Ground breaking collaboration between Richmond upon Thames and Royal Borough

5.03.40pm GMT Fri 7th Dec 2007

Richmond upon Thames and Kingston Councils are in talks with education ministers on joint proposals to address secondary education provision in Ham Petersham and Richmond as well as North Kingston.

The plans centre on the redevelopment of Grey Court school into a new joint-venture school to meet the needs of Richmond and North Kingston children. Richmond upon Thames Council Leader, Cllr Serge Lourie, said: "We are determined to improve the secondary schools in the borough and are working with Kingston Council to ensure that children in Richmond upon Thames and in North Kingston can have the best possible education. A lot of children come to Grey Court from neighbouring Kingston and we are working closely with the Royal Borough to ensure there is sufficient investment to enable Grey Court to make the best possible offer to pupils and potential pupils.

There is a serious danger that Grey Court could be adversely affected by proposals from the Conservative candidate in Richmond Park constituency to build a new 1000 pupil secondary school in North Kingston. It is clear to me that he has not thought through his proposals which would be very damaging to existing schools. Even though there is a lot of new housing in North Kingston, there still won't be enough students to fill a new school. Instead, it would have to take pupils from other Kingston schools. Ministers have already expressed an interest in our partnership with Kingston, and it is our best chance of attracting government funding to achieve the quality we want for our children."

Local MP, Susan Kramer, who has been supporting the many months of discussion to reach this stage, said: "This proposal is a win for all children in Nth Kingston and Ham. By working together in a novel joint arrangement, it looks as though the two boroughs will get funding for a cutting edge new school able to deliver the high standards parents want for local children. The Tories are being deeply irresponsible and should stop playing politics with education."