Lynne Featherstone

Local Liberal Democrats have voiced their concern at new figures, revealing that Haringey, despite Labour promises, is one of only nine areas in the country where there are more pupils per class than 30 years ago.

The Times Educational Supplement figures show that average Pupil Teacher Ratios (PTRs) across England improved from 23.1 pupils per teacher in 1979 to 21.4 in 2009. However, Barking and Dagenham, Brent, Manchester, Sheffield, Newcastle, North Tyneside, South Tyneside and Haringey had the same or worse PTRs now compared to 1979.

Liberal Democrats have said that larger class sizes are another indication of Haringey’s unfair school funding system, that sees local children receiving over £1,000 less than children from neighbouring boroughs.

Lynne Featherstone, MP for Hornsey and Wood Green, has spearheaded a campaign for fair funding for Haringey children, which has received widespread support.

Gail Engert, Liberal Democrat Children and Young People spokesperson, comments:

“Every child deserves a fair start in life. Having fewer children in a class is vital, so that each child can have more attention from the teacher, but also so the teacher can pick up any problems, early on.

“I am very concerned that, whilst most other areas have improved their pupil to teacher ratio, Haringey has failed to do this.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“Cutting class sizes is a fundamental change that would make Haringey’s schools better, but because of Labour's failure to address the school funding crisis, we now have some of the country's biggest class sizes and see the knock-on effect that this has on our children's education.

“Liberal Democrats, through our Pupil Premium, are committed to cutting primary class sizes to 20, to give every child the opportunity they deserve.”

Ahead of the imminent launch of a new consultation about schools funding in Haringey, Lynne Featherstone MP last week put the case of our local schools getting £1,000+ less per pupil than neighbouring boroughs directly to Schools' Minister, Vernon Coaker.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP, accompanied by Chair of the local Schools Forum, Tony Brockman, got confirmation from Vernon Coaker MP that the funding arrangement, where Haringey schools pay Inner London wages but get Outer London funding, has resulted in one of the country's most unfair and largest discrepancies between neighbouring boroughs.

The Minister said that it would probably come down to two options, which would be consulted on in the very near future. One of the options, based on straight labour cost, would mean virtually no change - the other option, called the 'hybrid option', would see the current 20% gap between Haringey and its neighbouring boroughs reduced to 6%.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“On the eve of the launch of the consultation, it was important to bend the Minister’s ear and make the case for Haringey.

“Once the plans are firmly on the table, I will encourage all local residents to respond, so we can let the Government know just how strongly local people feel about this unfairness; so watch this space!”

Tony Brockman, Chair of Haringey’s Schools Forum, adds:

"Lynne set out Haringey's case very clearly in Parliament and to the Minister. There is now likely to be an option in the Government's consultation which would fund Haringey schools fairly. "

Nine year old Aylin Acarturk was today presented with a special prize by Lynne Featherstone MP at Rhodes Avenue School’s Assembly after winning this year’s Christmas card competition.

The year four student’s picture, of Santa going ice skating at Ally Pally, was chosen as the best entry in this year’s competition, themed ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’ and will feature on thousands of Christmas cards sent out to local people by the Liberal Democrat MP.

Lynne Featherstone was sent hundreds of entries from primary school students across the area, and, in addition to the winning entry, three runners-up were selected, whose pictures will appear on the back of the card. These are: Clementine Mason from Highgate Primary, Anaiya Dixon-McLoughlin from St Mary’s Junior School, and Heber Luwawu from Nightingale Primary.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“I was really grabbed by Aylin’s picture - it’s got great colours and it makes me just want to join Santa as he heads into the ice rink, skates in one hand and presents in the other!

“Aylin certainly has a fantastic talent - and she’s clearly not the only one. I’ve had to choose from some really amazing entries this year - and just want to say thank you so much to the schools and the children, for making this year’s Christmas card so special!”

A Labour minister has rejected a direct plea for emergency funding from a local MP to address Haringey's £1,000+ per pupil funding deficit.

