As of 3-00 pm today, the time I checked, the empty Open Evening Gallery page has vanished.
Check here
Lets be clear here, putting a page of picture thumbnails up online and linking them to bigger pictures that open in a mew window IS NOT HARD. Neither is it time consuming but it seems that this PR company MC2 Limited find it to be beyond their capabilities.
Why are they still being employed by Furness Academy Limited?
Why aren't the current Year 10 IT pupils and their teachers running the company's web site?
Why does this page not have the profiles of the Head Students that appeared in the Evening Mail a couple of nights back?
Anyone have the answers?
Check here
Lets be clear here, putting a page of picture thumbnails up online and linking them to bigger pictures that open in a mew window IS NOT HARD. Neither is it time consuming but it seems that this PR company MC2 Limited find it to be beyond their capabilities.
Why are they still being employed by Furness Academy Limited?
Why aren't the current Year 10 IT pupils and their teachers running the company's web site?
Why does this page not have the profiles of the Head Students that appeared in the Evening Mail a couple of nights back?
Anyone have the answers?
"The Head Boy and Head Girl of Furness Academy will be the main link between the Student Council and the Principal."
Academy website
"The academy has just chosen four student heads for the 1,800-pupil school"
Evening Mail website
You have to laugh don't you!
The Evening Mail is as ever wrong. There are less than 1700 kids attending the Academy and that number is dropping all the time. In dribs and drabs admittedly but it's trend is downwards. This will of course suit Douglas, Anne and Dave as they need to get the numbers down to 1200 as soon as possible.
I suggest a parent puts an FOI request in to find out the number of expulsions and exclusions. You might find it startling.
I cant say much but just ask the nwe mail editor just how many letters it has received from parents complaining about academy expulsion. Over twenty letters shredded.
Why do the numbers need to drop to 1200 as soon as possible? I thought it was an advantage to have a large number on roll because each child "comes with money" and where are excluded pupils being sent to? - if it's Dowdales or St Bernards I might just encourage my child to wear trainers!
The Academy is a 1200 place school. It has only inherited such large numbers from it's three predecessor schools.
The 2010 intake across both sites is just 240 kids.
This raises the prospect of kids living within the Academy boundary lines and not getting in because it is full which would 'prove' how popular the new school really is.
It's a shameless manipulation of figures but that is what will happen. Mark my words.
I too would like to know where the excluded kids are going.
The most vulnerable kids i taught are either just dropping out or are excluded. The drop outs should be tracked but with a single attendance officer over two sites and two totaly different computer systems they are free to roam. The excluded also seem to b spending their days at home or in tesco.
All i am saying is that it seemed like half term in the market and portland walk on friday at around lunch time. Some were in academy uniforms but around twenty werent as they were truants and or excluded!
It was like half term in barrow park at lunchtime on friday also
I have been warning of this for months. A formal request through freedom of information for number of permanent and fixed exclusions must be made and the information sent to ofsted.
We have to maintain standards on exclusions and if we have to make an example of some of these kids it isnt our problem where they go or what happens to them after exclusion. Dowdales does this all of the time anyway.
Some of the old schools really did work with such children to keep them in education and it is a traversty that when every child matters the town is getting much worse as a result.
The academy must make prouision for excluded kids but its most talented exclusion manager gill downing has been pulled from her job and sent to teach maths as the teachers are leaving in droves from maths and science!
The whole provision thing in the academy is totally inadequate. No one seems to bother. Apparently they are talking about trying to monitor which staff contribute to this site to stop the negative publicity so be warned folks.
How dare you accuse another school of excluding in the same fashion as FA. You obviously don't have a clue what you are talking about. I can absolutely say without doubt that Dowdales DOES NOT exclude in the same fashion as FA. In fact they hardly ever exclude, they take responsibility for all their pupils and look after their own and NEVER push them out for another school to mop up the mess. Dougie would do well to follow Dowdales as an example of good practice. Pauline, what absolute rubbish you do talk and you really shouldn't comment on things you have no clue about!!
What strikes me as odd about these comments is that the blog author asked for positive stories a few posts back and there hasn't been any posted!
Where are the positives?
