I have been asked to put this short post on the site by a couple of the pupils.
Basically they think it smacks of double standards (they didn't quite word it like that!) when they are forced to wear a blazer at all times and yet in the new prospectus on page four there is a pupil in full uniform and a teacher in his shirt sleeves!
So here's the picture.
So here's the picture.
I'm sorry but the pupils are NOT expected to wear their blazers at all times in class. They are expected to be wearing them around school but as soon as they are in class they can take them off and put them on the back of their chairs. This is just complaining for complaining's sake and isn't actually true!
Far more worrying than the designer jackets on or off issue is that the prospectus contains precious little substance especially as Douglas says it has been months in the planning.
Irrelevant to this post I know so sorry for that but I must share the experience of attending St.Bernards open night last night;
Put simply it was packed to the rafters. There was seriously standing room only-a far cry from the attendance at Doug Blackledge's meeting for parents held at Parkview a few months ago. Yes, Dougie and his team must be really proud of their achievements-the biggest of which so far is the sardine tin that was St.Bernards school hall last night. Speaks volumes don't you think?
Dear Ex Parkview teacher I have heard this from my children too but my daughter has also said that on her first day at the academy MR Blackledge said that they were to wear their blazers at all times (just as he would)if he was not wearing his jacket they too could remove theirs (I think this was in reference to hot weather).Children can become confused and some take things literally;an example is "children are not to leave the site at lunch time" I was at a parent's meeting and heard this from MR Blackledge's own lips.I also rang his PA during the summer holidays and asked if it was ok for my children to have a packed lunch as there was no mention of packed lunch provision.She went to check and I was told a packed lunch was fine but my children could not leave the site at lunchtime,however only this week my child informs me that their friend signs out to go home for lunch.I don't know whether this is fact or rumour and I'm confused to just exactly what the rules are and rely on my children and their friends to pass on relevant information - quite frankly you hear one thing then another.So perhaps it is poor or lack of communication that is the problem;a bit like chinese whispers "send three and fourpence we're going to a dance" instead of "send reinforcements we're going to advance".Maybe people aren't complaining for complainings sake they just don't know.
Considering the number of years of communicating the sponsors and principals have between them you would think producing a clear set of rules and regulations would be a cake walk for them.
My daughter has told me they are allowed to take off their jackets in class as long as they ask permission from the teacher. Another different take on the blazer fiasco. There is a lack of communication within the Academy and if it's going to be world class it should be one of the first priorities to be corrected.
Part of the Academy's job is to get it's pupil numbers down from 1800 or so to 1200 within three to four years. This means it has to shed 600 pupils, an entire south or north site pupil population, at a rate of 200 kids per year.
It's dramatically throttling back the 2010 onwards intake, a fact which most year 6 parents have yet to realise. It also has the happy coincidence of making the Academy appear to be over subscribed which will be used to trumpet it's alleged popularity across the town.
It's introduced strong discipline, which may or may not have been needed, depends on who you talk too, but of course this decision cannot help but 'encourage' some children to rebel against it which will lead to exclusions and if it persists expulsions.
Five days exclusion for being 'caught swearing' three times means many kids will be getting themselves excluded for cheap holidays without falling foul of the Academy's no holidays inside of term time restriction.
Not thought this one through very well have they?
It has already shed over 100 children during the summer months as their parents got them into alternative schools.
If your experience at St Bernards is repeated at Dowdales and Walney then it will be on course to get it's numbers down in one to two years.
I know they have already allowed pupils to have holidays in term time. They have set a precedent so now cannot say to others they cannot have holidays in term time. It cannot be one set of rules for some and one set for others. So much for all the months, no years of planning, when everybody knows nothing was planned prior to September, 09.
I read somewhere it may have been on here or it may have been on the mails comment boards that this plan was been made up on the back of a fag packet. well I seriously doubt that. from what I can see it's made up on the fly!
just to let you know that your child is right, a few children do sign out for dinner time, as long as they are collcted at the door by a parent.