Lilian Baylis school

School is on the up

Nov 18 2003

South London Press

"AN EFFECTIVE school that does well by its students". That is the verdict of Government inspectors on a school which hit the headlines after a Tory politician said he would rather "beg on the streets" than send his kids there.

Shadow chancellor Oliver Letwin - then the shadow home secretary - caused a storm last month when he made the comments about Lilian Baylis School in Kennington. Now, an Ofsted inspection of the beleaguered Lollard Street school has concluded it is serving its pupils well. Inspectors found 98 per cent of teaching was satisfactory and 67 per cent good. That compares with respective figures of 80 per cent and 33 per cent when the school was last inspected in 2001. Although GCSE results at Lilian Baylis are low, inspectors said they are on a par with those of pupils at similar schools.

They also found pupils make good progress at the school, even though some have obstacles such as language to overcome.

The school is described as a "calm, stable and orderly community in which students feel safe". Behaviour is said to be generally good.

Headteacher Gary Phillips said: "Students and parents have voted with their feet over the last two years. We are now oversubscribed and have repaid the faith that so many people have put in us. This is merely the first step in the transformation of Lilian Baylis School. Next year we move into our new building and will become a specialist school. After that we will open our sixth form."

[ Previous | Next ]