I know how hard dowdales staff work. However if it had not spent the best part of a decade poaching the best kids away from uvhs, thorncliffe and parkview it may have had to exclude as often as the academy.
Could i also say to doug that i work in the academy and i find it impossible to give you any examples of positivity at the moment
I wholeheartedly agree with pauline. At 8am every bus stop in barrow and walney is full of pupils going to dowdales. If pupils went to schools in their own catchment area,town results woukd have been ok and there would be no need for an academy or uvhs in spec.measures.
We at uvhs believe a key reason for special measures was that we have to take many poor pupils that should have gone to or were excluded from dowdales. The main question is what will happen to all the excludees from the academy?
All this has been hidden away from public knowledge for far too long. One of the reasons the DCSF get away with what they do is they divide and conquer.
It's great to see that people from all schools are now spilling the beans about what really goes on. I am having my eyes opened.
yes you are right that many pupils attending dowdales are out of catchment and whether or not you agree with it this is the system we have. Obviously those parents who actually give a toss will choose to send their kids to the best school. I have done exactly that because I want the best for my child. I have to say opening an academy and dumbing down the education and the choices is hardly going to encourage me or other parents to choose it over Dowdales. My child is capable of achieving a full range of GCSE's and she will get that opportunity at Dowdales she won't get it at FA. I do not want her forced to take a diploma along with btech's and OCR's they are not accepted by universities and she would be disadvantaged. Also what I predicted would happen with FA has happened and I would not want her there with that man at the helm because he doesn't deserve such a good pupil in his charge. I know where she is because she is safeguarded, I know she is getting a good, no sorry excellent standard of education because I know the staff really care and it is important to them that the pupils succeed, I know this will continue because the school has a strong management team who would never let it fail with or without Mrs Moffat, I know she is getting opportunities in the areas she is talented in and most of all I know she is valued and very happy. So I won't apologise for choosing the best for her because she deserves it, she is worth it and I would have gone to the ends of the earth to keep her out of FA. Don't forget, Dowdales do not have control over their admissions, they do not cherry pick as some believe they do, it is controlled by school places team in Carlisle and is based solely on distance from your front door to the school. I feel for those who didn't get in, it shouldn't be a postcode lottery but it is. The "small vociferous minority" who fought so hard to stop the academy were not supported enough by parents who were warned and warned and chose to bury their heads in the sand so it is no use moaning now.
What utter tosh. We live in a relatively free country and we are entitled to choose the school for our children. Why should we send our children to the nearest school (just because it's local). I am prepared to drive my children to Kendal if I knew that's what I had to do. I want the best for my children, I don't want second best, and if that means driving them to an out of catchment 'excellent' school, then I, as well as yourself have a right to do so!
The reason why there is an Academy in Barrow is, and it's not because if other schools, so called 'cherry picking' is because:
Cumbria County Council needed at least 4 Academies in the County to obtain BSF funding - CLEAR AND SIMPLE!!!! They had to be in place by Sep 09' for them to obtain it - PERIOD!!!!! The only way to obtain this was to close the 3 schools, regardless of how they were performing to create the Academy.
WHEN WILL PEOPLE REALISE THAT THIS WHOLE MESS IS DUE TO MONEY, CLEAR AND SIMPLE!
But just to go back to your comment regarding out of catchment placements - if there are places for out of catchment children, whats the issue!!!!!!
Stop complaing, get off your backside and do something about it - FIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD!
So much for a seemingly comprehensive education. These comments illustrate everything wrong with the education system of today and explain why the academy will eventually only attract kids whose parents couldnt care less. It wil spiral down like alfs and thorncliffe did as bright kids desert in droves.
Ive done supply teaching at fa and have never seen such bad behaviour. Some dowdales teachers would find such kids too difficult to teach. Like others i have seen so many wondering the streets after being excluded. Dougs behaviour policy was foretold by tony brooks and isnt right.
Yes you are absolutely right there is no comprehensive education any more. Certainly in Furness if you want GCSE's and a chance to go to a good uni then you have to attend somewhere other than the academy. Furness Academy is like the old secondary modern preparing kids for the world of work. The only difference is there is no 11 plus, it is now your address or your baptism cert that gets you the most opportunities!!
