"STUDENTS “devastated’’ at the axing of £36m to rebuild their school took their protest to 10 Downing Street.
Six pupils from Little Ilford School were joined by East Ham MP Stephen Timms as they delivered a campaign video to Prime Minister David Cameron pleading for the funding to be restored.
Made by the youngsters, the film tells of the “devastating’’ effect of cancelling the rebuilding the Browning Road site.
Year 1l pupil Umer Kayani, 15, said: “We are an outstanding school and deserve an outstanding building.”
The film was delivered with an invitation to the Premier to visit the school to see the conditions staff and students workin. Mr Timms said after the visit: “This much-needed funding would have ensured that the children of Little Ilford school would – for generations to come – be taught in modern, well equipped classrooms.”
The project was one of 14 refurbishments – planned for the borough under the Building Schools for the Future programme – scrapped by Education Secretary Michael Gove in July.
Little Ilford had spent three years preparing to start building the new school and devising a new curriculum to go with it.
Headteacher Yvonne Powell said: “We work hard to empower our students to become active, responsible citizens who can effect change.
“This was clearly demonstrated by our students developing a film and hand delivering it to 10 Downing Street to make sure their voices are heard. This is how we define the Government’s mantra of ‘The Big Society’.’’
The head added: “The students, staff and parents feel passionately about their school and feel that we deserve a new building in which we can continue to provide outstanding education for our students, an education that fully prepares them for the new and unknown challenges of the 21st Century.”
