Barry Gardiner's trenchant views on Brent Council's proposal to close Strathcona School

Roe Green Strathcona staff, parents & pupils protest at Brent Civic Centre

 The Brent Council Cabinet is likely to make a decision on the future of Roe Green Strathcona School at its September Meeting. The formal consultation closed last night.  It is worth reading the detailed letter that Brent North MP, Barry Gardiner, wrote to the June Cabinet which made the decision to move to formal consultation.

Meanwhile there is speculation about the possible plans that Brent Council may have for the Strathcona site including possible sell-off to a developer or provision for the Islamia Primary School which is short of space at its present site LINK.

Barry Gardiner wrote: 

I write to you prior to the cabinet decision to be taken on Monday 17^th June 2019 in relation to the future of Roe Green Strathcona Primary School.

You will be aware that it is very rare that I comment upon what I recognise to be the proper functions of the council. That I do so now is because I am deeply concerned by the proposal to move to a formal consultation on the closure of the school which I believe to be flawed on every level.

On the evening of the 6^th of June, 120 people attended a public meeting at the school to voice their protest against the Council, the substance of the proposal and the process by which the council has conducted its dealings with the school.

The officers report for the meeting of the council where the informal consultation was set out, presented what can only be described as an extremely partial view of the history of the school. In particular it failed to explain the discrepancies between the current reasons for the proposed closure and the original reasons for opening the school in 2014 and for confirming it with permanent status in 2016.

Brent Council’s stated rationale for closing the School is in response to an estimated surplus of pupil places in the borough’s “Primary Planning Area 2” at reception level, which has been predicted in Brent Council’s 2019-23 School Place Planning Strategy. The Council have also said that other high quality schools in the area have capacity to provide education to those pupils who would need to be relocated. It has also been suggested that the school receives an additional amount of funding for operating on a split site and closure would therefore save scarce resources.

However, this rationale is in stark contrast to the decision made at Cabinet only three years ago on 11 April 2016 to permanently increase the age range and expand Roe Green Infant School on a split site. At that time councillors were explicitly informed that whilst there was a shortage of places predicted up to 2019/20, thereafter there was expected to be a surplus of places. Councillors in 2016 were advised that this would enable Brent to meet the guideline of a 5% surplus which was deemed necessary to give appropriate parental choice. The current figure was then only 2.2% and was deemed insufficient. It is simply untrue therefore to claim that the current surplus was unforeseen and that the council are having now to respond to a new set of circumstances.

One of the key reasons put forward in 2016 in favour of making Strathcona permanent was that it would save the council £500,000 and it is therefore a matter of concern that councillors are now being told that the £200,000 split-site funding is a reason to close the school. I trust the cabinet will want to examine very carefully the basis upon which the original cost saving was predicated and why it no longer appears to be the case.

When doing so councillors will no doubt also consider that their decision in 2016 to make the school permanent also means that those teachers’ contracts which had originally been temporary, were at that point made permanent. A decision now to close the school would therefore also lead to serious redundancy costs which appear not to have been quantified in the earlier officers’ report.

Perhaps the most perplexing issue relating to the estimated surplus of places however, is that the council gave approval for a major expansion of places at Byron Court Primary and the creation of a new primary school at East Lane Primary AFTER the decision had been taken to make Strathcona permanent. The development at Byron Court was extensively opposed by local residents, and yet the council pressed ahead on the grounds that these places would be required. It seems perverse now to decide to close Strathcona when it was known at the time that the bulge in nursery admissions would decline by 2019/20.

The officers have suggested that other schools in the area would be able to provide places for the students who needed to transfer after any closure at Strathcona. This ignores the disruption to the education of those children who would be asked to change schools. Such disruption would be particularly acute for those children expected to go into year 6 at a new school just before they sit their SATS. The need to make new friends and settle into a different school routine would inevitably be damaging for those children’s achievement.

It is also right that the council consider whether their action has been fair on the whole school.

Roe Green Strathcona opened in 2014, in response to an emergency request from Brent Council. A large number of children were unable to be provided with a primary place. In fact many children had been out of mainstream education for as much as ten months. It was on this basis that Brent asked Roe Green Infants if they would set up a second site. Originally a site owned by Kingsbury High School was to be the location, but when that proved too costly the Council asked Roe Green to open the new site at Strathcona — some 1.6 miles away from their central site. This was an enormous challenge for the school, but it was a challenge Roe Green readily accepted.

