May 2009 Archives

West Lakes Top Man

By Derek on May 31, 2009 10:42 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Is now suspended in what the sponsors call ' neutral act without prejudice' but really means ' we have received some serious allegations and are suspending the individual whilst they are investigated to see if there is any substance to them"

Why they can't just say this is beyond me but moving on.
Continue reading West Lakes Top Man.

Told You So

By Derek on May 31, 2009 10:10 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

Gordon Brown wants Ed Balls as Chancellor!

Link


GORDON BROWN is ready to promote Ed Balls, his closest political ally, to chancellor this week in a high-stakes gamble to restore Labour's political fortunes.

According to a top-level leak from Downing Street, the prime minister wants to make the appointment the centrepiece of a sweeping reshuffle on Friday, after the local and European polls.

With Balls, the schools secretary, one of the most divisive figures in government, the move would be a huge risk, which could trigger a ferocious backlash within the Labour party that could spiral into a leadership challenge.

According to the well-placed insider, Brown has been working on the scheme to make Balls chancellor since the expenses debacle engulfed Westminster, taking a handful of his closest aides into his confidence.

Brown knows the appointment would be highly controversial and is ruminating over the possible consequences. However, Balls's elevation would fit into a wider strategy to position Labour for the next general election, which rests on hopes of an upturn in Britain's economic fortunes just before polling day.

Balls, who is widely respected in the City, could appear a younger, fresher face than Alistair Darling to take on George Osborne, the shadow chancellor, in the run-up to the elections.

Continue reading Told You So.

The View From Some Of The School Staff.

By Derek on May 31, 2009 2:31 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
These are the views of Parkview staff, not just the teachers. Bear in mind many of them do not yet know if they have a job or not until they return to school.

Again if you are so inclined please e-mail this list to John Hutton and Peter Mackay.
Continue reading The View From Some Of The School Staff..

The View From Parkview Kids

By Derek on May 31, 2009 11:45 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The Parkview Kids are the ones who looked on as lot of teachers find out that they are unwanted on Friday 22nd. That was bad enough but imagine what sort of half term break those staff who have yet to learn their fate have had.

So lets see what they have to say and before everyone moans about bad grammar and typos etc go and read the Job application pack that the Sponsors put together for the post of principal but most of all remember this is the text generation speaking!

If anybody is so inclined they can e-mail the link to this page to John Hutton or Peter Mackay.
Continue reading The View From Parkview Kids.

Furness Academy Ltd Is Now Official.

By Derek on May 31, 2009 10:34 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I've been on the companies house web site and discovered that Furness Academy Ltd has been in existence since the 5th May.

  • Who paid for the formation of the Limited Company?
  • Who are its directors?
  • Who is it's company secretary?
  • Why is it's business address the Sixth form Colleges address?
  • Why does a school need to be a company?
  • Why wasn't its creation made public?

I cannot answer any of these questions but its one more example of the sponsor 'keeping people fully informed'!

Continue reading Furness Academy Ltd Is Now Official..

Parkview Is By No Measure A Failing School!

By Derek on May 31, 2009 10:00 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
How good Parkviews results are in reality.
Continue reading Parkview Is By No Measure A Failing School!.

!!!BREAKING NEWS!!! Ed Balls To Leave Education Post... Probably

By Derek on May 30, 2009 8:57 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Okay it hasn't happened yet but Gordon Browns leadership is looking to be on very shaky ground. A poll for the Daily Telegraph has shown Labour has fallen behind the Liberals for the first time since 1987.

Link

"Ed Balls, the Schools Secretary, has already conceded the party will perform badly.

If Labour loses control of the four county councils it is defending on Thursday and gets under 20 per cent of the vote in the European elections, Mr Brown could face a challenge from within his Cabinet - with Alan Johnson, the Health Secretary, set to emerge as his likeliest successor.

The Prime Minister is thought to be planning a sweeping Cabinet reshuffle next week in an attempt to reassert his political authority."

In the very near future Ed Balls will no longer be the Minister for Education.

Question is who is likely to replace him and what would the possible impact be on the Academy plans?

Mr Rob Gwynn. Academy Project Team Leader.

By Derek on May 30, 2009 5:50 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Who?
Again who?
Well it's those pesky governors minutes again revealing all sorts of things that have been going on 'behind the scenes' as it were.
Continue reading Mr Rob Gwynn. Academy Project Team Leader..

Spotlight on Hank Williams.

By Derek on May 30, 2009 5:37 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Who?
Yes yet another 'hidden' face is revealed. Not literally of course but Hank Williams has 'something' to do with the creation process as he met with the three head teachers as you can see in this excerpt from Parkview Governor minutes Link

"Rob felt that the preceding headteachers shared a strong sense of purpose and a real will to make things work.  The three heads and another member of staff had met with a Creative Partnership management consultant Hank Williams.  A project is being set up to run sessions for the students to contribute to the planning of the Academy."

We also see this line in the minutes which is a little disturbing, in my opinion;

"The new consultation document had only just been finalised and Rob was happy to report that both the sponsors and the preceding headteachers had contributed to the drafting of it.  Debate would be out in the open and the date for the consultation meeting at Parkview will take place on:"

Which would suggest that 'debate' such as it was wasn't opened up until the correct answers could be all but guaranteed!
Continue reading Spotlight on Hank Williams..

A Parkview Teacher 'Blows The Whistle'

By Derek on May 30, 2009 3:24 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
It may be a little late in the day and some will say it is just sour grapes but let's step back a minute.
The Sponsors, Mr Blackledge and Mouchel have all along said that the quality of the staff is excellent and basically everything in the garden is rosy. To those of us on the outside peering in through the window courtesy of our children this has been fanciful at best and utterly wrong at worst.

As I have gone through document after document it has become a sadly unifying fact that words rarely equal actions when it comes to anything Academy.
It is obvious to everyone involved despite what the Sponsors et al were saying getting rid of Alfred Barrow and farming it's pupils out to the other schools would mean that one third of the staff currently employed would lose their jobs.

If you were one of those staff who had to earn money like everyone else, benefit scroungers aside, to pay your way in life would you put that at risk no matter what you saw, heard or knew was going on?
I certainly wouldn't. A bad job is better than no job especially in these bizarre credit crunch times.

However on Friday The Sponsors and Mr Blackledge revealed their hand with devastating consequences and so the teachers began to blow the whistle.
Planned, incompetence, naivety, mistake, bad judgement, someone in Mouchels fault, or just their way of doing it?
The real truth will likely never surface so we are left to form our own conclusions, again.

The truth in this instance doesn't really matter because what's done is done and coming on the back of the alleged uniform order and the alleged pre planned logo design it doesn't look like Barrows Academy would be second class never mind adequate no matter how much money is thrown at it.




Continue reading A Parkview Teacher 'Blows The Whistle'.

The Apathetic 'Silent Majority'

By Derek on May 30, 2009 2:41 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I am personally getting fed up to the back teeth with people who say that 6000 peoples names on a petition don't matter. These same people then go on to speak on behalf of the 'silent majority' and presume that because they didn't sign the petition they are in fact on favour of an Academy for Barrow.

This is ludicrous of course as some people will be all for it, some may want it but have reservations, others will be dead set against it but see no prospect of stopping it but I still see the same argument drawn out across the Evening Mail comment boards as a good reason for 'getting behind the Academy plan'.
Continue reading The Apathetic 'Silent Majority'.

Unsung Heroes. The Education Welfare Officers.

By Derek on May 30, 2009 1:59 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Who?
Yes this was my first reaction when I first heard about them but according to my sons they are really good people who care and will take the time to listen when the teaching staff are unable too and they both see their schools officers as really valuable members of staff. They also see them as someone inside the school who is not 'part' of the school and say they can talk to them in confidence.
Continue reading Unsung Heroes. The Education Welfare Officers..

The Governors. Why Are They So Quiet?

