome of the statutory process to relocate the  school and the completion of required capital investment works, should a decision be made following any statutory consultation to proceed with the relocation.

3. Update on any statutory consultation.
Statutory Consultation will be managed by the Governing Board of Islamia Primary School. 

As well as the above FoI I  submitted an additional FoI to Islamia Primary School itself on May 11th, This is due to be answered by June 9th.

Please provide the following information:

1.The outcome of the consultation on the proposed move of Islamia Primary School to the Strathcona site to open in September 2024 and copies of the breakdown of the consultation result.

2. Copies of all correspondence with the Yusuf Islam Foundation and Brent Council regarding the eviction notice on the school and the subsequent search for alternative premises, survey/s of the Strathcona site and refurbishment/new build proposals.

3. Up to date information on the current pupil numbers in the school by year group.

4. Current pupil mobility rates by year group since September 2022.





Saturday 6 May 2023

Lack of transparency on Islamia Primary School move is becoming a scandal

 The consultation on the move of Islamia Primary School from its Queens Park site finished in November 2022 and since then there has been a wall of silence from the Yusif Islam Foundation, the school and Brent Council. The school is due to move in September 2024 after refurbishment and new build on the former Strathcona site in Preston ward.

The result is anger, frustration and rumour from parents and community.

I have lodged an FoI result with Brent Council to try and get some very basic information LINK:

Dear Brent Borough Council,

Please provide:

1. Details of the outcome of the public consultation on the proposed move of Islamia Primary School that was completed in November 2022.
2. Update on when the school will move and operate on its new site (previously proposed for September 2024).
3. Update on any statutory consultation.

The Twitter account  Dignity Custodians has been very vocal from the beginning of the relocation proposals. 

Hello

@YusufCatStevens

a member of staff told parents that the Foundation planned to use vacated premises for the independent schools & a feeder primary school. Is this why you want

@IslamiaPrimary

as far away as possible? #Strathcona #Profit

@WembleyMatters

@Brent_Council

 

This confirms what a member of the governing body told a group of parents 3 years ago when there were attempts to turn the school into a one Form Entry and give priority to siblings of pupils attending the independent schools which was in breach of the #AdmissionsCode.

 

This GB member also said that

@Brent_Council

gave Islamia a "poor" catchment area and suggested Somali parents open their own school. The school's admissions policy has recently been found " unlawful and discriminatory " by the #OSA. Parents have reasons to fear discrimination.

Saturday 26 November 2022

Brent Council refuses Freedom of Information request on the controversial move of Islamia Primary School from Queens Park to Preston ward

 

At the recent public meeting about the move of Islamia Primary School to Preston ward, Brent Council officers promised to be open and transparent about the move.

However, a Freedom of Information request, by a concerned Islamia parent, has been refused on the grounds that to comply would constitute an unreasonable amount of work.

This is unfortunate on such a controversial issue as it will suggest to some of those involved that the council, or other parties, have something to hide.

In this case the public interest demands a full answer from Brent Council.

The correspondence LINK

Dear Brent Borough Council,

Following the eviction of Islamia Primary school by the Yusuf Islam Foundation and the proposal by Brent Council to move the school to the Roe Green Strathcona site , l am writing to make a FOI request.

Copies of all emails exchanged relating to the matter: 


-Between Brent Council, Council members and the The Yusuf Islam Foundation.
-Emails between Brent Council officers and members regarding proposal.
-Emails between Brent Council officers and members and the Islamia Governing Board, and minutes of any meetings held between these parties. 


I would like these to go back to when the move was first suggested.

