LIB DEMS COMMEND STAFF COMMITMENT IN PRIMARY SCHOOLS

8.12.03

Liberal Democrat councillors have welcomed many of the improvements in the primary school league tables but have expressed concerns that Haringey's overall placing nationally is still poor. Party Leader Ross Laird has called for more support from the local education authority (LEA) and the Government to pull struggling primary schools up to the national average.

Haringey came 144th out of 149 LEAs in the country's league table for primary school performance, with four of the borough's schools in the nation's bottom 5% for performance scores. Lib Dem leader Ross Laird is concerned by Haringey's overall placing nationally. While neighbouring Islington has moved up the table Haringey has remained near the bottom.

The Lib Dems are particularly concerned that well over half the borough's primary schools fall below the national key stage two score average (which is 234/300) with some scoring as little as 119/300.

Mr Laird warned that things were unlikely to change until the Government starts treating teaching staff with the respect that they deserve and supporting them rather than penalising them for failing to meet Government imposed targets.

However Cllr Laird (Muswell Hill ward) has welcomed improvements in some of the schools, most notably West Green Primary School, N15 and Rhodes Avenue Primary School, N22 which made it into the top 5% nationally under the "value added system".

Cllr Laird comments:

"I am deeply concerned that Haringey remains near the foot of the national league table. I would suggest that this poor standing is despite the efforts of committed teaching staff.

"The Government must learn that in order to induce improvement they must show support and belief in schools and let them teach, rather than waste their time jumping through hoops for New Labour bureaucrats."

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