John Kelly Pupils Deserve Better - Teather

5.41.19pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 27th May 2005

Sarah Teather is fighting for local schools

Local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather has today expressed concern as fresh doubts that surfaced over John Kelly Schools' proposed move. The Brent East MP visited the schools again early this year to look at the state of the buildings. Both John Kelly Schools have dilapidated temporary buildings that are rapidly becoming unsuitable for pupils study.

Brent has missed out on the latest wave of the Government's 'Building Schools for the Future' program and any investment from this would not occur for at least another seven years. Sarah Teather wrote to the then London Schools Minister Stephen Twigg to argue the case for John Kelly. In his response the then Minister indicated that he might make a pot of money available for Brent Council to bid for funding for John Kelly.

The Council had agreed to make the John Kelly schools a priority in terms of funding for a proposed move to a new site. A site has currently been identified on an industrial estate on Brook Road; however there is only a limited amount of time in order for the Council to purchase the land. Fresh doubts have today emerged as Brent Council are facing considerable pressures on where any funds are allocated.

Local Liberal Democrat MP Sarah Teather said:

"Brent schools are clearly suffering after missing out on the last wave of the Government's 'Building Schools for the Future'. Some of the buildings at John Kelly are in an appalling state and are completely unsuitable for educating children in. With such limited time available for purchasing the new site the Council must act swiftly to honour its pledge that it will support the John Kelly Schools in their move.

"Local children in Brent deserve better than to be educated in temporary, dilapidated old buildings. If the Government is serious about improving education for our children they should start by looking at the surroundings they are educated in. Staff and students at the John Kelly Schools deserve all the credit in the world for the work they do in such trying conditions."