Well this man is as devout a Christian as Osama Bin Laden is a devout Muslim. Difference is of course Mr McQuoid doesn't hide in desert caves urging people to kill infidels!
Mr McQuoid was brought in by Messrs Scowcroft & Tinkler to sort out their troubled school Richard Rose Academy. This is strange to say the least.
It is clearly an admission of failure to get the 'right people' in place in the first instance despite Moira Swann assuring anyone who asked that she had 'every confidence' in the Richard Rose sponsors.
So why did Scowcroft & Tinkler look East to the Emmanauel Christian Ethos Foundation for someone to bail them out?
Well after 18 years running the Vardy Schools Empire Mr McQuoid is leaving to seek his calling elsewhere. It seems he didn't ask for the Carlisle gig but instead he was 'offered' to the sponsors if this line is true,
"Through the academy network Nigel's services were offered to us to help with the consultation period.
Nigel
has extensive experience of this sort of consultation having been
through this process in three separate academies in the past. He will
be with us until February 6."
So it appears that Mr MQuoid is actually a troubleshooter of some repute.
What I find rather strange in all of this is this.
Scowcroft & Tinkler dropped the ball big time in Carlisle.
Richard Rose senior managers were forced out by some seriously annoyed pupils and a damning Ofsted inspection. Mr McQuoid arrived just days before Ofsted actually put the school into special measures.
He was due to leave shortly after.
At around the same time the Furness Academy sponsors had failed to attract 'a suitable applicant', personally I think there were NO applicants the first time round but the chances of Anne spilling the beans are not good.
Shortly after they upped their offer to £135K and Doug Blackledge crawled out of the woodwork.
Doug Blackledges former employer was Mr MQuoid as he had overall responsibility for the three Emmanuel schools on behalf of the Vardy's of which Dougs school, Trinity, was one.
He would have been well aware of Mr Blackledges behaviour at Trinity and would have been instrumental in looking for a way of dealing with it in such a way that it minimised the impact on the devout Vardy's Christian Ethos school empire.
Did he 'suggest' to Moira that Doug maybe available?
Did he have clandestine meetings with Anne, Dave or Neil?
Did he say nothing and nipped back to Donnie to have a word with Doug about this fantastic job offer in Barrow?
Did he and not Mr Ian Brew principal at Trinity 'craft' the glowing testimonial for Anne & Dave to swallow?
Did he talk Doug up amongst his 'after meeting coffee and cakes' get together with Moira and Co?
We will probably never know but there are far too many 'coincidences' for my liking.
What do you think?
Update 2-15 pm 27-06-09
Well well well. Here is Nigel MQuoid stating in print in the New Statesman in 2005 EXACTLY what he thinks about people living together outside of marriage!
Owned and controlled by the car sales mogul and evangelical Christian
Sir Peter Vardy, the new academy teaches its students that creationism
is at least as valid as Darwinism. Nigel McQuoid has declared: "I don't
have to respect everyone's opinion. I don't respect the opinion of
people who believe it's fine to live with a partner. Headteachers are
responsible to God and the standards of the Bible.
So why was Doug Blackledge not instantly dismissed?
Has Barrow been well and truly stitched up by these Evangelicals who say one thing and do another?
And there's more!
Link
At Emmanuel we teach that a safe and wholesome society
demands an awe of God, a respect for the right to life, sexual chastity
before marriage and fidelity and commitment within it, and a high
sense of personal morality and self-respect.
Why wasn't Doug Blackledge sacked Mr McQuoid?
Then there is the drift into moral relativism. Whilst it is probably
true that there has been a reaction against this amongst the general
public there are many in the education establishment who still talk
of moving away from terms such as "marriage" and "the
family" and towards such terms as "centres of intimacy".
There has been a systematic attack on the idea of the family based
on a marriage between a man and woman in which children are nurtured
and developed as an essential and fundamental building block of
society. Those who have ready access to the media have been systematically
attacking the concept of the family as restrictive and suffocating
and contemporary soap operas peddle their cheap wares in front of
millions as part of their agenda to remove absolute values and replace
them with self-indulgent DIY morality.
Why wasn't Doug Blackledge sacked Mr McQuoid?
The 1986 Education Act, which remains in force, requires sex education
to have due regard to family life. The Department of Education Circular to schools directs them to
assist pupils to appreciate the value of stable family life, marriage
and the responsibilities of parenthood.
Why wasn't Doug Blackledge sacked Mr McQuoid?
Emmanuel College is an inner city comprehensive school with a defined catchment area on Tyneside. It is a new institution with a normal curve of distribution of pupil ability. The majority of its pupils are, therefore, of average ability. Emmanuel College operates a strict uniform policy; firm discipline; teaches right from wrong; has an act of Christian worship each day; presents marriage, sexual abstinence outside of marriage and fidelity within it and in religious education examines the truth claims and assumptions of Christianity as well as other major world views.
Why wasn't Doug Blackledge sacked Mr McQuoid?
Biblical Christianity has a doctrine for the whole person and
thus a deep concern for education. It declares that man is a worshipping
creature because God has placed Eternity in his heart (Ecclesiastes
3:11). It is categorical in its conviction that man is made in God's
image and thus reflects His Creator. It follows from this that human
beings have the capacity to know right from wrong; to create in
word, music and a variety of media; to communicate with clarity
and meaning; to experience awe and wonder and ascribe meaning to
existence; to seek meaningful and sustaining relationships.
There are literally tons more such references which show that Mr McQouid believes in all this stuff but how he 'dealt' with Douglas Blackledge show that his actions are very different from his words.
Why wasn't Doug Blackledge sacked Mr McQuoid?
The more you delve Derek, and the more you preset to us, I am becoming completely disgusted by this whole process. It is an utter disgrace and the plug should be pulled. How can all parties involved believe that Mr Blackledge is the man for the job? It is a total set up and an insult to the schools and the people of Barrow.
I couldnt agree more. There are more coincidences here than the best of the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of wacko jacko. I will do whatever it takes to fight this academy - come on people this has to stop!!!
Plenty of "dirt" on Nige on my site although I haven't updated it in a while there should be something there for everyone.
http://www.marcdraco.co.uk
Doug won't inherit the kingdom of God then?!! Scary stuff here Marc.
The words 'academy network' say it all. It doesn't matter whether the DCSF or the hand of God (Nigel McQuoid) brokered Doug's move to Barrow. For £135,000 pa Furness Academy should have got a top rate head with 5 years experience who had turned around a school/amalgamated schools/opened a new school.
Again it doesn't matter whether I.Brew or N.McQuoid wrote the reference - someone did and Anne & Co believed it in their desperation to get a principal. It used to be called getting 'a pig in a poke'. No puns intended !
Trinity was saved embarrassing publicity and a messy fight to sack Doug, although it has clinically removed some ex Thorne Grammar staff as 'redundant'in the past.
Earlier in my career I saw a similar scenario - but the head would only give an erring senior teacher a reference to go back to a main scale post not to continue in a management post. If Trinity had only given Doug a reference to do music lessons he wouldn't be in Barrow.
And I thought the toxic waste went to Sellafield.
Trinity Academy's Core Values (for pupils):
INTEGRITY - We can be trusted to be honest and truthful, to say what we mean and do what we say
COURAGE - We aim to do what is right, whatever the cost
Obviously not applicable to references etc.
Who are you? Who is this guy you speak of? Have these libellous allegations been confirmed with facts? Why should I care anyway?
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