Yours faithfully,
J. Guled

 

Dear J. Guled

RE: Brent Council's proposal to move Islamia Primary school to Roe Green  Strathcona

Thank you for your FOI (Freedom of Information) received on  28/10/2022. Unfortunately, we are unable to deal with your enquiry for the  following reason:

Regulation 12(4)(b) of the Freedom of Information Act 2000 makes provision  for public authorities to refuse requests for information where the  request for information is manifestly unreasonable. In line with the  Freedom of Information and Data Protection (Appropriate Limit and Fees)  Regulations 2004 this represents the estimated cost of one person spending  18 hours in determining whether the Council holds the information, locating, retrieving and extracting the information. We estimate that it  will take us in excess of 18 hours to locate all the emails requested,  review all the emails and determine whether or not the information can be  provided, giving due consideration to the data protection act and
excluding confidential information. Therefore, your request is refused.  

Further information about the Councils procedures can be found on the  Council's website: [3]https://www.brent.gov.uk/your-council/  
 

Alternatively, you may contact me using the contact details provided in
this correspondence.

Yours sincerely  

Shirley Parks

Director of Safeguarding, Partnerships and Strategy 

 

Dear Brent Borough Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Brent Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Brent Council's proposal to move Islamia Primary school to Roe Green Strathcona'.

You have calculated that gathering this information will exceed the cost limit, but I believe that this is an overestimation of the resource required.


I also believe that it is not unreasonable to request clarifications on how a Local Authority has come to the conclusion that a school it maintains should move over 6 miles away from its current location making it nearly impossible for current children to continue attending. This decision contravenes in many ways the Equality Act and it clearly poses safeguarding risks for primary age children. The consultation process is still ongoing therefore it is vital that this information is disclosed. It is in the public interest to share these emails and foster a transparent approach in decision making processes that will affect so many lives.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/brent_councils_proposal_to_move#incoming-2157180

 

Yours faithfully,

J. Guled

 

 

Tuesday 15 November 2022

Residents' Association launch petition calling for Islamia Primary School move to Strathcona site to be stopped

 A second petition on the Islamia Primary School proposed move to the Strathcona site in Preston ward has been launched. This follows a petition in the summer by a group of Islamia parents that opposed the proposed site and called instead for the school to occupy the South Kilburn site earmarked for the merged Carlton Vale Infants and Kilburn Park Juior schools. That petition was signed by 509 people by the time it closed LINK.

The second petition is by South Kenton & Preston Park Residents' Association (SKPPRA) and appears on the Change website. It opposes the school based on the traffic and environmental impact and its affect on neighbouring school pupil numbers.  SKPPRA insist that their opposition is not based on the faith nature of the school and that they represent a multi-ethnic community.

The interests of the two sets of petitioners converge in terms of opposition to the site but the governing board and Brent Council insist that there is no alternative. Both Brent Council and the Yusuf Islam Foundation have searched for an alternative site in the borough and found none. Brent Council insist that the new South Kilburn site is an integral part of the estate regeneration and its expanding population and would be open to children of all faiths and none. In any case it would not be ready in time for occupation given the eviction deadline. The Islamia Primary Governing Board said that if Brent Council were, nevertheless, to provide that site they could try and persuade the Foundation to extend their occupancy for the required period.

The informal stage of the consultation on the move ends tomorrow. The Governing Board will then start the formal statutory consultation and report on its outcome. Brent Council officers will then  provide a report and recommendations for the Brent Cabinet who will make the final decision.

The petition can be found HERE and had 265 signatories at the time of writing.

The petition

Islamia Primary School, currently in Kilburn NW6 are being evicted and have been given two choices by Brent Council, to either close down or move to Strathcona Site HA9. The 6 mile move to this new site is not supported by the existing school parents, teachers, governors or the local residents of the new site.

A new school in the area will have serious environmental impact on the area causing pollution, lower air quality and damage to the climate, not forgetting health and safety concerns of the general public.  

Three existing schools near Strathcona site are already under subscribed and a new school will only exacerbate the situation.

We urge you to sign the petition so that Brent Council Cabinet Members can take this into consideration.

In a recent public meeting with Islamia Primary school the Local resident's state: "We want your school to stay open, but we don't want it here"!