By Derek on May 30, 2009 10:05 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Seriously. With all that has occurred in recent days you would think that these people would at least make a joint statement if they cannot bring themselves to comment as individuals. But like our equally silent and elusive County Councillors the Governors are saying NOWT.

Unless they open their mouths we can only presume that they condone the actions of the 'Blackledge team' at Parkview. If this is the case then our kids are REALLY in trouble come September, unless the 'Parkview Kids' can do their job for them!
Continue reading The Governors. Why Are They So Quiet?.

Mr Swales. The Head Of Parkview & A Real Hero

By Derek on May 29, 2009 9:21 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Mr Swales is the acting head of Parkview and he is the one person who could have said no to the Parkview Kids protest. He has shown tremendous courage and trust in his pupils to allow them to protest on the school fields against the Academy Plan. He is still the head as the Academy only 'exists' as limited company so Anne Dave Neil and Doug are not 'in control' of anything to do with secondary education.

He must have been under pressure from the 'principal in waiting' and 'The Sponsors' but he has shown immense good sense in my opinion. My opinion counts for once because I have two children in Mr Swale's school one of whom is sitting a GCSE exam on Monday morning along with all of his Year group and another on Monday afternoon.

Both were 'stressed out' at the treatment of some of the members of Parkview staff by the sponsors, their principal elect and presumably Mouchel last Friday and both will be joining the protest as will every child they have been in contact with over the holidays.

My wife and I will also be there supporting these my children and their friends and contemporaries because I have yet to hear from any of them that they want the Academy to come into being and I have yet to hear any adult of my acquaintance support the plan.

We will be complying with the police and Mr Swales request and staying outside of the school grounds.
I doubt I would be able to meet and say thank you to Mr Swales for doing this for his pupils so let me say it here.
Thanks Mr Swales for showing some real trust in your pupils. They will do you and themselves proud of that I am sure.

BSF Funding Update From 7 April 2009

By Derek on May 29, 2009 8:54 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
My god!
At last the County Council is getting round to having a meeting to talk about possibly making a bid for BSF funding. The scheme has only been in existence since 2003, when the County submitted it's first Expression of Interest and building began in other counties in 2005.
Here we are once again 'the most rural county in England' late to the party because... well I have no idea why.

So what have 'they decided'?
Continue reading BSF Funding Update From 7 April 2009.

7 Schools To Be Transformed For just £100,000,000!

By Derek on May 29, 2009 7:31 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
In this article from January 2009 we see another local authority committing to redeveloping no less than 7 secondary schools, that's two more than the number of state secondary schools in Barrow for just £100 million.
Here in Barrow we 'The Sponsors' spending £45 million the creation of ONE.

So what is really happening in Barrow is a massive reduction in choice for parents and a massive reduction in the number of GCSE courses for pupils.

When the diplomas finally get up to full strength there will be 18 available for all Year 9's. The same 18 will be on offer across every school.
With there being only three schools remaining, should these sponsors get their way then the number of different GCSE courses cannot help but dramatically diminish this putting a vocational  straight jacket on our kids.
Continue reading 7 Schools To Be Transformed For just £100,000,000!.

Building Schools For The Future.

By Derek on May 29, 2009 7:27 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Is now getting back on track. The numbers involved are colossal and what is Cumbria doing to go after this investment.... well that's anyone's guess.
Continue reading Building Schools For The Future..

Academy History Part 2

By Derek on May 29, 2009 7:09 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Continuing the dissection of the 77 page DFEE document.
Continue reading Academy History Part 2.

When GCSEs aren't GCSEs

By Derek on May 29, 2009 7:06 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Here is different viewpoint on the purpose of 'vocational' qualifications.
Continue reading When GCSEs aren't GCSEs.

The End Of The Dinosaurs?

By Derek on May 29, 2009 5:19 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The OSANFS meeting yesterday evening showed everyone who attended just why the make up of the County Council HAS to change if Cumbria is to have across the board year on year improvements.

I am not going to name him because if nothing else he had the balls or the brass neck, whichever is your point of view, to actually attend the meeting and not sit at home in silence like the rest of his colleagues who you and I elected to represent our views and have taken no part whatsoever in any of the recent debate surrounding the kids protest.
Shame on them.
They must be terrified of 'saying the wrong thing' or being seen to be 'on the losing side'.


Continue reading The End Of The Dinosaurs?.

Academy History.

By Derek on May 29, 2009 1:04 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Here is a bit more history behind the Academy program which shows that despite Price Waterhouse Coopers being tasked by the government to provide an independent assessment of how effective these schools are year in year out very few of their findings seem to be acted upon.
Continue reading Academy History. .

TUPE. The Rights & Wrongs

By Derek on May 29, 2009 10:13 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The TUPE agreement basically states that all staff currently employed can transfer over to the new 'company' on exactly the same rates and conditions provided that their existing job will exist in the new 'company'. The staff are not being employed by Furness Academy. They are being employed by The Furness Academy Limited which is a company NOT a Local Authority.

There are variations and exclusions to this but in essence this is what it's all about.
Continue reading TUPE. The Rights & Wrongs.

BAE. Are They In Or Out?

By Derek on May 29, 2009 10:08 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
BAE are by some stretch still the biggest employer in town. They have indicated that they would be willing to sponsor the Academy to the tune of £400,000 as the Guardian kindly informed us back in 2007
Continue reading BAE. Are They In Or Out?.

Notes Are Well Worth Taking

By Derek on May 29, 2009 9:13 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I have just sat and deciphered a page of notes I have from one of the 'meet and greet' meetings last December where 'The Sponsors' management contractor Mouchel rolled out it's 'big guns'.

The Mouchel spokesperson responded to a question asked by someone in the audience which went along the lines of;
"What is the very latest the plans can slip without the agreement being signed if the Academy is to open as planned in September next year?"

Their reply was along the lines of  "The end of April, if we are being realistic"

Well blow me if we ain't now at the end of MAY and it's still not signed so does this mean that even Mouchel thinks September 2009 is just a pipe dream?
Who knows. Like so much of this scheme, despite Mrs Attwood's assertions that it is no longer shrouded in mystery it clearly still is.

If  Mouchel could provide me with a written record of what was actually said that would be of great help as I am working from notes not a transcript. I cannot write that fast but for the next time I will have my voice recorder to hand so I will have a transcript.

Building Schools for The Future

By Derek on May 29, 2009 9:10 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Building Schools for The Future is an ambitious Government program of refurbishing, rebuilding or remodelling EVERY school in the land. This would suggest that the UK school building stock is knackered and this Government regards 'buildings' as the key to a better education.
However when you dig a bit deeper what it's really about is re-equipping every school in the land, refurbishing sound buildings, demolishing worn out, badly built or badly maintained buildings and replacing them with new.
Continue reading Building Schools for The Future.

Moira Swans Response To The Crisis At Richard Rose Academy

By Derek on May 28, 2009 9:17 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This is a letter sent by Moira Swann in response to a letter from a Barrovian asking if the county council were aware of the unfolding crisis at Richard Rose Academy.

At this point  hundreds of comments to the CN groups News & Star web site were complaining to the contrary and OFSTED went into the Academy 3 weeks later. Out of touch, head in the sand, completely aloof, blind faith, rank incompetence, being fed a line by the sponsors, who honestly knows?

Please read it and judge for yourself.
Continue reading Moira Swans Response To The Crisis At Richard Rose Academy.

The Furness Local Partnership Group (LPG)

By Derek on May 28, 2009 8:36 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This is the Furness based 'group' of the Cumbria Schools Organisation Forum which has been 'looking into' education reform as they call it across the peninsular.
Continue reading The Furness Local Partnership Group (LPG).

Cllr Alan Nicholson And His Cohort, To Use 'Academy Speak'!

By Derek on May 28, 2009 8:07 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This is one of THE most revealing documents I have yet come across.

