We don't like academies but....

1.52.51pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 8th Jun 2007

In a letter sent to the Oxford Mail, Cllr Jean Fooks, Shadow Cabinet member for Children, said:

"Liberal Democrats have long felt that that the government's Academy programme is the wrong way to improve children's education. We believe in schools being responsible to democratically elected local authorities rather than to independent sponsors and that the money devoted to the programme would be better spent on a larger number of schools as the local authority sees best.

"We would therefore prefer to see Peers School supported by whatever funds are necessary whilst remaining within the local authority family.

"However, that not being possible due to the government's insistence on bright new ideas, and as the only way to get the needed extra funding is via Academy status, we quite understand why the school is bidding for it.

"We are reassured, at least, that the County Council works with the Oxford Diocese in many schools and knows that its schools are primarily for local pupils regardless of religious belief. We shall want - and I believe we shall get - assurances that the school will continue to cater for every child in the catchment area.

"We dislike such government gimmicks but the alternative is a continued lack of much-needed investment in Peers School. This being the case, we reluctantly support, subject to a number of safeguards, further investigation of the academy proposal as providing the best possibility of a better education for the children, rather than closing the door on such a possibility for many years to come. We would encourage everyone to take a full part in the consultation process and we shall do our best to ensure that the Cabinet takes account of all views expressed."