Lynne Featherstone

The Liberal Democrats have commended the efforts of the teachers and pupils of Haringey’s local secondary schools following the publication of the national secondary school league tables, but have warned that no great improvement in results will come until the council and government get behind the schools.

The league tables measure various indicators, including the percentage of 15 year olds achieving A * – C grades in GCSEs as well as the government’s new value added score that compares achievements with those of pupils nationally who had the same or similar prior attainments.

Cllr Ross Laird, Leader of the Official Opposition on Haringey Council, commented:

“The teachers and pupils of Haringey have worked very hard in difficult conditions and the improvements that we have seen this year are borne from their hard work and dedication.”

However Cllr Laird added that the lack of even more progress was also down to inadequate help from the Government:

“Purely and simply, the Government expects teachers to work miracles with the resources they are given.

“I’d like to see the local council putting in the same amount of effort as our teachers and pupils are every day. That means putting an end to attempts at short term solutions such as PFI and putting pressure on the Government to secure the extra finances and resources that the schools of Haringey deserve.”