Consultation period ends on 16th November 2022


Monday 14 November 2022

Islamia Primary School move - minutes of September 12th Cabinet Meeting that set the process in motion

In view of the intense interest in the proposed move of Islamia Primary School to a site in Strathcona Road, Preston ward, I thought it might be useful to publish the minutes of the Cabinet Meeting of September 12 that set the process in motion:

 

This report details a proposal regarding the relocation of Islamia Primary School and seeks approval to the associated capital project business case and statutory consultation process.

Decision:

Cabinet NOTED the comments by Sofia Moussaoui, representing the Governing Body of Islamia Primary School, who had requested to speak on the report in relation to the future of Islamia Primary School. 

 

 In commenting on the proposals within the report she advised that the main aim of the Governing Body moving forward was to secure the future of Islamia Primary School.  As such she advised the Governing Body remained committed to ensure that the necessary funding and a suitable, viable alternative site was secured for the school.  This recognised the advice from the Council that the South Kilburn site identified as the preferred alternative by the parents who had signed the petition was not a viable option given the timing of its availability and allocated use.

 

In advance of the report being considered, Councillor Butt again assured the petitioners about the formal consultation that would need to be undertaken by the Governing Body, should the recommendations be agreed, along with the work being undertaken with the School and Governing Board in order to maintain and secure the schools future provision on the basis of the proposals identified.

 

Having noted the report, including the exempt information within the appendix, and the comments raised by the petitioners and Governing Body representatives at the meeting Cabinet RESOLVED:

 

(1)       To note the historical context and background set out in the report.

 

(2)       To note that the Yusuf Islam Foundation has issued eviction notices to its Voluntary Aided Islamia Primary School and that the future options for the school were for the school to either relocate or close.

 

(3)       To note the proposal to relocate Islamia Primary School to the Strathcona site as a 2FE school and agree to allocate up to £8.0m capital towards the total project costs of £10.0m, noting that the preferred option was estimated to cost £9.11m.

 

(4)       To approve the delegation of authority to agree pre-tender considerations, procure and award the necessary works contracts valued in excess of £5m to the Corporate Director Finances and Resources, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Reform.

 

(5)       To note that if the school relocated to the Strathcona school site, the site could be transferred into the name of the Yusuf Islam Foundation who would be required to hold the site for the benefit of the Islamia Primary School. Further details in terms of ownership would be set out in a Trust Deed. This would ensure that the primary school would be protected from eviction in future. (My emphasis)

 

(6)       To note that a statutory consultation process to allow the relocation of Islamia Primary School as a 2FE Primary School to the Strathcona site would need to be undertaken and that the Governing Board would be responsible for making this proposal through statutory consultation.

 

(7)       To acknowledge that, should the Strathcona site be used for Islamia Primary School, then an alternative site would be required to deliver Post-16 SEND provision.

Minutes:

Following on from consideration of the petition relating to Islamia Primary School, Councillor Muhammed Butt (Leader of the Council) advised that he had accepted a request to speak on the report from Sofia Moussaoui, representing the Governing Body at Islamia Primary School.  In commenting on the proposals within the report, Sofia Moussaoui advised that the main aim of the Governing Body moving forward was to secure the future of Islamia Primary School.  As such she advised the Governing Body remained committed to ensure that the necessary funding and a suitable, viable alternative site was secured for future provision of the school.  This recognised the advice from the Council that the South Kilburn site identified as the preferred alternative by the parents who had signed the petition was not a viable option given the timing of its availability and allocated use.

 

In advance of the report being considered, Councillor Muhammed Butt again assured the petitioners about the formal consultation that would need to be undertaken by the Governing Body, should the recommendations in the report be agreed, along with the work being undertaken with the School and Governing Board in order to maintain and secure the schools future provision on the basis of the proposals identified.

