Head attacks Labour school plan

THE HEADMASTER OF the Catholic Grant Maintained school to which Labour leader Tony Blair is to send his son in September has hit out at the party's education plans.
John McIntosh, headmaster of the London Oratory School, said this week that proposals could undermine the Church's control over its own schools. "It is essential that the Trustees are in a position to protect the ethos of the school," said Mr McIntosh, who has been an education adviser to Conservative policy makers.
"To do that they need to be able to appoint a majority of governors."
Labour officials have attempted to sidestep the controversy by saying that if Church schools are not happy with the plans they will not be fenced in. "The option is there for GM schools to return to Aided status," said a party spokesman.