Hampstead parents to fight UCL Academy delay

Published: 23 September, 2010
by TOM FOOT

PARENTS in Hampstead are hoping to overturn a decision to delay the opening of a flagship academy school by one year.

In a joint statement Camden Council and University College London said the delay for UCL Academy was “inevitable” after Education Secretary Michael Gove ordered a review of funding for the building in June, which took five weeks.

The secondary school escaped the minister’s axe – but parents of 180 11-year-old children expected to start in the state of the art building in 2012 will have to go elsewhere.

New End School parent Adelina Hysenaj said UCL had created a “special relationship” with primary schools in Hampstead.

She said: “The academy was good news for parents who couldn’t afford to pay for other schools. 

“And with UCL as a sponsor, of course everyone was very interested. It was not a major delay – we are talking about five weeks. I don’t see why they should put it back by one year.”

UCL held a reception for Camden councillors on Thursday.

Labour schools chief Cllr Heather Johnson said: “They were very clear in that they would not consider opening a school where they couldn’t guarantee opening with suitable classrooms.”

But Cllr Andrew Mennear, the Conservative leader and former education chief who worked on the project for four years, said: “UCL held a reception and they indicated to me that they would have been happy to carry on for 2011. It was Camden who didn’t put pressure on the developers to deliver.”

University College London and Camden Council are still waiting  for the Department of Education to agree to the delayed opening.