It is dated 12th January 2006 and is a meeting of yet another group of 'interested parties' made up of other groups of interested parties and observed by yet more groups of interested parties.

This folks is where your council tax is going.
It is basically 'the great and the good' getting together on our behalf to have a meeting, to decide to have a meeting about a meeting.

No wonder there are holes in the road, clapped out street lights etc etc. These clowns are wasting a bloody fortune just chatting amongst themselves!

Continue reading Cllr Alan Nicholson And His Cohort, To Use 'Academy Speak'!.

How They Decide What Questions Get Into The 'Consultation' Documents

By Derek on May 28, 2009 8:00 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
As this flowchart proves the questions in the consultation documents are carefully crafted to ensure that the 'right result' is obtained. No wonder we have so few referendums in our country.

I honestly think the time has come to clear out bureaucracy once and for all because the more hands the story goes through the more warped and twisted the result.
Continue reading How They Decide What Questions Get Into The 'Consultation' Documents.

Moira Swann Says.

By Derek on May 28, 2009 6:54 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Moira Swann is the Corporate Director of Children's Services. 
Her role is to lead and develop all children's services in Cumbria, management of Children's Services in the County Council and leading partnership work across the county with other agencies. Moira also works as a member of the corporate management team to further develop Cumbria County Council.
Continue reading Moira Swann Says..

You May Have Missed This.

By Derek on May 28, 2009 6:20 PM | 3 Comments | No TrackBacks

Forty teachers speak out against suspended Cumbrian headteacher


This would seem to me to have great relevance for every parent in Barrow but guess what the Evening Mail doesn't seem to have the room within it's pages or it's web site to 'print' such 'negativity' about the Academy programme.



Continue reading You May Have Missed This..

What Ofsted Says

By Derek on May 28, 2009 5:03 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Here is a group of links to various ofsted reports for all of the schools involved, the two schools not involved and the two colleges.
Continue reading What Ofsted Says.

What They Said About The 2008 GCSE Results

By Derek on May 28, 2009 4:17 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
A pair of documents and press releases which show that things are actually moving very obviously in the RIGHT direction, results wise in our existing schools, county wide let alone just in Barrow.

Pay close attention to the 'sincere' words of our elected councillors who are determined to close Alfred Barrow down even if they don't manage to close the other two secondary schools.
Continue reading What They Said About The 2008 GCSE Results.

What THEY Said About The 2008 Year 9 SATS

By Derek on May 28, 2009 4:02 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This is short article shows how well ou current Year 10's were performing at KS3 in the Year 9 SATs tests in 2008.
Bear in mind when looking at these numbers the people at the end of the article Jim Buchanan and Moira Swann put it down in writing that these some of these schools are weak and under perform to such an extent that the pupils in them cannot achieve... and yet here is the statistical proof they DO ACHIEVE.

Why the double standards Cllr Buchanan & Moira Swann?
Continue reading What THEY Said About The 2008 Year 9 SATS.

Staffing & Pay Structure

By Derek on May 28, 2009 3:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I've tried re adjusting these document to fit the page and I can't so the best I can do is give you the links for you to download and view the documents for yourselves.
notnwemail page
direct link to the document

Dr Neil Simco. I Was So Wrong About Him.

By Derek on May 28, 2009 1:10 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Dr Simco is the Dean of Faculty at Cumbria University which is the third sponsor of the academy plan. I have derided the university on occasion in this blog, on the Evening Mail comments boards and when I was able to actually get letters published by the Evening Mail in the paper itself and I got him and his intentions totally wrong.

This chap actually 'gets it' and understands that flexibility and co-operation are the keystones of success. He has no desire to lock our children into a maths and sports straight jacket and honestly if his University were the sole sponsor of this Academy I doubt we would be seeing any of the failings that are currently coming to light ever single day because he is able to plan.
Continue reading Dr Neil Simco. I Was So Wrong About Him..

The Academy in Barrow. Application Pack for the Position of Principal.

By Derek on May 28, 2009 11:51 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
He has been in the job four months an we are fortunate enough to be able to measure Mr Blackledges 'achievements' against the Application Pack for the Position of Principal.
Continue reading The Academy in Barrow. Application Pack for the Position of Principal..

Anne Attwood Unleashed!

By Derek on May 28, 2009 9:14 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I knew Mrs Attwood liked the sound of her own voice, anyone who has attended a consultation meeting or a Furness College presentation meeting would agree. She loves to blow her own trumpet and frankly she hasn't had the chance on here.

So I went back through the pages of time and pulled out the real nuggets to give her the exposure she deserves.
Continue reading Anne Attwood Unleashed!.

Mr Hutton Please Read This As It Comes From A Long Serving Teacher

By Derek on May 27, 2009 10:06 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
From this evenings Evening Mail comment board
Continue reading Mr Hutton Please Read This As It Comes From A Long Serving Teacher.

Must Read

By Derek on May 27, 2009 9:48 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Another blog appears this time from someone else within Parkview. If one tenth of what is written is true it is worse inside the school than any of us on the outside can imagine.
Continue reading Must Read.

Councillor Alan Nicholsons View Point

By Derek on May 27, 2009 7:53 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
County Councillor Alan Nicholson represents the Parkside area of the town, chairs the Local Committee for Barrow and chairs the Furness Local Partnership Group, one of five set up around Cumbria to review the county's education provision.
He's said:  ?????????????????????????
Well nothing yet!
About Friday's events at Parkview. Is he on holiday with John Hutton?

Mind, to be fair he did say this just over a year back.

"This is a major step forward to attaining the best educational facilities for the children and young people of Barrow. It is important that in order to attain this goal we work in close partnership with all those involved in the academy process, but most importantly with the community of Barrow."

What Parkview In Year 9 Say!!!!!!

By Derek on May 27, 2009 4:34 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
For those that don't know. Year 9's are the ones who are making their subject choices to take through to exams at the end of Year 11.
These are the Year group who have made their choices and as two GCSE courses are 'oversubscribed' and probably all of the Diploma courses are 'under subscribed'. The pupils who are on the oversubscribed courses have been asked if the course is really what they want and it has been 'pointed out' to them that if they stick with the GCSE course they may have to move to 'the other site' to take the course.

After apparently years of planning the sponsors and their managers have failed to allow for the fact that most kids still prefer GCSE to Diploma.
Continue reading What Parkview In Year 9 Say!!!!!!.

Uniform Latest

By Derek on May 27, 2009 4:20 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Well my family connections in Nottingham came to nothing.
The person who sent me a picture of pallets hasn't got back to me.
But as notnwemail says there is no smoke without fire. Someone somewhere is not telling the truth and if anyone can shed light on who it is please let me know so I can publish the 'proof' on here.


Continue reading Uniform Latest.

The CN Group.

By Derek on May 27, 2009 3:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
What do you think about this company being involved in the 'consultation' design and then trying to accurately report on the unravelling of the Academy plan?

PLANNING 11-16 EDUCATION FOR BARROW CONSULTATION REPORT
An Independent Report by CN Research Commissioned by
School Organisation Project Team
JANUARY 2008

Lynne Wild
Georgia Shorrock
Vicky Johnstone
CN Research
Continue reading The CN Group. .

Alfred Barrow. Not Fit For Purpose?

By Derek on May 27, 2009 3:06 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Does Councillor Burns accept that this is an example of a failing school?
Continue reading Alfred Barrow. Not Fit For Purpose?.

Moving From Year 6 to Year 7.

By Derek on May 27, 2009 1:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Is probably the biggest change that young people ever have to make during their education. It is vital that this change is well planned, well managed and well organised. The shambles that is still ongoing in Barrow is failing a whole generation of Year 6 children and parents.
Why have we allowed this situation to come to pass?
Continue reading Moving From Year 6 to Year 7..

To Those That Think It's Adults Leading Children

By Derek on May 27, 2009 12:53 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Just Watch this

A Alternative Point Of View

By Derek on May 27, 2009 12:36 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
From the Evening Mail site Link
Continue reading A Alternative Point Of View.

