Council agenda cleared for debate on primary education

From the archive, first published Saturday 9th Dec 2006.

An emergency debate on the state of Bradford's primary education will be held by Bradford Council next week.

Labour group leader Ian Greenwood called in a letter for the agenda for Tuesday's full council meeting to be devoted to discussing the exam results of the district's 11-year-olds which he described as "disastrous".

Government performance league tables this week revealed that Bradford primary schools' Key Stage Two results were collectively the second worst in the country - the same position as when private company Education Bradford started its £360 million ten-year contract to raise academic standards in 2001.

Coun Greenwood (Little Horton) said: "The Council needs to demonstrate the leadership, commitment and will to tackle big issues and they don't come much bigger than this."

He also welcomed the announcement that a Council scrutiny committee will hold a root and branch investigation into the issue.

Coun Greenwood said: "I'm glad the Young People and Education Improvement Scrutiny Committee will undertake an in-depth investigation into the disastrous results, but this is an issue in which all members of Council have a legitimate interest and should have the opportunity to contribute to the debate.

"We need to start looking now at how we ensure that we have an education system in Bradford that is fit for purpose and gives all children the start in life that they deserve."

Council leader Kris Hopkins (Con, Worth Valley) said: "I understand the sentiment of Coun Greenwood's letter and it will get our support.

"What we need to have is a debate on the issues, pressures and mechanisms which are not working at this time."

Councillor David Ward (Idle and Thackley), the Liberal Democrat group education spokesman, said primary education was not the only problem in the district.

He said: "There are concerns too about the Building Schools for the Future programme and special education provision across the district.

"I think there is a strong feeling that the wheels are coming off the educational project.

"We also have to look at the Young People and Education Improvement Committee - maybe it has not been asking the right questions."

Bradford Green Party leader, Councillor Martin Love (Shipley), said his group had been the only one to vote against the privatisation.

He said: "We would certainly back a detailed discussion into what is going wrong. The outsourcing has not brought about the improvement we all wanted."

Councillor Dale Smith (Con, Wharfedale), executive member for children's services, said: "I welcome a rigorous and informative debate about primary school education so councillors can get a clearer view of where we are and where we need to go.

"Education is a lot bigger than these recent league tables and the whole educational picture needs to be considered."

e-mail: dan.webber

@bradford.newsquest.co.uk