The Governing Body of Roe Green Infant School agreed to manage a new provision of Students at the Strathcona site at a Governing Body meeting of 14 January 2014. Teachers and staff worked day and night for seven weeks in order to convert the dilapidated Strathcona buildings and meet the Council’s deadline for a fully operational School. This was achieved and the Roe Green Strathcona site successfully admitted its first pupils in two months later in March 2014.

In October 2014, the Cabinet approved the “School Place Planning Strategy 2014-2018”. A refresh of the strategy was subsequently considered and agreed by Members at the November 2015 Cabinet.

In this report, the Council recognised the need for school places, and also acknowledged that such places should be established through the expansion of existing schools.

In 2015, Roe Green Strathcona were informed by the Department of Education that their temporary status prevented the School from extending by more that two year groups. The School would be in breach of DoE rules, if a permanent school status was not formalised by the next academic year. It is important to understand that the Council officers did not approach the school to advise them of this. It was the DoE that notified them of this deadline. On 11 April 2016, a determination was reached by Cabinet, agreeing to expand and alter – on a permanent basis – the age-range of Roe Green Strathcona School, effective from September 2016 on the grounds I have set out above.

Despite all the significant work that the school has done and the cooperation it’s staff have given to help the council resolve the very serious problem they had with a lack of places, the council appears not to have reciprocated that good will. It has long been a matter of contention that Brent Council have continuously failed to ensure the school is properly advertised on the Council’s electronic enrolment system.

There have been significant difficulties experienced at the School with pupil admissions. Within the Cabinet Report of 11 April 2016, Brent Council acknowledge that pupil admission arrangements will be a big challenge for the School:

“Currently there is no mechanism for parents to select the Strathcona site. By making the provision permanent it enables the authority (as the admissions authority for Roe Green Infant School because it is a community school) to consult in winter 2016/17 upon admissions criteria for 2017/18 year that would enable parents to express a preference for the Strathcona provision.”

Despite this statement, the most recent Council report dated 17^th June 2019 now states that pupil admission arrangements at Roe Green Strathcona are “not considered to be sustainable”. This is hardly surprising when Roe Green Strathcona does not appear on the “drop down” list on the council’s website. It is unacceptable for the council to fail to ensure that parents are able to access information about the school on the electronic enrolment system and then accuse the school of not having “sustainable admissions”.

The effect is that parents are presently not able to choose Strathcona as a main option for primary provision on Brent Council’s website, and that the Strathcona School only ever appears as a subsidiary option of the Roe Green Infant School site. Indeed, councillors might be shocked to find that even when one uses the School’s postcode as a student’s residential address on Brent Council’s enrolment system, the Strathcona site is not offered. Only alternative local Schools are suggested in the search results. It is clear that there is a strong positive correlation between the decrease in pupil intake at the School, and the difficulty many parents have in registering their children onto the Strathcona roll.

Council officers have been alerted to this issue repeatedly but have never resolved the matter. It is also the case that in the past five years, up to 85% of pupil admissions at the Strathcona site have been during the middle of the academic year. I understand that Ms Sidhu, the headteacher, believes that in-year admission data has not been properly accounted for in any of the drafted Brent Council reports.

If council officers had actively been trying to prepare a case for the closure of the school, these are precisely the measures they might have taken. First ensure nobody knows about the place and even when they live next door, refer them to another school. In fact the head teacher has said that she has several reports of prospective parents who asked for their child to come to the school actually being told by council officers that the roll at Strathcona is full and they can take no more children. I would ask that the cabinet investigate these allegations which, if true, represent a serious breach of trust on the part of public officials.

Of course much of this might be more understandable were the school underperforming. In fact despite all the problems it has experienced, Roe Green Strathcona School is an excellent School, with their first cohort of Year 6 students achieving progress in the top 3% of Schools in England this academic year. This is particularly remarkable when one considers the extent of mid year admissions. In the public meeting held at Roe Green Strathcona on 6^th June 2019, which was attended by local councillors, many parents testified to the quality of teaching and the quality of pastoral care that the school provides.

Just 3 years ago Council officers made an urgent recommendation that Roe Green Strathcona School become permanent by September 2016. They are now trying to persuade councillors that the school is not viable. What was then a saving is now said to be a financial drain on the council. What was then required to cope with the primary admissions crisis is now said to be part of an unnecessary and unsustainable surplus. What was then said to provide parental choice into the future is now having its very existence airbrushed from the Council admissions website.

