Fungi galore in Fryent Country Park today

The warm humid autumn weather created a surge of fungi growth overnight. These are samples found in Fryent Country Park today.

WARNING: Do not eat raw or cooked fungi unless you are absolutely certain that it is edible and have experience in such matters.

Another reason why a politicised Ofsted is not fit for purpose: the Green's alternative

The Guardian has revealed that so-called 'super head' Rachel de Souza of the Inspiration Trust, who has Michael Gove as a groupy, received advance notice of Ofsted inspections LINK

This is just one more example of the politicisation of Ofsted and its harnessing to serve the aims of the Global Education Reform Movement (GERM) for the privatisation of education.

The Green Party recognised this as its Spring Conference this year and approved a policy to replace Ofsted with a body based on school improvement through collaboration.

Here are extracts from the policy:
 

--> ED056 The Green Party will instate a system of local accountability using continuous, collaborative assessment of schools. We would replace OFSTED with an independent National Council of Educational Excellence which would have regional officers tasked to work closely with Local Authorities. The National Council would be closely affiliated with the National Federation for Educational Research (NFER).

ED057 Where pupils’ attainment and progress is reported as part of a school’s holistic report to parents and the wider community it will include assessments, including value-added, moderated by the National Council of Education Excellence and the Local Authority’s School Improvement Service as well as the school’s own self evaluation.

ED076 Secondary and college students will have a right to attend meetings of the Governing Body and members of the elected School Council will have voting rights. Governing Bodies in primary schools will have the duty to regularly consult with the elected pupil School Council.

ED077 In accordance with Green Party philosophy the running of the school will be devolved as much as possible to the school within the above guidelines.

ED078 The Local Authority and National Council of Educational Excellence will be involved in monitoring the structures to ensure there is consistency of standards and level of involvement and to help to share best practice.

Butt finds democracy a bit bothersome

I guess Brent's contribution to Democracy Week of an Question Time session with the panel consisting solely of Brent Labour Council's Cabinet members (the token Tory dropped out) is par for the course.

But the democratic deficit actually reaches into the Labour Group itself.

Cllr Keith Perrin, Cabinet member for the Environment resigned some weeks ago. One of his first jobs as lead was to defend the £40 Garden Tax against criticism from fellow Labour councillors. Some suggest this was a contributing factor in his resignation.

Rather than being replaced his role has been taken on by Council Leader Muhammed Butt - or has it?

Word has it that Butt does not want another election to choose Perrin's successor as the last election was too acrimonious with many councillors jostling for a Cabinet post.

Muhammed Butt is already on record as finding annual leadership elections irksome and now it appears even elections that don't involve him personally are too bothersome.

He has out-sourced the donkey work  for now to a former member of the Executive, who knows rather more about regeneration than waste.

Meanwhile, lurking in the wings is Cllr John Duffy (Kilburn)  who as former adviser on waste to Ken Livingstone when he was London Mayor, really is an expert on the subject.

However, he is not one of the Young Turks (or should it be Young Tiggers?) who form Butt's buttress against challenge.  He is too independent and experienced to fit in with the group.

Meanwhile people are contacting me who have only just found out about the Garden Tax. This one won't go away.

To cap it all there are now rumours that an excuse will be found to not go ahead with the Council meeting due on November 17th.

Greens on the TUC March - Britain Needs A Pay Rise

The Green Party is experiencing a surge in membership following the Referendum in Scotland and UKIP's by-election result.