 

Councillor Gwen Grahl (Cabinet member for Children, Young People and Schools) then introduced the report which set out proposals for the relocation of Islamia Primary School.  In considering the report Cabinet noted the outline of options reviewed along with the capital project requirements and business case supporting the option to develop the former Strathcona school site as a two form entry site for the School.  The report also set out the statutory consultation requirements that would be required in order to deliver the project.  In thanking the petitioners and representatives of the school Governing Body for their comments, Councillor Grahl advised that she acknowledged the concerns and frustrations raised but, at the same time, felt it important to recognise the limited options available in relation to the availability of alternative sites to secure future provision of the school.  In terms of reference to the new school site within South Kilburn, confirmation was provided that this had already been allocated for use as a replacement for Carlton Vale Infant and Kilburn Park Junior School as part of the wider South Kilburn regeneration masterplan with the new school also not available until September 2026.  Members noted it would also not therefore be available as a viable option on the basis of the timing, given Islamia Primary School were required to vacate their current site by the end of July 2024.

 

Taking this into account, members were advised of the significant effort which had gone into development of the Strathcona site as a viable alternative for the school along with the assurance of the Council’s continued commitment to work with the school and parents in order to ensure a smooth transition, should the proposal be approved, including on how best to facilitate travel and access particularly for more vulnerable pupils.

 

In recognising that the preference identified by the petitioners for allocation of the new school site in South Kilburn was not a viable option, members supported the efforts being made to safeguard the long term future of the school working with the Governing Body and Trust in terms of the provision of a suitable permanent site that could be developed to accommodate the school and on which it would be possible for parents to contribute and outline their views as part of the statutory consultation process.

 

Having considered the report, including the exempt information within Appendix A, and the comments raised by the petitioners and Governing Body representatives at the meeting Cabinet RESOLVED:

 

(1)      To note the historical context and background set out in the report.

 

(2)      To note that the Yusuf Islam Foundation has issued eviction notices to its Voluntary Aided Islamia Primary School and that the future options for the school were for the school to either relocate or close.

 

(3)      To note the proposal to relocate Islamia Primary School to the Strathcona site as a 2FE school and agree to allocate up to £8.0m capital towards the total project costs of £10.0m, noting that the preferred option was estimated to cost £9.11m.

 

(4)      To approve the delegation of authority to agree pre-tender considerations, procure and award the necessary works contracts valued in excess of £5m to the Corporate Director Finances and Resources, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources and Reform.

 

(5)      To note that if the school relocated to the Strathcona school site, the site could be transferred into the name of the Yusuf Islam Foundation who would be required to hold the site for the benefit of the Islamia Primary School. Further details in terms of ownership would be set out in a Trust Deed. This would ensure that the primary school would be protected from eviction in future.

 

(6)      To note that a statutory consultation process to allow the relocation of Islamia Primary School as a 2FE Primary School to the Strathcona site would need to be undertaken and that the Governing Board would be responsible for making this proposal through statutory consultation.

 

(7)     To acknowledge that, should the Strathcona site be used for Islamia Primary School, then an alternative site would be required to deliver Post-16 SEND provision.

Supporting documents:



Thursday 10 November 2022

Implications for neighbouring schools' pupil numbers & budgets if Islamia Primary moves to Preston ward

A Brent resident has written to Brent Council raising issues over the impact of an Islamia Primary School move from Queens Park to Preston ward.

It's important to recognise the negative impacts the proposed move will have on the other nearby schools. The School Cuts site (schoolcuts.org.uk) illustrates the financially difficult position they are already facing next year, notwithstanding any previous or current budget deficits:

 

    - Byron Court Primary face £134k cut in 2023-24, equivalent loss of £180 per pupil

    - East Lane Primary face £181k cut, loss of £289 per pupil

    - Preston Park Primary face £61k cut, loss of £117 per pupil

    - Wembley Primary face £121k cut, loss of £148 per pupil

    - Mount Stewart Infant face £71k cut, loss of £281 per pupil

    - Mount Stewart Junior face £60k cut, loss of £192 per pupil 

    - Sudbury Primary face £152k cut, loss of £185 per pupil 

 

Moving Islamia Primary into an area with a high density of primaries may solve one problem but will create many more for the other schools, who will lose families wanting to attend Islamia as a faith school, exacerbating their financial problems and inevitably lead to cuts in activities and staff redundancies - a very slippery slope that is difficult to recover from. 

