DISCUSSION of controversial plans to merge three Leyton schools has been delayed.
Norlington School for Boys, George Mitchell School and Beaumont Primary School are expected to be amalgamated into a single “trust school”, run by the Institute of Education.
The scheme, set to go ahead with funding from the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme, has met with strong opposition from union members at Norlington School.
And tempers flared during a meeting of the council's overview and scrutiny committee as councillors claimed not enough information was available to make recommendations to cabinet.
Speaking at the meeting on July 1, committee chair Cllr Bob Sullivan said: “Without information, it's very difficult to agree to a trust.
“We want to know whether the school needs to qualify as a trust to get BSF funding.”
He added that fundamental questions remained unanswered and that council officers had failed to supply requested information.
Councillors said no information had been provided on how a trust school would improve teaching and learning and more clarification was needed on single sex provision.
“I cannot see a reason to set up a trust,” Cllr Sullivan said.
“According to the report, commitments to setting up a trust are exactly the same as for setting up a community school.”
Cllr Matt Davis, leader of the opposition, added that a governor from Norlington School had said the school was “forced” to become a trust.
“He told me unequivocally there was no means to rebut,” Cllr Davis said.
“He said, yes, they did feel like they'd had their arm shoved up their back.”
Officers have said the new school would meet “diversity of provision” requirements as set out by the 2006 Education Act.
They also stated that as the smallest schools in the borough, Norlington and George Mitchell needed to have “some form of collaboration”.
But questions were also raised over whether a trust school presented genuine diversity as it would only be one of two choices.
As a result, recommendations to cabinet have been deferred and the issue will be “called in” following next week's meeting.
Teachers from Norlington School have also staged a one-day strike in protest at becoming a trust but no opposition has yet been raised by George Mitchell or Beaumont Primary School.
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