The refusal came in a Parliamentary debate secured by Lynne Featherstone MP dedicated entirely to Haringey school funding where she outlined in detail the extent of the funding deficit and the impact on local schooling. The Hornsey & Wood Green MP asked the Government to make a crisis payment for 2010/11 so local schools did not have to wait for the result of the long awaited school funding review, not due to be implemented until 2011

Key figures to come out in the debate are that over the term of the current funding arrangement (2008-11) Haringey has lost out on over £120m of funding compared to neighbouring Hackney, equivalent to almost £110K a day.

The Government representative also turned down a request for Haringey to be directly represented on the body looking at the funding formula.

It was confirmed that Haringey is the 5th most deprived borough and yet receives only the 15th highest per pupil funding in the capital.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

"I am bitterly disappointed that the Labour Government continues to ignore this blatant injustice - even ignoring pleas from their own councillors.

“Our teachers do a wonderful job, but they could do so much more if our school children received the funding they deserve.

“This is not about politics, but simple fairness. I will continue to fight until our schools get their fair share.”

Note: you can watch the debate at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=4948

Well - finally - on the record - the gross unfairness of the way the Government funds schooling in Haringey. Just briefly - we get about £1183 less per child than neighbouring boroughs like Camden, Hackney and Islington. That is around £35 million a year - or more importantly - if we got fair funding we could have 1021 more teachers (we have 1500) that is 15 per school. Imagine the difference that would make.

You can watch the debate at http://www.parliamentlive.tv/Main/Player.aspx?meetingId=4948  it starts about two thirds in if you scroll along.

I was so pleased that local school governors, parents, Haringey NUT and the Schools Forum came to actually watch the debate in Parliament. We were also the lead story on BBC London - which is great - because all of this is about not letting the Government sideline Haringey in the current Review of our Dedicated Schools Grant. They ignored the unfairness last time and in fact increased the problem - widening the gap.

Needless to say the Minister refused to give us a categoric assurance that the funding gap would be closed post review, refused our request for a Haringey Representative on the Funding Review Panel, refused to give us emergency funding until the gap is closed. However, she did concede the case that we made and assured us that our voices had been heard.

So - whist fair funding is still a way away - the key thing is - they can't possibly claim they don't know how badly Haringey is being affected by this funding unfairness - and they will look extremely bad if they don't rectify matters.

The Schools Minister has agreed to a meeting with me in a couple of weeks time - so I can take up all the questions in my speech that were left unanswered and push further on the ones that were!

Later today, 4pm in Westminster Hall, I finally get to put Haringey's case for fair funding to the Minister on the record. This is about the fact that our Haringey children get £1183 less per head than neighbouring boroughs. I have tackled Gordon in PMQs before (he agreed it was an 'anomaly'), met with now former School's Minister Jim Knight, raised it in on the floor of the House - but today I have actually secured a debate and the Minister has to respond directly - in public.

The key questions for the Minister to respond to are:

- why does the Government make Haringey pay our school teachers at the higher inner London rate (rightly as we have the same challenges as Camden, Hackney and Islington) but then not award them inner London per pupil funding?

- given that this unfair funding  has gone of for some years and civil servants have clearly not seen fit to do anything about rectifying this situation and may be tempted to once again fail to address this situation, what case will the Minister be making to the current Review into school funding, that will ensure Haringey don't come out the other end of the Review in the same unfair position?

- the Review will not report until later in 2010 and its findings won't be implemented until 2011. Haringey schools in recent figures released to David Laws, LibDem Education Spokesperson showed that Haringey, together with three other authorities, have more schools in deficit than anywhere else in the country. Given that this unfair funding is now causing real damage, will the Minister commit to making an interim bridging fund of £1000 per Haringey child until the funding anomaly is corrected in the Review.

This video demonstrates the situation in brief - but was filmed just before I heard I had secured the debate:

You can also watch it on YouTube here.

Local MP Lynne Featherstone has secured a debate in Parliament on the unfair funding for schools in Haringey. The debate, taking place on Wednesday 4th November at 16:00, will focus entirely on funding for schools in Haringey. The current unjust system sees local schools receive over £1000 less per pupil than neighbouring boroughs.

In the debate Ms. Featherstone will press the Government Minister to answer why this funding disparity still exists and what is being done to rectify it. Ms. Featherstone has previously pressed the Prime Minister on the same issue.