Teachers and staff at the Roe Green School are rightly proud of the progress that has been made since the creation of the Strathcona school five years ago. In a borough where children had been out of formal education for many months, the School has added significant value to the educational development of every child that has entered its classrooms. They have served the council well. If the cabinet were to rubber stamp the proposal to launch a formal consultation for the closure of the Strathcona School site. I believe they would be betraying that service and acting arbitrarily.

Thank you for considering the matters I have raised.

-->

Brent Civic Centre witnesses a tide of support for threatened Strathcona School as staff, parents & pupils occupy the atrium steps

Kiri Tunks, Joint National President of the NEU, addresses the protesters

From Brent National Education Union

The fight to save Strathcona School, Wembley, intensified On Wednesday. Staff, parents and children in greater numbers than last time, joined union colleagues on the steps inside Brent Civic Centre. While they sang their song and waved their placards, leaflets were handed out to those working in the centre and to the public. They were very well received and made an impact.

Siluan Buliga, a Year 5 pupil who was there with his mother Oana, said:

 I learnt to speak English with the help of the teachers. Without the school we won't have knowledge as school is education. I am really sad.

 His mother Oana added:

The school is like a family. From the cooks to the teachers, all the staff work together. The school has been a great support and the children have done very well. I want to choose Strathcona for my next child who will be coming into Reception but Brent won't let me.

Another parent Vasantiben Kerai agreed the school has been very supportive and has made a great effort to support her two boys:

Another son is in High School and is in the top set because of the education he got at Strathcona.

Noreen Ahmed has had children at the school since it opened. She said:

My son has become more confident and opened up since going to Strathcona. They support the whole family as they did when I had health problems. They are like a family.

Brent Council intends to close the Roe Green Strathcona school site despite the fact that it is a very popular and successful school site. The Year 6 students achieved progress in the top 3% of schools in England in their SATs results this week. Cllr Muhammed Butt complimented the striking staff and parents on being very well behaved and making a colourful scene with their flags and placards. But staff say listen to our suggestions that will enable to school to stay open.

Kiri Tunks, Joint National President of NEU addressed the group praising them for their brave actions in speaking out against their school being closed. The protesters were also addressed by NEU London Executive members Stefan Simms and Hank Roberts, and representatives of Brent Trades Council.

Lesley Gouldbourne, Brent NEU Secretary said

 The Strathcona staff have shown great dignity and unity in their fight to keep their fantastic unit open. Shame on Brent Council for not listening to them.

Mary Adossides, Chair Brent Trades Council said:

 Brent Trades Council send a message of sport and solidarity to the striking staff of Roe Green Strathcona. Their fight in defence of education and jobs is a remarkable test of their determination to ensure the best for the children of Brent. May they win!

Cllr Jumbo Chan who sent solidarity greeting to the strikers said:

I fully support the brave staff, parents and other members of the Roe Green Strathcona community as they continue their extraordinary strike campaign to save their school from closure.

Rather than following the agenda of closure and privatisation set by the Conservative government, our Labour Brent Council should listen to these people who have shown so much dedication to public education, and support them to seek a new alternative.

Brent Council says that there are not enough students going there now that student numbers are dropping across the borough - but of course smaller schools and smaller classes are the best environment for Brent’s children (and after all its good enough for Eton!). And the school has submitted proposals to boost numbers by providing much needed places for SEND students.

An informal consultation received a massive 463 responses with all but 3 against (99.4%) - but Brent have ignored this and moved to a Formal consultation. Parents and staff say please join us and SAY NO to this consultation too.

Email  StrathconaConsultation@brent.gov.uk or write to Michael Rollin, Children and Young People, 5^th Floor, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 OFJ

-->

Islamia Chair of Governors tells parents that final approval after consultation on school move 'should be no more than a formality'. Yusuf Islam Foundation is to redevelop the present site.

The proposed site photographed earlier this week

 Sofia Moussaoui, Chair of the Islamia Primary School Govering Board, has written to parents troday following the Brent Cabinet's approval of the report that cleared the way for consultation on the move of the school from Queens Park to the former Roe Green Strathcona site  in Preston, Wembley.

The letter reveals that the Yusuf Islam Foundation plans to redevelop the Queens Park site - a prime site in a well to do area.

In a passage that has annoyed parents, who sense a fait accompli as regards the consultation, Ms Moussaoui states:

...This approval in principle is subject to final approval upon the conclusion of the consultation process, but it should be no more than a formality.

