I'm proud of refugee children in my school, says head

The headteacher of a school chosen for the launch of the Government's education strategy for London criticised ministers' plans yesterday to take the children of asylum-seekers from mainstream schools.

David Blunkett, the Home Secretary, provoked outrage when he suggested state schools were being "swamped" by the children of asylum-seekers. He has made the establishment of schools inside secure accommodation centres a provision of his Asylum and Immigration Bill.

Huw Salisbury, head of South Camden Community School, said at the launch of the Government's strategy, the London Challenge: "I believe the most appropriate place for refugee students to be educated from the time of their arrival is in mainstream schools."

Four out of five pupils at his school speak English as a second language and nearly a quarter are refugees from 36 countries, speaking 52 languages among them, he said.

Later, Mr Salisbury added: "I am very proud of the asylum-seeking children we have in our school. They contribute a great deal and I much respect their commitment to education, and the parents' commitment to their children's education."

But Estelle Morris, the Secretary of State for Education secretary, who announced creation of a New York-style school commissioner for London, backed Mr Blunkett's policy, saying it would give asylum-seekers' children a continuity of education which many did not get under the old system.

Ms Morris said the education commissioner would create a "transformation" in the quality of schools in the capital, and provide the strategic leadership which many believe London education has lacked since abolition of the Inner London Education Authority more than a decade ago passed responsibility to individual boroughs.

Professor Tim Brighouse, 62, who retires as Birmingham's chief education officer this autumn was immediately tipped for the job. The Education minister Stephen Twigg takes responsibility for London schools.

The strategy will also create at least 25 city academies, a type of state-funded independent school. Ms Morris also allocated £10m for a new London centre for gifted and talented children and a £7.5m fund to support school leaders.