Local MP Lynne Featherstone says:

“The situation is entirely unjust and unacceptable – year in year out this funding system disadvantages Haringey’s children and leaves our local schools struggling to make ends meet.

“Schools in Haringey have the same costs and problems as those in neighbouring boroughs so why should they qualify for less funding?

“The minister must answer what the Government is going to do to end a funding system that keeps short changing our local schools.”

To mark democracy week and help kick start discussions in local schools about politics, Lynne Featherstone MP launched her mini-writing competition at Alexandra Park School last week.

The Hornsey and Wood Green MP helped students in a year 7 class brain storm on the essay topic ‘what I would do if I ruled the world for a day’. Lynne has invited students from all local secondary schools to join in, and the winner will get the chance to see first hand what politics is about by shadowing Lynne for a day in Parliament.

Lynne Featherstone MP comments:

“The idea behind having a democracy competition was to help local schools debate issues around local and global problems and the role politics plays in dealing with them.

“Every time I have the privilege to meet students in local schools and hear their thoughts on issues, I am amazed by the insight and thoughtfulness of their comments- and today was certainly no exception.

“Hopefully I’ll receive entries from across the constituency- I’m getting ready for some serious food for thought!”

A local Liberal Democrat councillor has asked that Haringey Council investigates safety concerns outside a local school, after reports of congestion and hazardous parking in the area.

Councillor Lyn Weber visited Coleridge School last Friday (9th October 2009) to see problems with cars parking on yellow lines and on the corners of junctions with the busy Crouch End Hill.

The school, in Crouch End, expanded from 2 form entry to 4 form entry last year, meaning that the volume of traffic ‘dropping off’ pupils has increased dramatically.

Lyn Weber (Crouch End) comments:

“It is clear from many reports and my visit last week, that traffic in this area, as children arrive and leave school, is becoming potentially dangerous.

“The school is working hard on their green travel plan, with wide support. We now need the Council and parents to support the school, to ensure that children are safe when they go to school. The amount of cars and the lack of ‘dropping off’ space can put pedestrians in danger as congestion builds up.”

Lynne Featherstone MP adds:

“This is a popular school and since it expanded the amount of traffic in the area has become a problem. We now need a solution.”

It may have been raining - but the sun was shining in every one's heart - for the opening of the splendid new building for Treehouse. Treehouse is the wonderful charity that set up an exemplar school for autistic children in Muswell Hill.

It is the most wonderful, spectacular building - with the most wonderful and spectacular people involved in its teachings, its running and its work right across the country to advance the cause and understanding of autism. Brilliantly - this super-school only takes children who are state funded - so that all autistic children can come here. Getting local authorities to fund individual children, however, is still the main battle. But once they are here - these children and their parents join a family whose support and care is unparallelled.

Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Education, came to do the honours - and gave a really great speech. He seemed to have a real understanding of the needs of children with autism - and their parents. We heard too, from Arsene Wenger, (yes - Arsenal Arsene) who last year made Treehouse Arsenal's Charity of the Year and donated huge amounts to it. Trevor Pears of the Pears Foundation also spoke - and it was interesting to hear him thank Treehouse. It must be rewarding to be a key donor to something as wonderful as Treehouse - which was the point he made. And then, very , we heard poignantly from Claire Coombe-Tennant, a parent and a Trustee whose youngest son (of four sons) is at Treehouse. That was the clincher speech - to recognise the anguish, agony and exhaustion of the parents of an autistic child - and what Treehouse means in terms of relief, reassurance, rescue, hope and love to those families.

And yes - I had a word too. I simply spoke about the way Treehouse has become part of the Muswell Hill community - reaching out with the children going to three local schools each week to mix with other children and once a week the children from Muswell Hill Primary School come in and play with the children at Treehouse. The benefit to both sets of children is wonderful - and says we are all members of society and the more we know and understand and include each other the better our world.

We had all brought gifts to put in a time capsule - and two of the Treehouse children, Kaiser and Bilal, came onto the stage with their gifts too.

All in all - a terrific celebration of what can be done with passion and commitment. Congratulations to all at Treehouse.