Turin Grove and Gladys Aylward the first in mayor's 'academies' scheme (From Enfield Independent)

Turin Grove and Gladys Aylward the first in mayor's 'academies' scheme

3:39pm Thursday 18th March 2010

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TWO Edmonton schools are the first in the capital to be relaunched as academies by the London mayor this autumn.

Boris Johnson, who launched his the programme today at Turin Grove School in Edmonton, said the aim was to ensure that every single pupil would leave the school with the option of their “education, employment or training.”

The school, which has 1050 pupils, will receive part of an £8m pot of funding from the London Development Agency (LDA) in a bid to improve academic standards and improve links with local employers.

No private money is being spent in the scheme.

Gladys Aylward School, two miles away, which Mr Johnson also visited this morning, is set to be the second mayoral academy out of a proposed ten.

Both were named on a Government hitlist of failing schools in 2008.

Mr Johnson, who saw pupils at work on a papier mache whale, inspired by a recent visit to the London aquarium, as well as the reconstruction of a crime scene in an English class, and a volleyball session, said he wanted to build on pupils' “energy and enthusiasm”.

He said there was no “rhyme or reason” why two Enfield schools had been picked as the first two schools in the mayor’s academies programme.

He said: “The key thing is what to do [for the children] so they have an offer of training or employment. It is definitely particularly important during the recession and with the very bad youth unemployment figures in London.

“We want to use the power of the LDA to generate interest from local business, and the power of the local community.”

He said: “But it is not a done deal. We have to wait until this is signed off by Government. We are here to give support and build on the achievements of the school.”

Schools are selected by the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) in consultation with the Enfield Council. According to the LDA, this is " usually based on a record of underperformance of an existing school, or where a need for a new school has been identified."

Former teacher, Ian Comfort, now an advisor on the academies programme to the LDA, has overseen the creation of about 20 academies across the country.

He said Turin Grove would be subject to a three year targeted plan, a process which would start with the “auditing and benchmarking” of the school.

He said: “It is very clear that the thing which improves a school is good leadership, good staff and parental support, and good infrastructure. Luckily here the building has quite a wide range of facilities. The school is an improving school and we want to build on that and keep the rate of improvement.

He added: “Gladys Aylward and Turin Grove share specialisms – English and literacy - and will work together. We will share advanced skills teachers, share resources, we can do things such as coordinate sixth form timetables.”

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