Off Topic?

By Derek on May 27, 2009 11:52 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
No not really. It just shows the extremely low standing one of the Key players called Sponsors has in Barrow.

A word of advice for the good lady, not that she will listen,
WHEN IN A HOLE STOP DIGGING!
Continue reading Off Topic? .

Yet More Lies

By Derek on May 27, 2009 11:39 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Link
"Furness Academy bosses have said Year 10 courses will continue into Year 11, but said no guarantees were made about the same teachers teaching those courses."

Have the Evening Mail sacked all their reporters?
Just ask any Year 10 at Parkview what Mrs Hughes told them at a Year 10 Assembly. They had four of them knocking on their door last Friday so the reporters didn't have to leave the flipping building, or is what notnwemail saying actually true and the Evening Mail staff are being 'gagged'?

I have asked a Year 10 and she told me Mrs Hughes said "That all current Year 10's WILL have the same teachers through to the end of Year 11"!

Now if this isn't true Mrs Hughes please provide me with your version of what was said so I can publish here for all to see.
I should point out that there is little chance of this happening as Mrs Hughes has a 'directors' job in the Academy should it be created and she will no doubt be kept 'quiet' by some clause or other in her contract.

Is it really getting to the stage where we have to have our children recording everything that is said in case 'The Sponsors' the go on to deny it in print in the 'not so fence sitting' Evening Mail?


PLANNING 11-16 EDUCATION FOR BARROW. Thorncliffe PUPILS Asking The Questions.

By Derek on May 27, 2009 11:36 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
THE CONSULTATION MEETINGS HELD 15 NOVEMBER 2007 AT THORNCLIFFE SCHOOL with Thorncliffe School Council
Continue reading PLANNING 11-16 EDUCATION FOR BARROW. Thorncliffe PUPILS Asking The Questions..

PLANNING 11-16 EDUCATION FOR BARROW. Walney PUPILS Asking The Questions.

By Derek on May 27, 2009 11:31 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The Consultation Meetings Held on 19 November 2007 at Walney School with Walney School Council



Continue reading PLANNING 11-16 EDUCATION FOR BARROW. Walney PUPILS Asking The Questions..

PLANNING 11-16 EDUCATION FOR BARROW

By Derek on May 27, 2009 10:39 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
More documentary proof that your opinions, your children's opinions and mine don't matter to those in control of education in Barrow
Continue reading PLANNING 11-16 EDUCATION FOR BARROW.

Almost! If Only The Learning & Skills Council Weren't So Incompetent.

By Derek on May 27, 2009 9:03 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
My god!
It turns out that Dave Kelly's Sixth form College nearly put itself £14M into what it calls 'short term borrowing' which really means debt!

As ever have a read for yourself.
Continue reading Almost! If Only The Learning & Skills Council Weren't So Incompetent..

A Conflict Of Interest. You Decide!

By Derek on May 27, 2009 8:54 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
In this document from yet another body I had no idea existed we see Dave Kelly the principal of a college sponsoring the Academy plan trying to keeping 'possibilities' at arms length as the college is sponsoring the Academy.

Something fishy or just my interpretation, who knows?
Have a read for yourself and you decide what he is on about.
Continue reading A Conflict Of Interest. You Decide!.

The Governors Must Be Holding Something Back.

By Derek on May 27, 2009 8:06 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Having just read the list of 'developments' on former school land a thought occurred to me, weird that because I had one last year as well!
Continue reading The Governors Must Be Holding Something Back..

What this will cost us all!

By Derek on May 27, 2009 8:02 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
A most excellent question being asked at notnwemail. If you know any of the answers then please get in touch with me or notnwemail.
Continue reading What this will cost us all!.

It's The Parents Leading The Kids. According To Some.

By Derek on May 27, 2009 7:14 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Proof if it were needed that assumption and presumption are two of the worst of human traits.
I was asked to go and have a look at the Barrowafc forum as there was an interesting conversation taking place on their boards about the academy imposition.

Here's what I found
Continue reading It's The Parents Leading The Kids. According To Some..

Appeal Again

By Derek on May 26, 2009 10:11 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Is there anyone out there who can tell me one way or the other what when on when Dave Kelly met Mr Scowcroft in Carlisle at the office of Moira Swann?

I have the story but it is from an unconfirmed source so cannot post it here. It could show once and for all whether Mr Scowcroft is in or out of the picture.

The Real Reason Why Schools Are Being Closed Courtesy Of The CN Group & The Guardian.

By Derek on May 26, 2009 8:15 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
In this pair of articles from two newspapers we can see beyond any doubt the real reason why our three schools are under a threat of closure and hundreds of our children's future is being put at risk.
We simply cannot allow this too happen in Barrow, can we?
Continue reading The Real Reason Why Schools Are Being Closed Courtesy Of The CN Group & The Guardian..

Stragegic Area Review Plan.. Yet Another PLAN!

By Derek on May 26, 2009 5:22 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The sheer volume of plans that have some effect or other on the education of our children is both bewildering and unnecessarily complex. They make teaching kids the basics, the right things or giving them as broad and yet flexible education as possible incredibly difficult.

It's truly a wonder anyone trains to be a teacher let alone stay in the profession for any length of time which makes the sacking of teachers just to get 'the right' teachers on the Academy bus abhorrent.
Continue reading Stragegic Area Review Plan.. Yet Another PLAN!.

Always Worth An E-mail To Get These Peoples Opinion

By Derek on May 26, 2009 5:16 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Here is a list of all the people on the 'Children & Young People Strategic Board. Yet another 'worthy body' that is funded by you an me that I definitely knew nothing about and probably neither did you and have no idea yet what it costs to run or what exactly it's purpose is.

It's a PDF with all their manes, who they work for and e-mail addresses in it and I am not publishing it on this site due to spammers. But you are free to download it as it is a publically accessible Local Government document. Here's the link again

The Truth About Our Secondary School Results.

By Derek on May 26, 2009 4:59 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The County and the sponsors delight in saying that results are not good enough and they never will be unless we get rid of three schools and replace them with THEIR new one.
This article from the Evening Mail web shows that 'assertion' to be a lie.
Read it for yourself and then ask yourself if they can lie about this what else are they capable of?
Continue reading The Truth About Our Secondary School Results..

Jim Buchanans Lack Of Understanding.

By Derek on May 26, 2009 4:51 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
In a letter or article published by the Evening Mail Cllr Jim Buchanan, who isn't a Barrovian or a Barrovian County Councillor imparts some of his 'understanding' of the situation which to me really shows his lack of grasp of what really matters to an awful lot of Barrovians.
Continue reading Jim Buchanans Lack Of Understanding..

Writing On The Wall For Alfred Barrow School in 2004

By Derek on May 26, 2009 1:26 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

13/10/2004 - County Council Cabinet to debate long-term future of Alfred Barrow School

Continue reading Writing On The Wall For Alfred Barrow School in 2004.

Left Hand Doesn't Know What The Right Hand Is Doing.

By Derek on May 26, 2009 1:12 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks

29/01/04 - Building Schools for the Future

Continue reading Left Hand Doesn't Know What The Right Hand Is Doing..

School Organisation Plan 2003

By Derek on May 26, 2009 1:04 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This news release shows how far the government has slipped in getting its BSF money out to the provinces. Ten years from 2003 is 2013 this current government says it will now be 2015 to 2018, depending on the actual individual doing the talking, before the cash will be in County Coffers. Given the credit crunch and the probable change of government next year it would be prudent for the County to plan for worse case and the money never arrives.

Is it doing this?
Probably not because it only seems to be capable of doing what it is TOLD to do by government!
Continue reading School Organisation Plan 2003.

OSAFD. Our Schools Are Falling Down.

By Derek on May 26, 2009 12:56 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
If they are whose fault could it possibly be?
Anne Attwoods?
The Government?
The Past and Existing Heads?
The Governors?
Roger Titcombes?
OSANFS?

