Following the Secretary of State for Education and Skills’ recommendation that Mitcham Vale and Tamworth Manor Schools in Mitcham gain academy status, a detailed public consultation will now take place.

The sponsors behind these potential transitions are Southwark Diocese Board of Education, working in partnership with the Centre for British Teachers (CfBT) and Toc H for Mitcham Vale.

Lord Harris of Peckham is spearheading the bid for Tamworth Manor.

The public consultation is essentially the final part of the decision process.

Prior to the closing date, there will be an open meeting at Mitcham Vale School Hall on Tuesday 24 January and Tamworth Manor will hold their meeting in their school hall on Thursday 26 January.

Education Minister, Lord Adonis is due to attend Mitcham Vale’s meeting and Lord Harris will be there in person for Tamworth Manor’s meeting.

In addition, there will be a subsequent open meeting at Merton Civic Centre in the Council chamber on Thursday 9 February.

Details of the above open meetings are in the public consultation notice, which we have issued to Mitcham Vale and Tamworth Manor for them to disseminate to the parents.

Merton Council Leader, Councillor Andrew Judge said:

“Merton has invested heavily in schools in the last 4 years: the equivalent of £3122 for every child. But great schools are more than excellent facilities: identity and vision are vitally important as well.

We want all parents in Merton to have an effective choice of high quality secondary schools. Much good work has been done at Mitcham Vale and Tamworth Manor in the last two years, but we know that on its own, it will not be enough to achieve the best outcomes for local children.

If children are to have the best chances in life, we will need to see massive and sustained improvements in standards. This amounts to nothing less than a transformation. That is what these Academy proposals are designed to achieve: an education for local children that is as good as that available anywhere. It will not be easy and it will not happen overnight, but we believe that these proposals offer the best prospects of achieving that goal.

We have two sponsors with immense experience and commitment, who can build a new future for these schools and realise the ambitions of Merton parents for their children. The Council intends to work closely with them.

But we want to know your views. I would encourage parents of children at the two schools as well as parents of children who have yet to select a secondary school to take part in