I too see many young people wandering around during school hours. What can be done about this? Do the academy know they are missing from school? Surely the police should be picking them up? Are there no truancy officers? They seem to have these in other areas.
In most schools kids build up a relationship with their tutors and house staff over years. In fa there isnt such a relationship. Heads of house dont even know the kids. Having staff over two sites doesnt help. Neither does having one attendance officer where five used to be.
This government has failed these kids. Education in furness is in one hell of a muddle.
The two site issue will soon be rectified. As everyone suspected (when the staffing structure came available) it was structured for a one site. There are also other reasons why it's going to be a one site, but I can't be bothered to write them all down (I'm sure they've been mentioned on here before).
I work in the Academy and all I can say is Doug and his 'bit on the side' run the show like Bonnie and Clyde. They will not listen to anyone, they are a dictatorship. lisa strolls around knowing full fine well she can please herself as the big man will back her to the hilt - they have NO respect from any member of staff.
Doug was hired as a last ditched attempt to get the Academy off the ground - no other reason.
The trouble is, many parents feel there are 'issues' at the Academy, but are plain lazy to do anything about it! If my child was there, I would be banging on their door every day demanding answers, simple.
The Academy is a HUGE failure and it's not helped by the Evening Mail's partisan reporting of the problems.
As I said, I work there, and I am appalled at how poorly run it is. I go home every day and try to forget how we are failing our children - if only parents knew how bad it was!!!!!!!!
A head should never have his wife in the school as it always raises partiality issues. But to employ a partner with whom he had an affair with and was suspended over requires a skin thicker than i can possibly imagine. I dont know how staff put up with it.
I work at a local school. What is a bit scary and not really mentioned is just how isolated FA is becoming. It is very difficult to make any contact, or work on any projects with staff there. It is as if a black hole has appeared in the South Cumbria Education system.
Ah but should a head never have their HUSBAND in school?
Quite agree though. Why anyone would put themselves in a position whereby their impartiality is at risk by having a loved one working underneath them, pun unintended, is beyond me. Especially in a school full of teenagers armed as it were with mobile phones that double as stills and video cameras. It's just asking for trouble.
Apparently the swan is monitoring the nw mail website and two or three staff have been warned by doug not to contribute to this site. Thank goodness the truth is out there
How could doug know who is contributing to this site and even if the people who say they work in the Academy actually do the education of children is not covered by the official secrets act is it?
This is of course the same swann who doesn't reply to e-mails or letters and builds up dossiers on the people who disagree in public with here view of what's right.
I don't think it is a problem working in the same school as your partner and this is not what this is about. I know of other married or living with as partner couples who work in the same school and it is not an issue they just get on with their jobs. The problem here is that Dougie gave without interview a job to his "bit on the side" as it were, at other staff's expense who also wanted the job, he gave it her without interview, she is clearly not capable of the role, her reputation for being incompetent seems to be growing by the day, she is alienating and upsetting other staff, she is failing the kids in her care and she has the backing of Dougie whatever she does right or wrong. This situation surely has to be looked at. I would also question whether or not she has a current CRB check as these take months to come through. Either he planned to give her the job all along and she applied for her CRB months ago or it is as Dougie says it is and she took the post last minute. Either way, they have yet again conned staff, parents and pupils or the woman is not CRB checked and should not be there!!! Which is it?? If she isn't CRB checked then the school are failing in their duty to safeguard and the school should be placed in special measures!!
Just exactly what does this woman do and which site is she based at?How can she just be given a job? I take it it must be quite high profile if established staff were overlooked in her favour.My view is that he probably felt he had to give her a job so he could****************!
We have standards and morals in our home. Blackledge and his ******* don't appear to have any. I personally think they're ********* and poor role models.The sooner he's gone the better(and I do believe he'll get the boot) ************ ************* **************!
Moderated **************
So Doug is actually trying to prevent his staff from contributing anything to the debate about his school. This typifies the lack of transparency that has dogged this entire project since Moira Swann and Jim Buchanan brought it to the public's attention a couple of years back.
