Free school site still in question - The ARK Atwood Primary Academy saga is ‘a shambles from start to finish’ claim Labour

Published: 27 May 2011
by JOSH LOEB

A CONTROVERSIAL new free school set to open in north Westminster will be forced to stay in temporary accommodation for far longer than originally planned, it emerged this week.

The ARK Atwood Primary Academy is due to open in September in temporary premises in Third Avenue, Queen’s Park. 

Its supporters had hoped the school would relocate  next year to a site in Amberley Road, north Paddington, which is currently occupied by the Westminster Adult Education Service (WAES) but this week City Hall said the move would have to be put back until at least 2014. 

Councillor Brian Connell, Westminster Council’s cabinet member for enterprise and volunteering, said: “The school will remain at Third Avenue until 2014.”

Mike More, the council’s chief executive, said the delay meant the school would need to be given more space as it would have more pupils over time. 

In a note to councillors, he said: “The former Lancefield Nursery has been proposed as the best option for additional space and discussions are underway with ARK regarding this.” 

The ARK academy – a response to education secretary Michael Gove’s landmark policy of giving teachers, residents and charities the option of proposing their own schools – has divided residents since plans were announced last year. 

Some local headteachers have said there is no shortage of school places in north Westminster and that the new school could result in money being diverted from established schools. 

The free school will be located just 100 yards from Queen’s Park Primary School and will be run by a charity founded by hedge fund multi- millionaire Arki Busson. 

Queen’s Park councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, who is also the leader of the Westminster Labour group, said: “This free school/adult education service saga has been a shambles from start to finish and has shown Westminster Council at its most incompetent.

“Everything that could go wrong has gone wrong, with no control, leadership or direction to what the council has been doing. 

“Of course, we need a new primary school in north Paddington but the council’s failure to plan properly and work in partnership with local schools has undermined confidence in the council’s ability and general competence to get things done for local people.” 

Cllr Connell said: “We don’t agree with Cllr Dimoldenberg’s claims. We have always made it clear that while we agreed in principle that our site on Amberley Road was the most appropriate long-term location for the new school, this was subject to us working with WAES to find them suitable temporary premises to ensure our residents continue to have access to vital adult education and skills provision. While this has not proved possible so far, we are continuing to work closely with WAES to ensure a short-term location can be found to protect this valuable service while works are carried out.”