 

A very real example of this was the closure of Roe Green Strathcona Primary (a local authority school) on the exact same site. The public consultation in 2019 found 541 respondents in favour of keeping the school open whilst just a single respondent disagreed. Previously the then Lead Member for Young People and Schools, Cllr Amer Agha cited a drop in demand and excess places to justify the closure. Our local authority schools are already under immense pressure, and these proposals could very well over time lead to more closures. 

 

It’s vital that these proposals fit into the Council's School Place Planning Strategy 2019-23, https://legacy.brent.gov.uk/media/16419833/school-place-planning-strategy-2019-23-refresh-nov-21.pdf  yet it doesn't appear that they do:

 

    - South Kilburn - very close to Islamia's current location - is cited as an existing growth area for housing (page 6) with many developments already completed or in the pipeline. In contrast, Northwick Park is still many years away from that

 

    - the Council's duty to provide a 'reasonable offer' within 2 miles of home for children under 8 (page 9) clearly doesn't work for existing families if the school moves 6 miles away from the current site

 

    - strategy document recognises the difficulties spare places can cause schools (page 11). The operating principles (page 12) offers support to schools re changing demand and sustainability, minimising disruption to provision, and use planning areas for primary places. Yet none of this seems to have been undertaken in light of the proposals, especially since I know that Byron Court Primary and possibly other schools have not been consulted themselves or offered support 

 

    - the Planning Areas (pages 22-27) illustrate the capacity and projection in each area. Moving Islamia out of Planning Area 5 will reduce the capacity from 1252 to 830; based on a reasonable assumption that 20% of children will not move with the school and instead find another school place in the same area (80 children), this would reduce the surplus Reception places in 23/24 from 209 to 129. In contrast, the capacity in Planning Area 2 will increase from 750 to 1172; bringing the remaining 80% into the area (342 children) will lift the projected Reception intake to 928 but increase the overall surplus from 164 to 244. That surplus would not be evenly distributed if the 20% spare places in Islamia are quickly taken, as expected, by families with children in existing local schools

 

Finally, the report and subsequent decision to award a contract for technical consultancy for the Strathcona site development on 1 Nov makes absolutely no mention of the current public consultation or the award being contingent on the move being confirmed. This clearly implies that consultation is merely a tick-box exercise with a pre-determined decision already made to move the school.

 

 


'We want your school to stay open but we don't want it here' Islamia Primary School Consultation

 Extra chairs had to be brought into the hall of Preston Park Primary School last night as residents flocked to the last public consultation about the move of Islamia Primary School to the area. The mood of the often-rowdy meeting can be summed up by one comment shouted from the floor to the Islamia Chair of Governors, 'We want your school to stay open, but we don't want it here.'

 

The Chair of Governors Sofia Moussaoui was flanked on the platform by other members of the Governing Board, the pastoral adviser to the pupils, Shirley Parks, Brent Interim Operational Director, Safeguarding, Partnerships and Strategy and the Brent Council Transportation officer responsible for School Travel Plans. Several councillors were present including Cllr Gwen Grahl, Cabinet member for Children Young People and Schools. Cllr Grahl was initially incognito in the audience but perhaps should have been on the platform to give support when Shirley Parks was showered with sometimes angry questions. Both were only appointed to their posts in May of this year.

 

The headteacher of Islamia Primary School was unable to be present because he had been involved in an accident that evening and there was no representative of the Yusuf Islam Foundation, that has served an eviction notice on the school, in attendance.