Instead of forcing your staff not to talk, Mr Blackledge, why don't you start talking yourself and then many of the rumours, if that is what they truly are, will simply evaporate. Same applies to the sponsors. It's never too late to talk so please all of you get talking on your respective web sites or this one but please stay well away from the Evening Mail as it has it's own agenda.
The crux of the problem is that he cant sdee the big picture, doesnt understand innovation and does not have the skills to realise the vision which he is charged to make real. ************** He doesnt have leadership skills so he tries to stop debate and tries to be a dictator. Do as i say not as i do.
Moderated comment **************
Derek, why have you edited G.M Trevelyan's last post. I read it before you edited it and there was nothing contentious in there. Everything that was mentioned was factually correct!!!!!!!
Hello
Whilst it may be factually correct and I may happen to agree with everything that was said I am mindful that Mr Blackledge is in charge of this school and he is charged with steering the kids through the school year. Their education is of the utmost importance in all of this.
Therefore I have taken the decision to moderate this post as the comments made may affect the children's chances of getting an education by inflaming what is clearly a tense state of affairs.
Derek
I am never insulting and always factual. My comment was much less controversial than others which have not been moderated. I have spoken to douglas on several occasions and know how limited his abilities are. Fact. Would dowdales or st.bernards employ him? I think not. There are tough times coming and it is the kids that matter. Doug will be long gone when we are left to deal with the mess for generations. Again, fact.
Hello GM
Insults and controversy are open to interpretation. I am not in the business of simply deleting things I don't agree with nor leaving things that in my opinion inflame the situation. I have deleted some comments from trolls and left others. You are not a troll GM!
I have no idea who the majority who comment on here are. Most do it anonymously and of those that do use a real name I have no way of knowing if they are real.
With that said the real problem is the lack of transparency and the 'real news embargo' that seems to have been imposed by the Academy company. Whilst my moderation of the comments will not be perfect you are free to either accept the moderation as is and continue to post comments or you are free to keep your own counsel.
The fact there are so many comments on this post, which was actually about the serially inept MC2 company, shows that this blog is obviously the only 'out' that the staff in the Academy and a parents of children within the school have.
As we all know the Academy company is not publicly accountable, it has yet to appoint it's governing body, yet another breach of the DCSF guidance, so this leaves the staff with no other option but to post anonymous comments about what is really going on.
The sponsors do not seem to be interested anymore. Dave Kelly has Stobarts 'doing something' and has to contend with lots of leaks in the roof after the downpours of the last few days.
Anne Attwood is pre-occupied with her Furness College new build and Neil Simco has legged it up to the Highlands!
So whilst my moderating is never going to be perfect it's all there is.
I hope this makes things clearer.
Derek
I don't think you should moderate any comments unless they are offensive and contain profanities. After all I thought you wanted to get to the truth and also make sure the public were informed. I for one would like to know what G M Trevelyon had to say
TBH, its Dereks site in the end, he can do what we wishes with it...
If the Evening Mail are being censored by the Swann and the complaint letters to them are being shredded and certainly not published on their website(obviously on her orders)lets get the national media involved. Ofsted are again obviously under orders not to intervene until choas reigns. We cannot let this situation get that bad. It is our childrens education (now lack of it at FA). Maths is a very big problem at academy. Teachers at being changed at will. My child in now on her second maths teacher already. At the teachers meetings next week she is telling pupils not to make an appointment for their parents as she does not know them or what they know or have been taught. Blackledge and his mistress have to go!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So he can but it smacks of a touch of the"Jonathon Lees"! A comment of mine was moderated,there was no profanity about it.I was mindful about what I wrote and expressed that it was my opinion and frankly I have read much worse comments on this site some of them written by Derek himself(or someone pretending to be him).But as you say it's his site and he can do what he wishes with it.
The reporter from the Daily Mail who was interested in the story last time was:
Chris Brooke
chris.brooke@dailymail.co.uk
On the subject of censorship, I wrote on the Evening Mail website about John Woodcock, who I said would soon move to Dalton, from Walney, if elected and happened to mention that pro academy John Gough, would too.
It was not printed.
I feel it was perhaps my latter comment rather than the former that got it binned but who knows the connections behind closed doors.
Come on John and John and John start getting involved and help this academy for Gods sake. You wanted it so badly, sort it out before it is too late.