The area of south of the Euston Road, has very good nurseries and primary schools. People come from miles around to visit Coram’s fields, a park which you can only visit in the company of a child. In spite of its central location this has always been a family area, and every year more young families are drawn to live here, yet it is a strange paradox that, for a population of around 31,000 people, there is no local secondary school

Local education provision for our children effectively stops at the age of 10, and children find themselves competing for places at schools miles away from their own community. Moreover, these schools are now oversubscribed – everyone knows someone who has moved out of the area for the sole reason that the school prospects for their children are bleak.

The case for the provision of more secondary school places is compelling, and is borne out by statistics, which are currently being discussed by the Camden Schools Organisation Committee. Our campaign has quickly gathered momentum and has the support of local councillors, and MP. Frank Dobson. However this is a parent-led campaign, focussed not just on the shortage of places in Camden schools but on the need for a school for our community. This includes all the children of our neighbourhood, and does not stop at the borough boundaries.

We want:

• Our children to go to secondary school with the same children they live near and go to primary school with.

• A school that reflects the character and population of the area we live in – culturally diverse and inclusive.

To achieve these aims the campaigners are:

• Canvassing support in primary schools and nurseries, local government, parliament, and local community groups, and compiling a petition to present to the council.

• Looking for potential sites and sponsors for the school (already several options are being discussed!)

• Collecting statistics to support the case for a new school, and ideas about the kind of school local people want.

We believe that every child deserves a place at a good local secondary school, and that good local schools help build stronger communities.