Ealing North
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Steve Pound MP Ealing North |
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Olympic Gains for Education in Ealing NorthJuly 2004 As most people’s eyes glaze over when I start droning on about politics I thought that I’d set a little brain-teaser. What, in the context of the Olympics, do Switzerland, France, the UK, Australia and Greece have in common? I was struggling to find the answer at West London Academy earlier this month as hundreds of pupils from twenty Primary Schools and Special Schools packed the hall for the launch of the Mini Olympics/Paralympics. The schools were divided up into four of the nations listed above with only Greece being left out because of the final of the European Cup. What the pupils grouped as Switzerland thought of being associated with that country at the moment can only be imagined. Even watching the swimming and athletics exhausted me but it was truly wonderful to see the changes taking place at what was once one of our most troubled schools. When all the High Schools in Ealing North went Grant Maintained only the then Walford High School remained as a local authority school. The result of this was that anyone excluded from one of the GM schools ended up at Walford and the best school in the world couldn’t cope with that amount of difficult kids with the inevitable result that Walford sank ever lower under the pressure. When the new government ended GM status Walford was relaunched as Compton High School but the damage to its reputation was just too much to turn around and a completely fresh start was needed. Now the entire school is to be rebuilt with John Chilton Special School and Northolt Primary. An inspirational Headteacher, Alistair Falk, was recruited and the school is now fully subscribed for the first time I can remember and exam results are getting better by the term. At last the local pupils are getting a school that they can be as proud of as it is of them and the Mini Olympics was just one of the signs of the sense of achievement and ambition at West London Academy. After seeing the start of the Games I went off to the dedication of the brand new St.Joseph’s Primary School in Hanwell. I remember only too well when my children went to St.J’s how the Victorian building and mediaeval outside toilets made you feel depressed before the school day started. I’d challenge anyone not to be uplifted by the new school and it is a huge tribute to the Governors, PTA, staff, pupils and school community that they raised so much money and saw the project through. After darting back to Westminster and fitting in some home visits I popped in to Ravenor Primary School in Greenford where I was miffed to find that I’d missed the sight of Headteacher Sally Crowley driving a bulldozer to bring down the last remnants of the old school. Sally showed me round the fabulous new building and nothing could be more dramatic than the transformation of the school from an old and wholly unsuitable building to a 21st.Century primary school. Magnificent! The first part of the day was rounded off by a visit to Notting Hill and Ealing High School for their Leaver’s Ceremony. You might think that there would be a huge contrast between West London Academy and NHEHS but I found passionate and dedicated teachers and confident pupils at both schools.The building and facilities at NHEHS were vastly superior to WLA – but that won’t be the case for long. At last we are seeing a decent standard of schooling for all the pupils of Ealing North emerging and it is not before time. Needless to say the first 6th. Form girl I spoke to at NHEHS immediately knew that the five countries listed at the top of this article are the only nations to have competed in every modern Olympics. While others look to Athens this month I will be thinking of West London Academy and the new world of education in Ealing North. |
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| Disclaimer | Copyright | Designed by Bassam Mahfouz. Promoted by Julian Bell, The Labour Party, Ruskin Hall, 16 Church Road, W3 8PP on behalf of Steve Pound MP |
