Labour’s world class education reforms created “best urban schools in the world”

A high-profile report by leading education academics has concluded that after the reforms of the Labour government and Council “it is not unreasonable to argue that what Tower Hamlets has created are some of the best urban schools in the world.”
The report entitled ‘Transforming Education for All: the Tower Hamlets Story’, goes on to praise the transformation of the borough’s schools as “a genuinely exceptional achievement, worth celebrating, worth understanding, but, above all, worth learning from.”
The report praised the “highly effective and ambitious leadership” of the Labour controlled Council as a key factor in the success. It also highlighted the Labour Government’s ‘London Challenge’ scheme as a key driver of improvements along with the £300m of local investment from the Building Schools for the Future programme which renovated schools to provide world class and up to date facilities.
Labour’s Spokesperson for Education, Cllr Amy Whitelock Gibbs, said:
“The report shows how since 1997 a Labour council working together with a Labour Government and with a strong family of local schools was able to make a life changing difference for our young people. With an ambitious vision, backing from Government and an amazing team of teachers, the council and the community were able to transform schools and dramatically improve the education that local students receive.
“This news is welcome but there is no time for complacency as results for young people post-16 are still below the national average, despite the significant progress in GCSE results locally. A Labour Mayor and council would prioritise this to ensure all our young people can fulfil their potential.”