Calls for urgent meeting over failing Telford schools rebuffed
Calls to hold an immediate extraordinary council meeting to discuss failing schools in Telford have been rebuffed – because chiefs feel the issue is not of "sufficient urgency".
The borough's Tory opposition leader, Councillor Andrew Eade, requested a meeting to demand answers after five of the town's 12 secondary schools were rated "inadequate" by Ofsted this year.
Telford Priory School, Telford Langley School, Telford Park School and Charlton School are all in special measures and subject to monitoring after the damning reports earlier this year.
In total, five academies – Phoenix, Sutherland, Lakeside, Wrockwardine Wood and Charlton School – were put in special measures. Sutherland and Wrockwardine Wood have since merged to form Telford Priory School. Phoenix Academy and Lakeside have been renamed Telford Langley and Telford Park respectively.
But the council's speaker, Councillor Charles Smith, told Councillor Eade the earliest a meeting on the subject could be held was the start of October.
The Tory leader said it was not good enough. "I am genuinely shocked by the council's response," he said. "Five schools this year alone have been have been placed into special measures and it is clear the council administration's approach to secondary education is failing our children."
Councillor Smith said he had agreed to the request for an extraordinary meeting and it was pencilled in for 6pm on October 1. He said: "It is not considered that the item of business is of sufficient urgency it could not reasonably be dealt with at the next available council meeting date."