The letter conscludes:

We would encourage you all to provide constructive suggestions as to how we can the transition easier for both teachers and parents.

No mention of children!

The text of the letter to parents and carers:

I am writing to update you on the proposed relocation of the school.

I am pleased to report that the Yusuf Islam Foundation, the GB[Governing Board] and the Local Authority have agreed terms in principle for the relocation of the School. The Yusuf Islam Foundation has agreed to withdraw the eviction notice in return for the GB committing to vacating the Salusbury Road site in July 2024 and in return for the Local Authority committing to provide an alternative site for Islamia by the same date.

The greement is yet to be signed but all 3 parties have committed to signing the document in its current agreed form. Brother Yusuf Islam is due to travel to London to sign and execute the agreement.

The Local Authority has proposed that Islamia relocate to the Strathcona Site which is located at the Roe Green Strathcona School Site, Strathcona Road, Wembley, HA9 8QW. Furthermore, the Local Authority is adamant that they have conducted extensive searches over the last couiple of years and that there are no other suitable sites within the Brent area,

The Yusuf Islam Foundation will be redeveloping its land and therefore ongoing occupation of the curent school site after the agreed July 2024 date is not an option.

The GB is aware of the 500 strong petition to relocate the School to a site in South Kilburn. This  has been raised with the Local Authority who have confirmed that the site has already been earmarked for another school and that  it will in any event not be ready for occupation for 4 years, Therefore, the site in South Kilburn is not a viable option.

The priority for the GB is to avoid the closure of Islamia, who in 2 years' time cannot continue to occupy the Salusbury Road site. Currently our only viable option to avoid closure is the relocation to the now closed Roe Green Strathcona School Site, Strathcona Road, HA9 8QW.

On Monday 12th September 2022, 5 members of the GB attended the Cabinet Meeting at Brent Civic Centre  * where Councillors voted on the proposal to fund the relocation of Islamia to the Strathcona Site. In total the costs of the relocation and rebuild ** are estimated to be circa £12million. The Councillors approved the proposal and have committed in principle to providing the funds. The approval in principle is subject to final approval upon the conclusion of the consultation process, but it should be no more than a formality.

The next step for the GB is to conduct a informal consultation process which we hope to begin within the next 1-2 weeks. The informal consultation will run for 4 weeks. Thereafter, there will also need to be a formal consultation process.

We would encourage you all to provide constructive suggestions as to how we can make the transition easier for both teachers and parents.

* Around 15 parents opposed to the plans also attended the Cabinet meeting and one made a speech presenting the 500+ signature petition.

** The plans are for the refurbishment of the existing buildings and the building of a new block. From the Cabinet Report: 

4. Retain and refurbish all buildings on the Strathcona site and build a new block to meet 2FE accommodation requirements

Brent Council nows faces further strikes as well as Call-in Scrutiny over Roe Green Strathcona closure decision

Encouraged by the support of Brent councillors who, as reported first here, have called-in the Cabinet's decision to close Strathcona School for further scrutiny, determined NEU members voted unanimously today to resume their strikes.

In the background both groups have been heartened by the support of Barry Gardiner MP who write to Brent Council back in July opposing the proposed closure LINK. This is a key section of his letter:

If council officers had actively been trying to prepare a case for the closure of the school, these are precisely the measures they might have taken. First ensure nobody knows about the place and even when they live next door, refer them to another school. In fact the head teacher has said that she has several reports of prospective parents who asked for their child to come to the school actually being told by council officers that the roll at Strathcona is full and they can take no more children. I would ask that the cabinet investigate these allegations which, if true, represent a serious breach of trust on the part of public officials.

Of course much of this might be more understandable were the school underperforming. In fact despite all the problems it has experienced, Roe Green Strathcona School is an excellent School, with their first cohort of Year 6 students achieving progress in the top 3% of Schools in England this academic year. This is particularly remarkable when one considers the extent of mid year admissions. In the public meeting held at Roe Green Strathcona on 6^th June 2019, which was attended by local councillors, many parents testified to the quality of teaching and the quality of pastoral care that the school provides.

Just 3 years ago Council officers made an urgent recommendation that Roe Green Strathcona School become permanent by September 2016. They are now trying to persuade councillors that the school is not viable. What was then a saving is now said to be a financial drain on the council. What was then required to cope with the primary admissions crisis is now said to be part of an unnecessary and unsustainable surplus. What was then said to provide parental choice into the future is now having its very existence airbrushed from the Council admissions website.