 

At the beginning of the meeting there were complaints that local people had not been consulted, some had only heard about the plans for the move a week ago (they clearly don't read Wembley Matters!), and many had not read the consultation paper before coming to the meeting. The school had made some copies, and these were distributed.   The Chair of Governors denied a claim that locals who had given their emails in order to receive further information at the last meeting had not received anything.

 

As well as local residents the meeting was attended by a group of Islamia parents who were vociferously opposed to the move because of the difficulty of travelling from their homes in what they said was a 6-mile journey four times a day.  They had suggested in a 509-signature petition that Brent Council should make the proposed South Kilburn site, earmarked for the, to be merged, Kilburn Park Junior School and Carlton Vale Infant School, available to Islamia instead. They cited very low numbers in both the schools in contrast to the 420 pupils at Islamia.

 

Shirley Parks said that this was not possible because a community school. open to all, was essential on the estate as it developed, and the population rose. Work had already started in the two schools towards occupation of the new premises. The new school was part of the long-term plans for the area and needed to be open to all pupils, not those from just one religious group. In any event the new building would not be available until well after Islamia's eviction deadline from the Queens Park site.

 

After many interventions from the floor, including suggestions that the closed South Kilburn Job Centre site could be used, the Chair of Governors said that if there was a possibility of a move to South Kilburn the Islam Yusuf Foundation could be approached to delay the eviction until a new site there was available.

 

Residents already concerned about traffic congestion in the area, particularly at school run times when cars often drove on the pavement, were shocked when Sophia Mousssaoui revealed that 160 parents had said they would travel to the site by car, 51 by bus, 58 by train and one cycling. When pressed she was unable to say how many parents would not be able to travel to the new site at all. The 223 bus that runs close to the site is already over-crowded at school times.

 

There was derision from the audience when a School Travel Plan was mooted as a solution. It was claimed that Islamia did not have an extant Travel Plan on its current site and the Travel Plans of schools in the Preston area made little difference.

 

Cllr Kennelly, Preston ward councillor, said that the environment and meeting climate targets needed to be considered when looking at traffic issues. If the move were to go ahead there was the challenge of how to make it work. There would be a need to reduce the number of cars making the journey as low as possible.  


A resident from SKPRA (South Kenton and Preston Residents Association) asked why a request to see the feasibility plans for the Strathcona Road site had not been published. He doubted that there would be adequate playground space and whether it would meet DfE standards for a 2 form entry primary school. Shirley Parks replied that there was a caveat on the study that meant it could not be published.

 

The question of how many pupils would not be able to travel to the new school because of transport difficulties or special needs gave rise to two concerns.

 

Firstly, if numbers dropped would Islamia still be viable? Shirley Parks responded that there were many successful one form entry primary schools in Brent (in fact there are only a handful) and Islamia could operate as a one form entry school.  The Chair of Governors said there would be plenty of demand from neighbouring areas - that produced cries from the audience about more car journeys and the impact on the Council's Climate Emergency Strategy.

 

Secondly, if there were spare places at Islamia once established, would local Muslim children transfer from their present schools, threatening the viability of those schools that were already facing falling rolls and budget issues? Shirley Parks said that parents did not tend to move children from their current schools but there would be impact at Reception level when parents choose their child's future school. A question on how schools were funded was not answered but there is an amount allocated per pupil so that would make an impact if classes were only half full. In the 1970s when falling rolls hit London there were some schools where year groups were merged to make mixed age classes.

 

A member of the audience suggested that some schools, low in pupil numbers could be merged on one site and the building vacated allocated to Islamia. Shirley Parks said that a review of primary provision was in progress.