No it's our old friends CCC who have the responsibility of maintaining our schools, all of them, in good order. So if Cllr Buchanan's report cites 'building problems' as a reason for closure, as I am sure it will once I find it, as a Councillor on the Education committe or whatever they call it , well let's say has a lot to answer for.
It's best to search the Cumbria County Council web site using Google as their internal search is abysmal because it tries to be too clever.
Continue reading OSAFD. Our Schools Are Falling Down..

ENHANCING LIVES THROUGH LEARNING - A VISION FOR SCHOOLS IN CUMBRIA

By Derek on May 26, 2009 12:35 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I have managed to find this document which was 'approved' by the County Cabinet and is the basis for the closure of all the schools that have been closed, they want to close and others they have already identified for closure or merger.

Whilst reading through it and I recommend that you do, ask yourself;

  • Where in all of this is my opinion?
  • Where in all of this is my child's opinions?
  • Why wasn't this document drawn up with my involvement?
  • Why wasn't this document sent to me and my family for our approval?

If this document was really made public, not stuffed on the Cumbria County Council web site for 'all' to see provided you have internet access, our children wouldn't be in the position they are in now.
Another crystal clear example of the County Council doing the bare minimum to comply with policy, what a shower.
Continue reading ENHANCING LIVES THROUGH LEARNING - A VISION FOR SCHOOLS IN CUMBRIA.

Some Academies 'a quarter empty'

By Derek on May 26, 2009 11:58 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
A story that has just appeared on the BBC News site
Continue reading Some Academies 'a quarter empty' .

Appeal. "Pallets in Store"

By Derek on May 26, 2009 11:56 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
URGENT
Would the person who sent me a picture of 'pallets in store' this morning please send me it again with their contact details. A hotmail account that is 'no longer in use' isn't good enough!

An Entitlement for Learners in Secondary Schools

By Derek on May 26, 2009 9:49 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Cop a load of this statement in this document
Continue reading An Entitlement for Learners in Secondary Schools.

Calling All Staff At Parkview Thorncliffe & Alfred Barrow

By Derek on May 26, 2009 8:55 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This is what the County Council said they would do with you all in this document and then they went and handed you all over to Anne Dave Neil and Doug to do with as they please, and they did!

Workforce Development
The Every Child Matters policy incorporates the challenge of workforce reform - the need to increase the attraction of working with children and young people and especially to further improve training, skills and inter-professional relationships.

We see effective recruitment, retention and development of a high quality school workforce as a significant factor in enhancing school improvement.

We see training and development opportunities for classroom-based staff and effective professional and leadership development as key components in raising standards.

Investment in, and valuing of, the whole school workforce in terms of their development, professional status and work-life balance is an essential element in bringing about school improvement.

To those poor souls in the three schools who do not fit the visions and ethos of Anne Dave, Neil and Doug's 'creation' please re-read this statement because you really are valuable... except you are not, it appears, employable!

The Future Of Secondary Education In Barrow

By Derek on May 26, 2009 7:14 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This document is dated 26th August 2005 and is from the very beginning of the process to 'remove' surplus places. What this term means to County councillors, ministers and government in general is that because they insist on using an outdated 'bums on seats' type of formula to fund every school is CLOSURE and MERGER.

As you can seen from this document closure and merger rather than site reduction and remodelling or re-purposing are the blunt instruments that the County Council employ to rid the County of this plague of 'surplus' places.
Continue reading The Future Of Secondary Education In Barrow.

14-19 Beacon Partnership Award

By Derek on May 25, 2009 7:45 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Oh my god. How can it go from an award winning 14-19 'partnership' to the near complete alienation of fourteen, fifteen and sixteen year olds.

How did this 'rural' county, some parts are but Carlisle Barrow Whitehaven and Workington can hardly be called rural, manage to make such a cock up of secondary education?
Continue reading 14-19 Beacon Partnership Award.

An Academy For Barrow Newsletter.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 7:29 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This document came home with my two children back in March 2009 despite the the fact it was dated February 2009. I've taken the time to take re-read it and try to find some good in it but honestly there isn't any as you can see.
Continue reading An Academy For Barrow Newsletter..

Anne Attwoods Statement On The Daily Mail Article.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 4:05 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I am so pleased to have re-discovered this statement. It appeared on the Furness Academy web site before the Daily Mail story hit the newstands and it mysteriously disappeared just a day or so later. WHY?
Continue reading Anne Attwoods Statement On The Daily Mail Article..

Student Council. Reprise.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 3:59 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
From the Furness Academy web site
Continue reading Student Council. Reprise..

The Three Governors. Were They Kept In The Dark Like The Teachers?

By Derek on May 25, 2009 3:36 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I honestly hope that these governors who put their names to this document didn't have a clue about what was going to happen last Friday. If they did then it is shocking that people in positions of responsibility charged with looking after staff and pupils in these three schools let Friday's events unfold without so much as whisper of protest.

As I say I hope they didn't have a clue. Perhaps one or all of them would care to e-mail me to put the record straight.  
Continue reading The Three Governors. Were They Kept In The Dark Like The Teachers?.

Tender Process Starts For The Academy Uniform. Reprise.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 3:23 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This is truly laughable if what I have seen today is proven to be real!
From the Furness Academy web site
Continue reading Tender Process Starts For The Academy Uniform. Reprise..

The Senior Leadership Team Appointed. Reprise

By Derek on May 25, 2009 3:15 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
To use one of Mrs Attwood favourite words. What a Cohort!
From the Furness Academy web site
Continue reading The Senior Leadership Team Appointed. Reprise.

Admissions Statement. Reprise

By Derek on May 25, 2009 3:08 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
From the Furness Academy web site
Continue reading Admissions Statement. Reprise.

Uniform Workshops! Reprise.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 3:05 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
From the Furness Academy web site
Continue reading Uniform Workshops! Reprise..

Year 9 Options Evening A Success! Reprise.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 3:02 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
From the Furness Academy web site
Continue reading Year 9 Options Evening A Success! Reprise..

Name & Logo Revealed. Reprise.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 2:56 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
From the Furness Academy web site
Continue reading Name & Logo Revealed. Reprise..

John Hutton 2

By Derek on May 25, 2009 1:53 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Well it had to happen. The Telegraph has revealed that our MP and Defence Minister has dabbled his toes in the cess pool of MP's expenses. Like so many others he was 'using the system'.
I do realise he should have perhaps blown the whistle himself or just not claimed anything but as Steve Forbes found out when he became a local councillor and tried to change things for the better 'expenses' are an entrenched part of government national or local.

Continue reading John Hutton 2.

Four Posters.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 1:46 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I have designed four posters that are free to download for you to show your support for these kids.
Continue reading Four Posters..

Governor Contact Details.

By Derek on May 25, 2009 1:29 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The Governors at Parkview have the power to stop this plan dead in it's tracks so please contact them by whatever means you can. The next page has a list of their names.
Continue reading Governor Contact Details..

Yet More Inaccuracies? Possibly. You Decide.

By Derek on May 24, 2009 10:32 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I have just re-read Roger Titcombe's e-mail dated 22nd May regarding the uniform which was circulated to a total of three individuals and three institutions and compared what it actually said to what 'The Sponsors' say it said.
I have copied the relevant bits of the e-mail and 'The Sponsors' response for you to show you the differences.
Continue reading Yet More Inaccuracies? Possibly. You Decide..

Contact Your MP today!

By Derek on May 24, 2009 10:19 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Here are John Hutton, MP for Barrow & Furness, contact details for those of you who are so incensed that people are against the Academy plan or so incensed because the sponsors and their cohort are out of control to let him know what YOU think.

huttonj@parliament.uk

or you can phone or fax him here
House of Commons Phone number: 020 7219 6228
House of Commons Fax number: 020 7219 2418
Constituency Phone number: 01229 431204
Constituency Fax number: 01229 432016

Here is the contact page from his web site
http://www.johnhuttonmp.co.uk/contact_me.asp


Not The Evening Mail!