Teachers and staff at the Roe Green School are rightly proud of the progress that has been made since the creation of the Strathcona school five years ago. In a borough where children had been out of formal education for many months, the School has added significant value to the educational development of every child that has entered its classrooms. They have served the council well. If the cabinet were to rubber stamp the proposal to launch a formal consultation for the closure of the Strathcona School site. I believe they would be betraying that service and acting arbitrarily.

Brent Council did launch a formal consultation. In over 300 responses only one supported closure but the Cabinet have gone ahead with closure plans.  Brent North's Labour Party MP is rightly holding his Labour colleagues in the Brent Cabinet to account.

For the NEU this is a much wider issue than just Brent. It is the first attempt at urban school closures since the 70s and 80s when falling school rolls led to school closures and amalgamations and indirectly to some of the super-sized schools that we see today. Brent Labour Council is setting a precedent that if successful, other councils may follow. This is why it is important to win this particular battle.

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:

• 07. Future of Islamia Primary School.docx, item 8. PDF 484 KB
• Restricted enclosure View the reasons why document 8./2 is restricted

Public Meeting on the relocation of Islamia Primary School at Preston Park Primary, November 9th 7pm. Consultation extended to November 16th

A further public meeting on the controversial relocation of Islamia Primary School from Queens Park to the Strathcona site in Preston ward has been scheduled for Tuesday November 9th at Preston Park Primary School.

At the same time the consultation period has been extended to Wednesday November 16th.

 

Parents are being offered the stark choice of acceptance of the move or the closure of the school. 

 

Brent Council's 'Have Your Say' website gives further details on the options if the school moves. The Islamia Primary School Governing Board has said that a completely new building is the only option they support while the Council doubts that this could be completed by September 2024 when the school has to start on its new site.  The Council favour option D - refurbishment of the existing building and an additional new block on the site to accommodate a 2 form entry school:

 

Consultation on relocation of Islamia Primary School from September 2024

The Governing Board of Islamia Primary School (Salusbury Road, London, NW6 6PE) is proposing the relocation of the school from September 2024, to the site known as the Strathcona site, which is located on Strathcona Road, Wembley, HA9 8QW.

The Governing Board is seeking the views of interested parties through this informal consultation on:

Option 1: A proposal to relocate Islamia Primary School to the Strathcona Site as a 2-form entry school (60 places per year group)

Option 2: The school ceasing to exist from July 2024.

Brent Council has identified capital funding for Islamia Primary School to relocate to the Strathcona site. The current building on the site is a 1FE school with accommodation for 210 pupils. The building is in good condition, but on its own it is not big enough for the current pupils on roll at Islamia Primary School (420).

A feasibility study has identified 5 options to provide accommodation for the school on the Strathcona site.

Option A: A complete new build of a 2 FE school as a 2 storey building

Option B: A complete new build of a 2 FE school as a 3 storey buidling

Option C: Part demolition, part refurbishment of the existing building and a new build for required additional accommodation for a 2 FE school.

Option D: Refurbish existing buildings on the Strathcona site and build a new block to meet 2FE accommodation requirements.

Option E: Keep the current 1FE primary school and provide temporary bulge accommodation while cohorts reduce.

 The Consultation document is available HERE.

 

You  can make a comment on the Have Your Say website. You can register with the Council to make your comment or use a Facebook or Google account.

Technical consultancy contract worth £383.5k awarded for Strathcona site's expansion to accommodate 2 forms of Islamia Primary School

Minesh Patel, Brent's Corporate Directot, Finance and Resources, today awarded the £383,554.18 technical consultancy contract to expand the Strathcona site to accommodate Islamia Primary School.

The full professional fees budget  is £0.9m out of a total budget for the project of £10m.

The Islamia Governing Board's consultation about the school's highly contested move from Queen's Park to Preston is still going on but the tendering process began in August 2022. 

The Officer's report states:

Islamia Primary School, currently based at Salusbury Road, has been served
notices to vacate by the Yusuf Islam Foundation, as owners of the site where
Islamia Primary School is currently based by July 2024. The Strathcona site is
a vacant site previously occupied by a primary school (the “Strathcona Site”)
following Cabinet approval in 2019 to close Roe Green Strathcona School by
July 2022 because of falling pupil numbers. The Strathcona Site has been
identified as having development opportunities to increase the site capacity
from a one-form entry primary school to a two-form entry primary school.

