BORIS Johnson can be expected to pull some mayoral strings to secure training and work experience for pupils leaving Kingsley Academy.
That was the message as the London mayor visited the academy, formerly known as Hounslow Manor School, to declare it officially open last Thursday (April 25).
The secondary school, in Prince Regent Road, Hounslow, is Mr Johnson’s fourth mayoral academy, joining those in Enfield and Bexley.
His education supremo Munira Mirza said the academies were about creating a level playing field so students from less privileged backgrounds could enjoy some of the same opportunities as those from middle class families and private schools.
“Many of these students don’t have the middle class networks which mean they can go and get internships at banks,” the deputy mayor for education and culture told the Chronicle. “As well as ensuring strong academic standards, these academies are about giving pupils some of the opportunities enjoyed by children who go to independent schools.”
That would involve boosting Kingsley’s links with businesses both in Hounslow and across the capital, she added, including some of those the mayor has worked with on various contracts, like the IT giant Cisco.
Mr Johnson, famously an old Etonian, was welcomed to the school by a steel band before embarking on a whirlwind tour.
He visited the science lab, where he declined the opportunity to lie on a bed of nails after a word from his advisor, joined a cookery lesson and received a grilling from budding journalists.
Unveiling a plaque at the end of his visit, he said: “I’m very impressed by the school, the atmosphere and the positive approach of the students.
“We want to make sure everyone leaving here has the chance of getting a job or training. We’re working very closely with employers to ensure we can create work placements and training opportunities for students.”