By Derek on May 24, 2009 6:25 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
It would seem that I am not alone in my efforts to uncover the truth about what is going on.
It is with great pleasure I post this link to a web site that is reporting news items that the Evening Mail for whatever reason, it may be legalities, it may be bias, it may be conflict of interest at a local level, it may be conflict of interest at a national level, it may be contractually obliged not to report certain things, but they clearly are not publishing an awful lot of things.

As I said earlier model competitions, secret millionaire and big white boats are more important to them than the Academy. Their printing press broke down again on Thursday so when the press hall is closed, throwing more Barrovians out of work, and the paper is printed 'up north' they will have to print tomorrows paper today just in case the single remaining print room conks out. God know how they will get the papers through to Barrow if we have a 'normal' British winter!

Anyway here is the link
 

A Real Reason For The Rush?

By Derek on May 24, 2009 4:55 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Update from the 'bebo kids' page . They now have 200 signed up and have Radio Cumbria guaranteed to put in an appearance on June 1st.
Just go and read their page to see just how mature yet angry these teenagers really are. It puts my generation of head hangers to shame.

Anyway moving on I may have stumbled across something that shows why there is such a headlong rush by the sponsors. Gordon is wanting to give PARENTS more control over schools. It seems that Academies may not be included in this parent power initiative. Have a read and make let me know what you think.
Continue reading A Real Reason For The Rush?.

Anti Academy Me?

By Derek on May 24, 2009 3:11 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Earlier today I was accused of being Anti Academy as my blog contained a large number of articles showing that the Academies don't work. I am not against spending money on schools nor am I against renaming and reorganising the schools into an Academy but I am against the current Academy plan simply because it is flawed beyond belief and is being rushed in,  in spite of well argued, reasoned and logical argument and on occasion proof that it is going too fast and has failure 'built in'.

I am well aware that not all Academy schemes are doomed to failure. Some bring about real and great long lasting improvements to those who pass through their doors. I am working on an article at present about one of these successes and it is truly fantastic what the principal, his staff and the children in one part of Luton have achieved.

However the Cumbrian fasttrack system has had two failures, at different levels, but failures nonetheless and I can honestly see the warning signs that Barrow is heading down the same road lighting up one after the other with increasing frequency and Friday's scenes at Parkview, at the Evening Mail offices and in my own home show me that there are real and genuine problems with the current plan that cannot be ignored. At least they can't if you really do care about getting your child the best state education possible.

So no I am not anti academy per se.
I do believe Academies in and of themselves do not guarantee an improvement in a child's education. There are many different types of school in Britain that out perform the best of the Academies year in year out.

  • I do not believe Alfred Barrow, Thorncliffe or Parkview are so 'broken' that they deserve to be replaced lock stock and barrel with the current Academy plan.
  • I do believe that spending money every year on each school to improve the quality of the children's education is a far better use of scarce funds than closure, demolition and rebuilds because schools need two things above all else that money cannot buy. Teachers who are allowed to be effective and dedicated communicators and children who want to learn.
  • I believe that all three schools have these things in varying numbers and yes all three schools can and should aim to match Dowdale's results first whilst aiming for Chetwynde's but as I said cash, dreams, visions and ethos cannot and will never achieve these results. People will.
If Alfred Barrow is under subscribed according to its 'school number' then reduce the size of the school by closing or demolishing buildings as this is a much better route than total closure. It has a team of staff and population of pupils who want to achieve and they should be allowed to succeed not condemned to 'fitting in' at two other schools or ending up unemployed simply because the sponsors 'don't rate them'.


An Urgent Appeal To Teachers

By Derek on May 24, 2009 3:01 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I am asking all you teachers who have secured employment at Furness Academy to send me some short articles showing why you think that the Academy is the right thing for pupils currently being taught in the three separate schools.
All I am hearing is negative chatter about how the process was done and 'good people' not getting employment.

I have seen first hand the impact of Friday's announcements as I have two children at Parkview and it doesn't seem right that kids should be exposed to this but you people must now stand up and show me and anyone who reads this blog why YOU think the Academy is better than the existing.

You will no doubt be 'advised' not to say anything in case it reflects badly but please ignore such advice. You are teachers not MI5 agents and children's education is your number one priority, it has to be because there are much better paid and hassle free jobs out there.

So if you can throw some much needed light on why you are pleased to be part of this fantastic opportunity please do so today.
Thanks in advance,
Derek.

You may submit articles for consideration here
blog AT furnessacademy DOT com
obviously making the 'AT' a @ and the 'DOT' a . 

Councillor Anne Burns

By Derek on May 24, 2009 1:28 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
With the Conservative and Liberal County Councillors letting ALL of their electorate down by not 'taking part' in the County Council Cabinet process the remaining Labour Councillors have had free rein to rule on all manner of things that previously they wouldn't have had a chance to.
They have revelled in this new found freedom and the decision to close the three Barrow Secondarys is typical of their idea of 'democracy in action'.

Getting drunk on power is probably too strong a term but getting tipsy isn't!
Continue reading Councillor Anne Burns.

More Double Standards?

By Derek on May 23, 2009 9:37 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Well it seems so. I know it looks as though I am addicted to digging out stories, letters and facts surrounding this scheme but I was just trawling for the two new sites showing the Evening Mail up and although I didn't find them I did find this...
Continue reading More Double Standards?.

Alfred Barrow. Press Ganged Out Of Existence.

By Derek on May 23, 2009 8:38 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
It is really really astounding how much information there is that shows how the current County Council operates. These documents are up on publically accessible web sites and all of their contents are free for any interested party to view.
Continue reading Alfred Barrow. Press Ganged Out Of Existence..

Rt Hon John Hutton MP

By Derek on May 23, 2009 8:18 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Really does care. Please read this document (link) as I can guarantee few people have. In it he shows had a grasp of the situation and I am sure after reading this he still does.
I just hope he is free on June 1st at 11-00 am to come and support 'his' pupils.
It is in a long PDF so I have copied it below. Please read it through and the e-mail, ring, write or fax John to let him know your feelings. Full contact details are available on his web site here.
Continue reading Rt Hon John Hutton MP.

It's All About The Timing

By Derek on May 23, 2009 6:51 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Our government was famously caught out trying to 'bury bad news' on the correct day and it appears as though the Academy sponsors are playing the same game. Only it's not a game.

The way in which they told members of staff at Parkview and Thorncliffe schools, which still exist incidentally until the day Balls, or whoever replaces him signs off, on the funding deal, is shocking and disgusting especially as it was the last day of the half term and they are all going their separate ways for a week. Amateur politicking of the worst kind!

I have had no news from Alfred Barrow School as regards their staff but it must make for a very long 'half term holiday' if they are trying to enjoy themselves but dreading what may await them on June 1st.
Continue reading It's All About The Timing.

In The Beginning 4

By Derek on May 23, 2009 2:02 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Concluding this dissection of what was said in the County Councils one and only Barrow Education Newsletter, they obviously thought they had done enough to comply with government 'community consultations' guidelines because they never produced a second issue!

Continue reading In The Beginning 4.

In The Beginning 3

By Derek on May 23, 2009 12:05 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Continuing the dissection of the County Council written Barrow Education Newsletter.
Continue reading In The Beginning 3.

The Logo 'Competition'

By Derek on May 23, 2009 11:12 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Much has been said and written about 'The Logo'. The sponsors and Mr Blackledge see it as a key milestone on the road to Academy creation. They give it more precedence than staff conditions and levels, curriculum and many other things that to me are much more important but hey what do I know about anything?

Anyway it's the weekend and it's time for a new logo competition.
Continue reading The Logo 'Competition'.

