Setting the record straight

The Tower Hamlets communications team works closely with newspapers and other media by issuing news releases, responding to media enquiries, arranging briefings and interviews and organising news conferences and other events. We also provide up-to-date information on this site, which we hope is useful for the public and the media.

In spite of our best efforts, media reports are not always completely accurate. People have a right to reliable information, just as we have a duty to provide it. That is why we introduced this section to the website.

The information we provide is subject to a Code of Conduct under the Local Government Act 2000. This means we are bound by the highest standards of propriety and accuracy in providing information.

Wednesday October 5, 2011

Fee-paying headteacher attacks Tower Hamlets school

Tower Hamlets Council is hitting back after a claim made by the head of a fee-paying London school has reached national headlines.

Speaking at the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, David Levin, head of the £12,000 a year City of London School, claimed that London is ‘sleep-walking towards apartheid’ as children in inner-city schools are ‘taught in ghettos’.

He cited Stepney Green Maths and Computing and Science College as an example simply because 97% of the school’s pupils are from a Bangladeshi background.

With pupils securing their best ever GCSEs in Tower Hamlets this summer, and 62 per cent achieving five A* to C passes including maths and English, the council is clear about its take on Levin’s claims:

“Using a word like ‘apartheid’ to describe the situation in schools is not only misleading but highly irresponsible. Comparing education in London to an oppressive system that was responsible for the deaths of thousands of people was extremely ill-judged.

“It would be alarmist to suggest that there is 'apartheid' in East London just because children and young people are receiving their education among other pupils of the same ethnicity.

“We do not judge our pupils' success on the basis of whether they attend schools with pupils who happen to be of the same ethnicity, but on the quality of education they receive and their progression in educational attainment with internationalism promoted as a core principle in the learning environment.

“The East London community is very proud of the fact that it has many people from a diverse range of backgrounds living, working and learning together; a community that celebrates and champions its diversity as not only an inspiration but a source of strength and cohesion."

Mayor Lutfur Rahman has also publicly backed Stepney Green School, by adding:

“I was extremely concerned by Mr Levin's words. I know he has a well-regarded reputation within the education sector and I believe he shares my desire for an excellent education for all our young people. However, I feel his words were both inflammatory and focused on the wrong target.

“Firstly, this is not a community that has chosen to segregate itself. It is a community that has limited choices, in terms of where they live and where they can attend school.

“I am most concerned about the government cuts further limiting the choices of communities. This is particularly the case with the cuts to housing benefits, which has a danger of dividing London and our borough further along the lines of income.

“This is why I am committed to building more social housing across the borough and maintaining investment in the Building Schools for the Future programme.

“Mr Levin's concern would be better directed at those who do have the luxury of choice in terms of where they live and where to send their children to school.

“Whilst choices for many of our residents are limited, our pupils are making the most of their education as highlighted by our excellent results – provisional results show that this year our pupils achieved their best ever GCSE grades, with 62 per cent achieving at least five A* to C passes including English and maths. Furthermore, we as an authority take community cohesion very seriously and are working with schools to give our pupils the chance to explore a wide range of experiences.

“I welcome Mr Levin to continue his work in Tower Hamlets and invite him to give opportunities for all our pupils to mix with pupils at his school.”

Paramjit Bhutta, headteacher at Stepney Green School, has given his reaction to the comments. He said: “I am proud to be the headteacher of Stepney Green School. The school is ‘Outstanding’ in Ofsted judgements and has been transformed into a highly effective educational institution. The school is value-led and the children’s work on community cohesion and supporting charities is second to none.

“We ensure that the students have extensive links to other communities by developing work, with other schools and partners, nationally and internationally.

“The school has strong links with Mr Levin, headteacher of the City of London School, through our gifted and talented programme. The students are achieving well above the national level, driven by outstanding students, parents, staff and governors.

“I am pleased to say that our students value, respect and work with communities from all around the world. The staff are themselves from all around the world; the students develop wonderful relationships with these staff and turn to them for advice and care.

“Mr Levin has been a supporter of Stepney Green School for a number of years and our relationship becomes stronger each year. The words ‘ghetto’ and ‘apartheid’ are not words that come to mind when describing schools like Stepney Green. Instead, I would use inspiring, aspirational, compassionate.

“The students look forward to their rightful place in the global community and they develop a sense of duty and responsibility towards their own community, but also communities around the world who need a helping hand.”

Friday February 4, 2011

Tower Hamlets Council statement on appearance fees paid to celebrities

Recent media coverage has highlighted the amount of money the council previously spent on hiring celebrities to present at staff awards and other events. In previous times before the huge cuts made by central government to our funding, this was something we and many other local authorities had arranged as a non-financial reward for our hard working and high performing workforce. However, we would like to set the record straight and make it clear that it is a practice we have long since stopped, and our focus is now very much on protecting the many support services that our residents need and rely on. Our full statement is provided below:

"The Council like many many public sector organisations did from time to time recruit the services of guest speakers and celebrities at events, where it was judged that their involvement would help in the promotion of a key service or motivating staff.

Many public organisations use this technique as a non financial reward for staff and as such is not unusual. We have long been a high performing council and have previously hired a well known speaker to address our staff awards ceremony.

However given the financial constraints facing all public sector organisations we have long since discontinued this practice for our staff awards."

How to contact us

Tony Finnegan
Acting Head of Media