Cambridge University 'to run a state school'

 
By Graeme Paton, Education Editor

In what would be one of the most sought after primaries in the country, university leaders are preparing to link with the institute’s education department to create a school "of the highest quality".

Under plans, it would offer up to 630 places on a new development in the north-west of Cambridge.

Roger Taylor, project director for the university, said the school would benefit from the institution's teacher training scheme.

He said: "The university is interested in running the school, and very much make it a part of the university character of the estate.

"It would be appealing for both staff and people living in the market housing - you would think the school would be of the highest quality.

"The scheme has the support of our teacher training scheme, and they would want to be involved in running it."

But the move has attracted criticism from the National Union of Teachers, who fear the university may give places to children of staff from the ancient institution.

Tom Woodcock, from the Cambridgeshire branch of the NUT, said: "If the school was run by the university's department of education, surely they should be sharing their knowledge with all schools?

"I reckon they would not be able to resist offering places to university lecturers - we could end up with a selective catchment.

"The local education authority should deliver equality of provision in a co-ordinated way, and we think having a patchwork of providers is going to damage that."

Cambridge City Council has insisted the university must go through a formal competition process against other bidders for the school.

Under plans, any proposals for new state schools must be subjected to a competition from a range of organisations.

Clare Blair, executive city councillor for climate change and growth said: "The university doesn't have the right to automatically run the school but it is welcome to apply through the competition process."

The university hopes to achieve planning consent for its 3,000-home North West Cambridge scheme in summer 2011 and to complete the first phase of development by 2013. Telegraph