Cameron to learn from NY schools
Conservative leader David Cameron has pledged to learn from New York's improving education system during a joint visit to a new inner London academy with the US city's mayor Michael Bloomberg.
Mr Cameron toured Walworth Academy with Mayor Bloomberg, who is a donor to the children's charity Ark which sponsors the mixed secondary school in Southwark, south east London.
Mr Bloomberg arrived at the school straight from his talks at City Hall with London's new Tory mayor Boris Johnson.
The politicians chatted to pupils and staff, before meeting the academy principal Devon Hanson and Ark's chairman, businessman Arpad Busson.
Drawing on a link between schooling problems and crime, skills shortages and drugs, Mr Cameron promised to make education reform a "top priority" of any future Conservative government.
He said: "Improving our schools is one of the most important things that any Government can do. And there are some things that Mayor Bloomberg has done in New York that I really admire and want to see us do here in the UK.
"He has made it easier for new schools to be established and we've said we're going to bust open the state monopoly and allow new schools to be set up."
"He has given headteachers much more autonomy and I believe in giving headteachers autonomy, really making them the captains of their ship, in charge of their schools, in charge of discipline in a way that happens in other countries."
Mr Cameron also praised the city's encouragement of small schools. He added: "Small schools are often the types of schools that parents desire and that's happened many times in New York."
Walworth Academy was opened with the assistance of Ark Schools in September last year. It is one of three existing Ark Academies in London, which are independently managed schools within the state system.