Anthony Buckland

By Derek on May 23, 2009 10:20 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Who?
I've been to the Academy web site and come across a most extraordinary statement from 'The Sponsors' entitled 'Academy Uniform Rumours' which looks and reads for all the world like classic spin doctoring courtesy of a PR company.
I've copied it in full below and of course added my comments in bold.
Continue reading Anthony Buckland.

Lancaster Royal. No Longer Fit For Purpose!

By Derek on May 23, 2009 9:36 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The 94th 'top school' on the BBC list of 'The Best of the Best' in terms of GCSE results in 2008 is a very interesting school worthy of further investigation in light of Jim Buchanan's flawed report that our three schools are crumbling, old and no longer fit for purpose. None of which incidentally he has too prove or has proved to anyone.

It is also worth looking at this school because if The Bridge Across the Bay ever becomes reality then as this school is in Lancaster it will be 15 minutes or so away from every home in Barrow so it opens up a whole new world of choice for our children.

That school is Lancaster Royal Grammar school. It is a selective voluntary aided school.
Continue reading Lancaster Royal. No Longer Fit For Purpose!.

A World Class Academy. Is There Such A Thing?

By Derek on May 23, 2009 8:29 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I've spent the morning trying to find out if any of the Academies that are currently in existence are truly world class in terms of GCSE results. This seems to be the fairest measure to use as GCSE's have been around along time whereas Dilpomas etc are too new to have any relevance and anyway the BBC school league tables site uses GCSE as the ruler so if it's good enough for the beeb it's easily good enough for me.


Continue reading A World Class Academy. Is There Such A Thing?.

Another View From Inside Parkview

By Derek on May 22, 2009 9:41 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=9326905028

Please please go and read this. It's all put together by kids within Parkview and it's clear they are as much in the dark as any of us and are incensed at the way these 'committed educationalists are treating them and their teachers.

If half of it is true it is truly disgusting and shows rank incompetence on the part of the sponsors and their 'chosen one'. How bad does it have to get?

Part 2 Of The Expression Of Interest Document

By Derek on May 22, 2009 8:58 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This part is all to do with what is going to be at the Academy, at least what they sponsors and County Council have said will be at the Academy. As we have seen what they say they will do and what they actually do are not always the same thing.

Planned maximum number 1200
Forms of Entry: 8
Admissions Number: 240
Continue reading Part 2 Of The Expression Of Interest Document.

Manipulation by MC2, The Sponsors, The Evening Mail Or Just A Correction?

By Derek on May 22, 2009 8:22 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I have just noticed something odd on the Evening Mail web site.
About 4-30pm today I clicked on their 'The Academy have your say link'
and the paragraph at the top said
"The prospect of an academy opening in Barrow has had Evening Mail readers sending in their comments by the thousands."

"I have just clicked back on the link at 8.25 pm and it now says
The prospect of an academy opening in Barrow has had Evening Mail readers sending in their comments by the hundreds."

As ever draw your own conclusions as to what is going on.

A View From Inside Parkview

By Derek on May 22, 2009 8:16 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
"As a pupil of Parkview school myself, I must say that these Academy fanatics are mindless prats with no sense of feelings for other people at all. Today, over half the staff at Parkview school were upset, breaking down and even crying simply because they didn't get a job.

It makes me sick. They should be...you really do not want to know what I am feeling at this moment in time.

That's it.
Ben Fisher
Year 7 pupil at Parkview

The VERY Interesting 'Expression Of Interest' Part 1

By Derek on May 22, 2009 7:34 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
The Expression of Interest document is a document that is used to press the case for the creation of an Academy. This document is put together primarily by the County Council with input from what are known as 'stakeholders' and sponsors.
It is worth noting that as with many other Academy schemes the 'idea' of creating Academies in Cumbria came from the DCSF. They appear to have approached the County not the other way round as many believe.
It is a long document so there will be a few parts to this dissection of what it says and when reading it always bear in mind what is actually happening not what 'they said would happen'.
Continue reading The VERY Interesting 'Expression Of Interest' Part 1.

Are OSANFS Really Worthy Of Mrs Attwwods Ire?

By Derek on May 22, 2009 6:34 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
OSANFS are an organised group of concerned Barrovians who do not want to see three Barrovian secondary schools be replaced by the current Academy plan. They do not have any PR departments, public funding or masses of legal people or civil servants to help them with their opposition to the Academy Plans.

Continue reading Are OSANFS Really Worthy Of Mrs Attwwods Ire?.

The Learning Supplement Issue 11

By Derek on May 22, 2009 5:28 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I've just read the latest Furness College propaganda masquerading as the Evening Mail Learning supplement. I'm sorry but it is all about how great Furness College really is but then again it should be as it is 'supported' by Furness College.
As it's header says it is ' leading debate, raising aspirations, celebrating achievement'.
Well it manages to achieve the last one very well 'celebrating achievement' however it doesn't know the meaning of the word debate and qualifies the 'raising aspirations' by raising them the 'Furness college' way.
Continue reading The Learning Supplement Issue 11.

Breaking News: Parkview Teachers In Tears!

By Derek on May 22, 2009 4:46 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Year 11's in Parkview were sent home early today as it appears many of the teaching staff there have found out that they will NOT be getting a job in the Academy should it get funding. This after Mrs Hughes informing Year 10's recently that they would have the same teachers through to the end of Year 11.

Many of the staff were in tears and those that weren't were dejected and angry according to my Year 11.
My younger son arrived with similar tales of tears and very angry teachers.

I have no more information as yet but as soon as it land it will be posted to this blog.

Douglas Blackledge. What Do We Really Know?

By Derek on May 22, 2009 1:37 PM | 7 Comments | No TrackBacks
Douglas Blackledge. What Do We Really Know?
Doug first rose to prominence as a deputy headmaster at Thorne Grammar School in Doncaster. His appointment was made by Dr Brookes the Thorne Headmaster.
Two years later Dr Brookes retired and Doug became 'acting' Headmaster for the last twelve months of Thorne's existence.
Continue reading Douglas Blackledge. What Do We Really Know?.

Silence Or Complaince

By Derek on May 22, 2009 12:09 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
These seem to be the two positions adopted by those in Barrows education 'sector' with regards to the Academy plans. One or two teachers or teaching staff appear to have spoken out on the Evening Mail Comments boards but naturally many in the three affected schools are in fear of losing their jobs if they 'squeak' in public.


Continue reading Silence Or Complaince.

Cllr John Chapplehow A Man Few In Barrow Have Heard Of

By Derek on May 22, 2009 11:41 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Councillor John Chapplehow is described by the Whitehaven News & Star as 'the man responsible for setting up Cumbria's Academy schools'. I kid you not. It seems this man who I have never even heard of until read the online article dated 9th May 2009 is THE man responsible for this plague that is afflicting thousands of Cumbrian school children.

It is worth pointing out that the Whitehaven News & Star and the Evening Mail are both titles in Cumbrian News Group's portfolio and stories from 'our neck of the woods' often appear in Whitehaven's paper. However this story which is very relevant to what is going on in Barrow failed to make it down the A591 or across the wires of Cumbrian Newspapers. Odd but an editorial decision is an editorial decision. Draw your own conclusions as to why it wasn't printed in the Evening Mail
Continue reading Cllr John Chapplehow A Man Few In Barrow Have Heard Of.

Secret memos, backroom deals and private chats over new academy

By Derek on May 22, 2009 11:25 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
I've just landed on this article much of which beggars belief. Considering that all that any parent wants from a school is the best possible education for their child it is astonishing that politicking seems to take centre stage.

The government, the council and the sponsor are playing games with children's education in a most obscene manner. They facing so much opposition for precisely the same reasons that there is so much opposition to Furness Academy. They didn't actually involve parents, pupils and staff from day one.
Read on...
Continue reading Secret memos, backroom deals and private chats over new academy.

