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| Filmmaker takes on academy opponents |
Lord Puttnam attacks ideology-driven
teaching unions
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Lord Puttnam with, from left, students Sevcan Rarakas, Zuhra
Abukar and Rana Karadal, all 15
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FILM producer Lord Puttnam has dismissed teaching unions’
opposition to a new city academy at Islington Green School as “ideology
driven”.
The New Labour peer has backed the Corporation of London as sponsor
of the proposed academy in Prebend Street, near Angel.
Lord Puttnam made the comments as Islington Green honoured pupils’
outstanding achievements on Monday at a Sadler’s Wells theatre
ceremony also attended by Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein.
Lord Puttnam, who produced Chariots of Fire and Midnight Express,
told the Tribune: “Academies are not exclusive schools and
a lot of the unions’ views are ideology driven, and ideology
has no place in education.
“The Corporation of London is a classic sponsor and I certainly
back it to sponsor Islington Green. The thing about academies is
that they get the right kinds of people and organisations involved,
such as large companies, the Church or people who have become rich
and want to give something back.”
Lord Puttnam is the chairman of the General Teaching Council and
has actively promoted academies, most notably in Sunderland.
Sunderland City Council said Lord Puttnam had been “helpful
in giving his views” on the setting up of academies in the
area.
The Corporation of London confirmed in July it was “in discussions”
with Islington over sponsorship of an academy at Islington Green.
It became involved after charity Ark dropped out as a potential
sponsor because governors at Morelands Primary School, which was
to be the academy’s second site, threw out the proposal.
Lord Puttnam, who lives in Cork, Ireland, is an old friend of Peter
Hyman, a former education advisor to Tony Blair turned teaching
assistant at Islington Green.
The pair met while Lord Puttnam was working with Chris Smith, former
Culture Secretary and ex-Islington South and Finsbury Labour MP.
Lord Puttnam was born in Islington. His family lived in Mildmay
Road, Mildmay, and Highbury New Park.
At Monday’s ceremony he advised pupils to work hard now or
face paying the price by having to catch up in adult life.
He told the audience: “I had to go to night school and spent
three years of my life totally knackered.
“What’s absolutely certain is that after your time at
Islington Green you will be equipped to face and overcome every
problem that is thrown at you.
“I’m enormously impressed with the range of arts and creative
activities at Islington Green.”
Ken Muller, assistant secretary of Islington National Union of Teachers
(NUT) branch, said: “Far from the NUT being ideology driven,
the academies scheme is driven by ideology.
“It is part of the whole neo-liberal attempt to privatise the
public services.
“The decision on Islington Green becoming an academy has not
even been made by the school governors yet.
“When Lord Puttnam talks about bringing the “right kinds
of people” in as sponsors, Ark, the original sponsors who pulled
out, certainly weren’t the right kind of people we thought
should be running schools.” |
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