 

Emerging at times during this discussion was whether voluntary aided faith schools should exist at all. Shouldn't Brent as a multi-cultural and multi-religious borough have mixed schools open to all?  Cllr Michael Maurice, citing his own children attending the Jewish Free School l(JFS), mounted a strong defence of faith schools and Islamia's right to exist. Members of the audience quoted the number of schools in the borough of various faiths, compared with only one Muslim primary school.  Islamia was popular, followed the National Curriculum and had received a Good Ofsted Report LINK.

 

A resident raised 'the elephant in the room', Yusuf Islam and his Foundation and the fact that the Foundation had been given the opportunity to redevelop the Islamia site to improve provision by Brent Council, with funding, a long time ago but the Foundation had ended the discussion. There was an 'education use' only covenant on the site so the Foundation would be using it to expand their private secondary provision:

 

 'Yusuf Islam is going to get a free site and Brent Council will pay £10m to move the school.'

 

I pointed out that the Foundation's actions had divided the community and Yusuf Islam had not responded to requests for a comment on the situation.

 

A former Islamia Primary pupil who had gone on to the private secondary school spoke in defence of Yusuf Islam and the foundation.  He had put his own money into the project and the Foundation was a charity, he was not making money out of it. He should be accorded respect.

 

Amid this a member of the audience who works on Pupil Voice in local schools asked if children had been spoken to about their views and how this affected them as they would have heard what was going on. Shirley Parks said from a safeguarding point of view she would be concerned that such discussions would worry the children. However, the member of Islamia staff responsible for pastoral care and said that there had been questions from pupils and that these could be addressed through the Pupil School Council. 

 

The issue of lack of provision of information to local residents came up again. Sophia Moussaoui said that the Governing Board could not be expected to leaflet every home in the area. The parent who had organised the petition, Jamad Guled, said that she had prepared a leaflet for distribution to residents informing them of the plans but had been barred from distributing it by the Governing Board. The chair of the Board said they had seen the leaflets and that it was written as if from an outsider and they thought that it would create panic and division in the community.

 

Contributing from the audience Gwen Grahl, Brent Council Lead Member for Young People and Schools, said she recognised that this was a difficult situation. Brent Council had been approached by the Islamia Governing Board for help when the school received the eviction notice. Islamia was obviously a very popular and successful school and unique as the only Muslim state school in Brent. She understood that other schools were being built in Brent but the site in South Kilburn was inappropriate for a lot of reasons. Teachers, parents, and pupils of the merging schools were really excited about moving to the new school and in any case, it was not opening until 2023.

 

Cllr Grahl said that it was her job to scrutinise the council officers to make sure they were doing their jobs properly and she could assure residents and parents that they had looked at every single option for finding a site nearer to Queens Park. The Yusuf Islam Foundation had commissioned their own search and couldn't find a site either:

 

 'You can't build a site just anywhere it has to be big enough and accessible and crucially available in the very small window to 2024.' 

 

She recognised that there had been some problems with the informal stage of the consultation, not least that the Governing Board had not expected to have to undertake the consultation process. As a result of representations from the ward councillors the consultation period was extended, and the Council played a bigger role in ensuring the process was transparent and organising additional meetings. It was going to be her job to steer any proposal through Cabinet:

 

If I am not satisfied that either parents of the school or residents support the proposal, or its not feasible for any other reason, then I won't be voting for it. So, I ask everyone to engage in the consultation. We want to hear from you, but to be honest, my challenge was that 420 children go to a school, and it's going to close. I wish that it could have been able to remain in Queens Park - I wish they hadn’t been evicted.

 

This is the proposal that we have managed to come up with. The capital funding comes from Strategic CIL and is not coming from any other Council department. It had to be allocated as here is no guarantee that it would be available at a later date.

 

Cllr Grahl went on to assure that audience that the Council was here to listen and would see what happened at the end of the process. She finished, 'In terms of options I really wish there was another option, but there isn't one.'

 

 The Chair of Governors Sofia Moussaoui said that the Governing Board did not want to move either but were faced with the stark choice, 'Move or close'.