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?

 

6 comments:

  1. Poor parents.

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  2. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

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  3. Edited version of above deleted comment:

    It is obvious that the so called labour council of Brent is happy to collude with the Islamia Governors and Cat Stevans/Josef Islam to give them a new school at Brent taxpayers expense as long as it is nowhere near the existing school because if it was in Kilburn no one will go to their new private school at the present site. Moving the school also gets rid of the poorer Muslim families in Kilburn that the school doesn’t want and gives them a new site for free at taxpayer expense. And who sold them their present site where they are evicting the children- why Brent Council.
    Hopefully Butt at least got tickets to Glastonbury for this magnificent giveaway of public assets and Labour Party Principles

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  4. The London Borough of Bent

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  5. No I am afraid not. All very quiet. Anyone with information is welcome to send it to Wembley Matters.

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