Camdens Problems Sound All Too Familiar

By Derek on May 22, 2009 10:54 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
As many of you will know Camden parents are appealing against a judges decision that the sponsor selection process goes against EU law. I have had a look into what is the reasoning behind such a measure and the parallels with Barrow are all too clear.

What stands out from the Camden example is that is Ed Balls DCSF that is driving the Camden Academy creation in the same way they were the instigators of Cumbria's fast track Academies.
Continue reading Camdens Problems Sound All Too Familiar.

School Prison or Factory!

By Derek on May 22, 2009 10:35 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Is it me or does this Academy really look like a prison?

It also reminds me of Tronics new building in Ulverston which is of course a factory.
Just what is wrong with schools looking like a schools?

Education: a revolutionary process at Djanogly City Academy

By Derek on May 22, 2009 9:32 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
There is more than one way to 'skin the cat' when it comes to creating a school. This article by Sanesh Sharma shows how one Academy has taken it's freedom from Local Authority control and made radical differences to the way it operates as a school. It isn't a successful Academy as you will see further on and shows the impact of 'revolution' can be negligible.

What has to be noted in this particular Academy is this bit
"The Academy has around 1700 students aged between 11 and 19, housed over two main sites, in one of the most socio-economically deprived areas of Nottingham."...
Continue reading Education: a revolutionary process at Djanogly City Academy.

The Great City Academy Fraud

By Derek on May 22, 2009 9:19 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
It's truly amazing what you can find with Google. Tony Blairs original vision was for a whole host of City Academies which were designed to replace failing schools not merge three schools into one just because there is cash on the table. Except the idea was actually born during Mrs Thatchers tenure. I wonder why the County Council of the day didn't chase the government money back in the eighties and nineties?

I have never heard of this book 'The Great City Academy Fraud' by Francis Beckett and have therefore not yet read it. However at least two people have and their reviews follow.
Continue reading The Great City Academy Fraud.

Free uniform for all students at new Academy!

By Derek on May 21, 2009 9:14 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
No not cash rich Furness Academy. Sorry folks but the sponsors are hoping to get a uniform within the £60 Government grant to soften the expense that parents will have to stand to 'support' this Academy.

As every parent knows £60 will go nowhere near a decent quality uniform. When my youngest joined his secondary school last year we spent around £170 on his uniform as he needed two of everything. We saved money as well by only buying the things we couldn't get anywhere else from identity but people we know who got everything from Identity paid in excess of £230.

Continue reading Free uniform for all students at new Academy!.

The Petchey Academy Opening Speech

By Derek on May 21, 2009 8:34 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Ed Balls & Co speech's at the opening of the Petchey Academy in London on 14th May revealed that the corporate gobbledygook is common to most Academy projects.

What the government fails to realise is that this wonderful thing called the Internet makes any speech anywhere by any minister available worldwide. They seem to have no comprehension that people like you and me actually search out and read this stuff or they are too aloof to realise that we have an interest.

The Furness Academy sponsors and even MC2 the sponsors 'PR' and 'marketing company seem to have the same failing.

I have highlighted the words and phrases which 'our' sponsors and the principal have been rolling out time and time again since October 2007.
"If it is said often enough people will begin to believe it."
This is a truism of marketing.
Continue reading The Petchey Academy Opening Speech.

Reply To My Letter Sent To DCSF

By Derek on May 21, 2009 7:53 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This reply has literally just dropped in my inbox. I had sent an e-mail  to the DCSF expressing my lack of faith in the suitability of Mr Blackledge to be school principal in light of the allegations of his affair with the wife of a senior colleague at Trinity Academy which is run to a strong Christian ethic.
As you can see the DCSF see nothing wrong with having an alleged adulterer as head principal in a school. What it shows is that the sponsors can do no wrong in the eyes of the DCSF which goes a long way to prove what Mr Titcombe has said all along that the sponsors have no public accountability.

This cannot be right.
If our MP's who do have FULL public accountability and yet can spend taxpayers money with gay abandon and then pay it back and issue a trite apology for getting caught it is morally wrong to hand over three of our schools, all of their pupils, their staff, their buildings and land and all of their equipment to three people who appear to be above public scrutiny.  
Continue reading Reply To My Letter Sent To DCSF.

Some More Hidden Possibilities

By Derek on May 21, 2009 7:17 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This document about some other 'group' I never knew existed, Children and Young  People's Working Group, was published on the 26th March this year. You can see that despite many years in the making an amazing amount of 'stuff' surrounding this Academy is as yet undecided.

Alfred Barrow children seem to have been identified as needing special attention probably because they are the only ones who are actually having to move to other school buildings. What's more they are being told which of the other two school sites they are going to be attending rather than being asked which one they would prefer to go to.
This makes it clear that all pupils are not considered equal.
Continue reading Some More Hidden Possibilities.

Furness Education Consortium

By Derek on May 21, 2009 6:22 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
This document makes for very interesting reading. Rather than clog up these pages with the entire thing I have cut out what I see as the salient points and copied them here. According to this document the Furness Education Consortium has been in existence for 20 years. Strange how the first we get to hear of it is when the Academy raised it's head.


Continue reading Furness Education Consortium.

In The Beginning 2

By Derek on May 21, 2009 4:59 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Carrying on with the contents of the sole Cumbria County Council Educational newsletter here are some quotes from The Furness Education Consortium.
I am frankly still at a loss after lots of reading to work out who belongs to this body or if it even exists in reality.
It appears to be an excercise run by the National College For School Leadership and also it seems to have been created by something called the Barrow Education Action Zone back in 2003-2004 and according to this PDF it is made up of representatives of all secondary schools and colleges in the town.
Continue reading In The Beginning 2.

The Uniform Suppliers

By Derek on May 21, 2009 4:23 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Here I am listing all I have been able to find out about the four uniform suppliers who are supposed to be tendering for the Academy uniform.
Given that the process only went 'public' on the Furness Academy site on the 19th May is this just another example of the fast tracking of everything Academy?
Read on..
Continue reading The Uniform Suppliers.

Parkviews Governors Academy Report

By Derek on May 21, 2009 1:59 PM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Read a key minute from the last governors meeting at Parkview dated 11-09-2009
The page link is http://www.pvcct.org/parkview_info.asp?ID=PROD&catID=3

Continue reading Parkviews Governors Academy Report.

In The Beginning...

By Derek on May 21, 2009 11:29 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
Way back in May 2008 I received a newsletter from Cumbria County Council entitled 'Barrow Education Newsletter'. In this four page publication the County Council was laying out it's vision for 'Transforming Secondary Education in Barrow Investing in our Young People'.

This rather grand title gives the impression that the entire Secondary education system was going to be transformed but as events have proved this is not the case.

Continue reading In The Beginning....

The First Post

By Derek on May 21, 2009 10:59 AM | No Comments | No TrackBacks
My name is Derek Fisher and I have bought this domain and installed this blog because there are a lot of things about this Academy that never get into the public domain and there are a lot of half truths bandied around that the 'other side' spin for their own ends.

This blog will be transparent from the off.
  • I have two children currently at Parkview.
  • I am in direct contact with one of the sponsors and one of the OSANFS group but I have no affiliation with either.

  • There will be no commenting on this blog.
  • All articles submitted are moderated by me and me alone.
  • I am the sole arbiter of what goes on this blog and what doesn't.
  • If you want an article published on here you have to provide me with your full name as it will go on the end of the article.
  • Personal abuse in words will not be published on the site. Unlike the Evening Mail which simply doesn't publish without informing the contributor why they didn't publish. I will e-mail you to tell you why your article wasn't published and offer you the chance to do a re-write.

The views contained within the individual posts submitted by anyone other than myself are always the views of the named contributors only.
One final thing.
Any articles submitted that are based on an web page that is already in the public domain MUST include a valid link to that page or it will not be published on the blog.

You may submit articles for consideration here
blog AT furnessacademy DOT com
obviously making the 'AT' a @ and the 'DOT' a .

That's the boring bit over and done with.
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