Here in Barrow we have two fine school buildings facing possible demolition at the hands of the County Council and yet the BBC delivers a report from English Heritage that argues such buildings are built to last and should be preserved as there are clear and measurable benefits in doing so.
We also had Moira Swann spinning the blatant lie, the proven lie, that school rolls are falling fast to get her Academies programme completed. The Telegraph has a report to show that in fact they are going in the opposite direction.
We also had Moira Swann spinning the blatant lie, the proven lie, that school rolls are falling fast to get her Academies programme completed. The Telegraph has a report to show that in fact they are going in the opposite direction.
Cllr Jim Buchanan paraded around in 2007-2008 with a building report that showed the real state of every school in Barrow. Not the lies that they are crumbling and no longer fit for purpose but the truth that the vast majority may be over 50 years old but they were so well designed and so well built and it has to be said so well maintained by Cumbria County Council they are more than FIT FOR PURPOSE.
The only ones that are in need of more than TLC are those built during the 60's and 70's and those who have extensions that date from that time period forwards.
I personally haven't seen the contents of that report and it is impossible to find on the CCC website, probably buried for 70 years because it contains the truth, but I do know someone who has seen it and they swear blind that there is nothing wrong with Parkview's original buildings and even the extension and sports hall are in good nick.
Alfred Barrows oldest buildings are in far better condition than their more modern extensions. Thorncliffe requires more work than any of the others but then again it has been on a care and maintenance regime for years.
Cllr Buchanan doesn't want this report out into the public domain and neither do the civil servants.
So to see the false flag of "planning issues" being rolled out by Furness Academy Limited and Cumbria County Council as their sole justification for delivering what most people who cared always believed they would a single site academy on Parkview fields its clear that no matter what the parents of the schools involved in this sham of a consultation or what Mr Blackledge refers to as "the wider community" there will be a one site Academy for Barrow and it will be built on the playing fields closest to the Park Leisure centre.
A colossal waste of public money in my humble opinion not that my opinion matters. No Barrovians opinions matter to Furness Academy Limited nor Cumbria County Council.
It's alarming to see comments on this blog from people who have first hand experience of teaching in Barrow which highlight the confrontational way in which Furness Academy Limited is tackling the problems of disinterested kids, kids from what are termed 'deprived wards', kids who simply aren't interested in an education thus driving them from the school.
But the ones that are really really going to suffer are the ex-Alfred Barrow children. They are being forced to move again thanks to the incredible incompetence and arrogance of people who have taken it upon themselves to ruin the chances of the very people they think, no believe they are put on this earth to save.
The Righteous aka the Moira Swann's, Enid Fraser's, Anne Attwood's, Dave Kelly's and yes Mr Blackledge's of this world have a lot to answer for and do we hear anything from them?
Not a bloody peep unless you go along to a Mouchel and MC2 stage managed sham of a consultation on Feb 10th or Feb 11th where you will simply hear some absolute twaddle about 'unforeseen planning issues that have recently come to light'.
Shameful doesn't even come close.
Here's the link to the BBC article about the logic of preserving and using old school buildings for teaching kids. Here's the link to the increasing school rolls
The only ones that are in need of more than TLC are those built during the 60's and 70's and those who have extensions that date from that time period forwards.
I personally haven't seen the contents of that report and it is impossible to find on the CCC website, probably buried for 70 years because it contains the truth, but I do know someone who has seen it and they swear blind that there is nothing wrong with Parkview's original buildings and even the extension and sports hall are in good nick.
Alfred Barrows oldest buildings are in far better condition than their more modern extensions. Thorncliffe requires more work than any of the others but then again it has been on a care and maintenance regime for years.
Cllr Buchanan doesn't want this report out into the public domain and neither do the civil servants.
So to see the false flag of "planning issues" being rolled out by Furness Academy Limited and Cumbria County Council as their sole justification for delivering what most people who cared always believed they would a single site academy on Parkview fields its clear that no matter what the parents of the schools involved in this sham of a consultation or what Mr Blackledge refers to as "the wider community" there will be a one site Academy for Barrow and it will be built on the playing fields closest to the Park Leisure centre.
A colossal waste of public money in my humble opinion not that my opinion matters. No Barrovians opinions matter to Furness Academy Limited nor Cumbria County Council.
It's alarming to see comments on this blog from people who have first hand experience of teaching in Barrow which highlight the confrontational way in which Furness Academy Limited is tackling the problems of disinterested kids, kids from what are termed 'deprived wards', kids who simply aren't interested in an education thus driving them from the school.
But the ones that are really really going to suffer are the ex-Alfred Barrow children. They are being forced to move again thanks to the incredible incompetence and arrogance of people who have taken it upon themselves to ruin the chances of the very people they think, no believe they are put on this earth to save.
The Righteous aka the Moira Swann's, Enid Fraser's, Anne Attwood's, Dave Kelly's and yes Mr Blackledge's of this world have a lot to answer for and do we hear anything from them?
Not a bloody peep unless you go along to a Mouchel and MC2 stage managed sham of a consultation on Feb 10th or Feb 11th where you will simply hear some absolute twaddle about 'unforeseen planning issues that have recently come to light'.
Shameful doesn't even come close.
Here's the link to the BBC article about the logic of preserving and using old school buildings for teaching kids. Here's the link to the increasing school rolls
I was present last year when the surveyors visited parkview and heard first hand what we all knew and that is that they are in excellent condition. As for the thorncliffe site, the land cannot be too bad if they were able to build a tower block on it 50 odd years ago.
How could they build a tower block on seemingly unfit ground that is still standing after nigh on 50 years?
I have no axe to grind but wish to warn all south site parents that a one site academy will mean the serious behavioural problem students, presently at north site may have a major impact on learning.
Are things really as bad as we are being told!!!!! What is the fat, bald, arrogant, overpaid fellow doing about it or is his attendance record as bad as some of the pupils. What a waste of £135K and his BONUS of £65K he now gets for 1 site. We are just being told LIE AFTER LIE AFTER LIE.
The man simply is not up to the job. End of story.
Alfs and the grammar schools date back to a time when things were built to a high standard and designed to last. I recall some moronic councillor but sadly not their name prattling on about the need to re-roof both of the grammar school buildings soon yet anyone with binoculars can survey both buildings top deck for themselves and they will find a few loose slates on the green roof and no loose tiles on the red roof.
Both buildings are in fine fettle and are more than capable of serving the educational needs of half of the towns children for decades to come. Thorncliffe on the other hand warrants demolition as it was designed at time when things were not meant to last. I suspect that any new build will not make it to its 50th birthday.