Islington education 'back on track'

CEA's Vincent McDonnell: Doing well

The education inspectorate, Ofsted, has said that private consultants have "turned the tide" in Islington's education service.

This is a big step in the right direction but there is no room for complacency

Councillor James Kempton

Islington's education service was almost wholly privatised last April and is now run by the small educational consultancy Cambridge Education Associates (CEA).

"Since the letting of the contract in April 2000, communication has been established and effective systems put in place," said the Ofsted report.

"Even more importantly, a sense of purpose and optimism has been instilled."

Room for improvement

It said the task facing the local education authority had been "a formidable one" but, "to a remarkable extent", it had been successfully accomplished.

"The LEA is now viable."

But there was still room for improvement and judging by performance to date, CEA was likely to meet just over half of its key contract targets.

The chair of the council's education committee, James Kempton, said: "I am confident that we have made a break with the past and that we are building the confidence of parents and schools in our education service. Ofsted clearly supports this view."

Heads concerned

In 1999 the education service in what was then Labour-run Islington was given one of the most critical reports Ofsted had issued.

Former resident Tony Blair famously sent his own children to schools outside the borough.

The School Standards Minister, Estelle Morris, responded to the Ofsted report by saying she expected most or all of the borough's services for schools to be placed in the hands of private contractors - despite the misgivings of some head teachers.

The following November, CEA was named as the preferred bidder for the seven-year contract at £11.5m a year.

The Liberal Democrats gained control of the council in January 2000.

New broom

As CEA@Islington, the consultants began work in April.

The service was re-inspected by Ofsted in December, and in February this year.

Ofsted said "strong foundations for further progress" had been laid by "a capable team of officers" and there was a momentum which was building the confidence needed to raise expectations.

"This is a big step in the right direction but there is no room for complacency," Cllr Kempton said.

"We have a long way to go before confidence can be fully restored."

Secondary schools 'sceptical'

CEA has concentrated on rebuilding trust and is said to have won the confidence of a majority of primary school head teachers and governors.

But secondary schools remain sceptical and Ofsted said that "an act of faith" was now needed on their part.

CEA@Islington's director of schools services, Vincent McDonnell, accepted that not all the "very tough" targets the consultancy had been set for the first year had been met.

The main priority was to raise standards for Islington's young people.

"We know it is the schools who make the difference," he said.

"The inspectors have said that the tide has turned in Islington. We want to build on this pleasing report so that we ensure we are providing the best quality of advice and help for the young people of Islington 'to capture success'."

'Right to have acted'

Estelle Morris said on Thursday that the report had shown the importance of the "tough but radical decisions" the government had taken over the LEA.

"When we embarked on our intervention policy for failing local education authorities we were entering unchartered waters," she said.

"We had to ensure that the drift and uncertainty was replaced by clear vision and sound strategic management.

"It is clearly paying off in Islington where there had been a long history of false starts, raised hopes and new dawns."