In September 2022, Cabinet approved the development of the Strathcona Site
to a two-form entry primary school in order to preserve the future of the Islamia
Primary School.

In order to deliver the required new two-form entry primary school, the Council
is proposing to appoint a contractor using a DfE’s Framework. This framework
promotes early contractor appointment (i.e. following RIBA 1) and so the
technical consultancy services organisation will need to provide the following
services throughout the commission to deliver the expanded school:

1. Employer’s Agent and Project Manager
2. Quantity Surveyor
3. Technical Design Advisor(s)
4. CDM Advisor

The report notes that the brief may have to be changed if the eventual decision is for a new build w form entry school  rather than expansion which is the Council's favoured option. Expansion means  refurbishment of the current block and con struction of a new block. Islamia Governing Board is pressing for the former.

The report notes:

The Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Finance, Resources & Reform has been consulted as part of the drafting of this report. They have also been kept up to date with progress on the project.

Queens Park and Preston Ward members will be kept appraised on project
milestones such as the planning application submission, statutory consultation and any works on site.

 

Last chance to attend a public consultation meeting on Islamia Primary's controversial proposed move from Queens Park to Preston ward. Wednesday November 9th, 7pm Preston Park Primary School

 

What appears to be the last public consultation meetong on the future of Islamia Primary School takes place tomorrow, Wednesday 9th November at Preston Park Primary School, College Road, Wembley. HA9 8RJ. (Nearest tube Preston Road on the Metropolitan Line).

So far the only option offered has been move to Strathcona Road site in Preston ward or close. The consultation closes on November 16th. You can comment on the Brent Council Have Your Say site HERE.

Here are a selection of the comments so far. Publication here does not represent approval of the content but it is important for everyone to know what is being said.

Strongly Oppose the relocation to this site

 

The site is most definitely not suitable for the school (any type of school for that matter).

The road itself is very narrow and Carlton avenue is already a very busy road. As many have mentioned the students of this school are not located in the local area and therefore probably won’t use public transportation. That means their parents will drive them in. Adding to traffic and local pollution. Wasn’t this the reason those ridiculous LTNs were installed.

Many of the students parents don’t even want the school relocated to this site and even started a petition. 

 

Brent council don’t seem to have the local residents in mind when proposing such ideas. It is already an over populated area where resources are being maxed out. 

 

Again I’d like to express how strongly I oppose this school moving to this site.

 

HA9 doesn't not need or want this school

 

Reasons relocating the school to HA9 / Strathcona is a totally unsuitable:

• Already excellent and undersubscribed primary schools in very close proximity
• Strathcona Road is extremely narrow and too small to accommodate the influx of extra traffic, leading to my next point..
• Original site of the school is the other side of the borough, 6 miles and 30 mins drive away.
• It's sheer hypocrisy for Brent Council to have inflicted the disastrous LTN system upon HA9 - apparently because we have so much local traffic - but then to also want to site a new, unnecessary unwanted school right in the same area.
• Unfeasible that many young children will be able to use public transport assuming they live near the Queens Park site: it is 30-45 minutes away by train or over 1 hour by bus.
• Many of the school's own parents / pupils don't want to be relocated to such a distant site, see petition at: https://democracy.brent.gov.uk/mgEPetitionDisplay.aspx?ID=236&RPID=0&HPID=0
• Lastly but importantly, I don't believe it's right for any school to segregate itself by any religion. Why in a modern society should we want our children to not be taught equality and multiculturalism?

School at Strathcona site

We do not need another school at this site. There are already 3 schools in an around the area and it gets extremely busy in the school peak hours. Residents of the area are extremely unhappy with this proposal because this will create additional traffic, congestion and noise and air pollution.

This site is on the narrow road with parking on both sides of the road. The bus route 223 also operates through this narrow road. If you have to pass through in the school pick up and drop off times, travelling through this road is a nightmare. People are parking everywhere, hooting and not following the traffic rules and no common sense prevails whatsoever.

I strongly object to the school at this site due to all the above issues.

Disgraceful and islamaphobic

You have 1 faith based Islamic school and at a time where far right anti-Islamic sentiment is rife instead of continuing to be the “most diverse and inclusive” borough in London you choose to spit in the face of the Muslim population of Brent this is outrageous.

