LEADER’S
NOTES
‘Ealing continues to say:
Welcome’
Councillor Julian Bell
Leader of the council
A
s everyone prepares for the
new term at school or college,
it is encouraging to know the
borough’s education statistics are showing
we are making good progress.
All our secondary and special schools, and
nine in 10 of our primary schools, are rated
‘good’ or ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted. Seven in
10 of our children achieved a ‘Good Level
of Development’ at the end of reception
last year; 83% of our pupils at Key Stage
2 achieved Level 4 or above in reading,
writing and maths last year; and at Key
Stage 4 last year, 62% pupils achieved five
or more A*-C grades at GCSE, compared
to just under 60% the year before.
A
s a borough, everyone in Ealing should be proud of its diversity;
of its long history of providing a home to people from across the
globe. I know many visitors are, rightly, impressed by the way in
which our communities live and work together.
The borough consists of people from all kinds of backgrounds, all of whom have
contributed beyond measure to our economic, social, cultural and civic life.
Ealing is a better, and also more prosperous, place as a result of this rich diversity.
It was deeply worrying to hear, and read, of the occurrences of hate crime
around the country following the EU referendum – whether it took the form of
verbal abuse or graffiti.
The council, as ever, is working closely with the police and other partners.
Indeed, all the political parties on Ealing Council have joined together to issue a
statement condemning all forms of abuse, racism and xenophobia.
I, and everyone else on the council, would urge residents to report any instances
of hate crime so we can all stand up to those responsible.
Our long established spirit of tolerance and harmony, and of welcome to all, is
the overriding message our borough sends out to the world and these defining
qualities are what will continue to triumph here.
Meanwhile, the council is working hard
with schools to meet the increased
demand for school places. Expansions
of Brentside, Elthorne and Greenford
high schools are all progressing; the
Ealing Fields free school is due to open
in September, and a new North Twyford
school is scheduled to open in 2017.
R
emembrance Sunday and Armistice
Day are fast approaching (see page
seven) and the borough, as ever, will
pay its respects at a number of services. It
was recently the 100th anniversary of the
bloody battle of the Somme and, in light of
the troubled times we are currently living
in, there is perhaps even more than usual
for us all to ponder and reflect upon.
Ealing continues to say: Welcome.
around ealing
Autumn 2016
5