Not suitable to site a new school in Strathcona road

The area has three schools adjacent to this site already. Traffic is already gridlocked by these schools, residents will be blocked in as there is only one way in and out of this site.

Proposed change of location of Islamic primary school

I strongly oppose this change. I live very close to the area . Firstly no local residents have been informed of this , I got a leaflet drop today (04/11) telling me the consultation period is 28/09/22 to 19/11/22 & a consultation meeting will be held on 09/11/22. This is an event day area, Brent council ignored the residents on this issue so parking is an absolute nightmare in the area. This is a residential area with one bus route that is always delayed as you can only get one car on the roads due to heavy traffic and full capacity cars constantly parked . Most of the primary schools in the area old & new have been extended and are now undersubscribed . The proposed area is on an industrial estate not suitable for young children but we just cannot cope with the volume of current traffic or non availability of parking in this area. It’s madness that parents with young children have to travel from NW6 to South Kenton . Is there another agenda to close that school for developers to build flats to make lots of money . Not one local resident was aware of this proposal until recently . I object to this and hope Brent planners don’t approve it. I’ve also heard it’s a done deal . If this is the case it’s illegal without proper consultation.

Another school is not needed here – will undoubtedly cause more severe traffic.

This school has no link to this area and does not belong here. It will only serve to exacerbate the existing terrible traffic issues that residents like myself currently have to suffer during school drop-off and pick-up times on Carlton Avenue East and surrounding roads.

I have witnessed and taken photos of illegal parking, blocking of drives, driving on pavements etc. which were shared with the council. We have only just recovered from the ill-considered LTN schemes and now Brent Council is looking to foist this new silly proposal on long suffering local residents, which will actually increase traffic further! This will only lead to increased risks for residents, road users and pedestrians, including school children. Residents' considerations need to be first and foremost, as we will have to live with the consequences of yet another scheme serving outside interests.

There is already enough school provision in the area, and any further requirement should be met through existing schools and serve the entire community, rather than any specific group. Moreover, Strathcona Road is certainly not an appropriate location, and option 1 should be firmly rejected. Of the available options, I support option 2 – if this school continues, it should be somewhere closer to its current location, where the above issues do not exist and local links are already present.

Too many schools in close proximity

I do not agree with the proposal, there are already 2 other schools in close proximity to the location proposed. These are Byron court primary and Preston park primary. There are extreme challenges at present with parking and traffic and the introduction of another school, will add to what is already a huge problem. The increase in cars will add to traffic, pollution, noise in our area.

I would suggest an alternative location be found for the school.

I do hope this proposal is shared with the neighbourhood and proper consultation and feedback gathered before proceeding. I urge you to write to each household in the area and seek proper feedback before proceeding with what I would refer is a poor proposal with sub standard options.

Remove this school and other faith based schools

Ever since Brexit secular schools have less students than they have the capacity for. Faith based schools should be reduced as much as possible and those students integrated into the secular schools that now have space. It is important for children to experience as much diversity as possible from a young age.

We don't need another school

This area cannot cope with another school. Strathcona Road is very narrow and cannot cope with the traffic. The traffic during school times on Carlton Avenue East is terrible with people illegally parking, blocking drives, driving on pavements, numerous accidents have happened etc. It is dangerous.

When Roe Green Strathcona was closed, extra school places were allocated to surrounding schools. Most schools in the local area are not fully subscribed so we do not need yet another school in the area especially one where most kids will be needed to be dropped off by car.

Brent Council was intent on low traffic neighbourhoods and this proposal is any thing but low traffic.

Why was Roe Green Strathcona forced to close? why are all those reasons not valid anymore? Stop being so two faced Brent Council

I vote for Option 2. The options presented are terrible by the way. How can it be either close the school or relocate to where no one wants it! has brent council seriously considered alternatives???

Will Brent Council reopen the road that leads to East Lane instead of a private gate for a privileged few?

Relocate Islamia Primary School to Wembley

I think relocating the Islamia Primary School to Wembley is a great idea! Wembley is already a very multicultural area and the addition of this school will further encourage that multicultural tradition. We proudly have other faith schools such as Catholic and Jewish schools in our local areas and I think the addition of an Islamic school will reflect even more so the diversity we are so proud of.

Where there’s a will, there’s a way!

It’s really saddening that the Council, the Governing Body and the Foundation have all agreed on either moving 6 miles away or ceast to exist. No other options are given. How is this acceptable? The Council must and can do better!