The DfE's 'Big Sister' sends another disdainful missive to Gladstone Park

The lofty, superior and high-handed attitude of 'Big Sister' at the DfE can be seen in her latest letter to the Gladstone Park Primary Chair of Governors.

The letter written by Caroline Cane of the Brokerage and School Underperformance Division (now there's a friendly child-centred name for you) is notable for taking a swipe at the National Governors Association:

Firstly, I would like to make it clear that the National Governors’ Association (NGA) guidance mentioned in your letter is not statutory

As an independent body, the NGA’s views and advice do not necessarily reflect the Department’s position on how Academy sponsorship is brokered

So it is not only the governors at individual schools that are ignored but also their National Association. Remember, these are unpaid volunteers who give up hours of their time and despite the DfE's disdain are held accountable for the strategic and financial management of their schools with an ever-increasing workload. It is hard to discern any respect for this in Ms Cane's missive.

She goes on later in her letter:

With regards to your final point on consultation, the Department’s view on when this is most meaningful was set out in my letter of 24 January.  The legislative position on Academy consultation is defined in the Academies Act 2010, not guidance produced by the NGA.  The legislation states that ‘the consultation may take place before or after an Academy order, or an application for an Academy order, has been made in respect of the school.”

That is a wonderful definition of consultation. If it applied to the NHS the surgeon  could 'consult' with you about amputation after she had removed your leg!

It is clear the Big Sister always knows best:

Where a school is underperforming and eligible for intervention, it is not the case that schools are usually given a choice of sponsors. The Department leads on identifying potential sponsors as we have the complete view on individual sponsor's capacity and capability to deliver.

On the possibility of an arrangement with Queens Park Community School via the Cooperative College her remarks have a sting in the tail:

The Co-operative College is not an approved Academy sponsor and our records show we have not received an application from Queen’s Park School .  As a secondary school wanting to sponsor, its GCSE performance and Ofsted judgement would be taken into consideration.  It would also need to demonstrate that it has experience and a proven track record in working with and improving primary schools.  I note that in 2012 the percentage of pupils achieving 5+ A*-C GCSE’s including English and maths at Queen’s Park was 53%.  This is a drop of 9% percentage points compared to 2011 and means it is currently performing below the national average, so this school faces a number of challenges of its own

Brent Executive to agree Community Right to Challenge arrangements

The Brent Executive is to discuss the borough's policy on the Community Right to Challenge at its April Meeting.

Although it sounds like a right to challenge some of the more dubious decisions of the Council it is in fact the right of specific groups to bid to run current services which came into being under the Localism Act of 2011. It can be seen as a further move to end local government as we know it, introduction of the Big Society by the back door, and an escalation of out-sourcing. However, some Brent services such as the special needs playscheme are already run by such organisations.

This is some of the information already available elsewhere:

Only relevant bodies can make an Expression of Interest in running a service. The Localism Act lists the following as relevant bodies: 

• A voluntary or community body
• A body of persons or a trust which is established for charitable purposes only
• A parish council
• Two or more employees of the relevant authority
• Any other person or body specified by the Secretary of State by regulations. 

A voluntary body is defined here as a body that is not a public or local authority, the activities of which are not carried on for profit. It can generate a surplus provided it is used for the purposes of its activities or invested in the community.  A community body is a body which is not a public or local authority, the activities of which are primarily for the benefit of the community. The definitions of a voluntary or a community body are intended to cover a wide range of civil society organisations. They reflect the required characteristics of such bodies rather than referring to your organisational structure. This allows for flexibility to accommodate future forms of civil society organisation. The way in which groups demonstrate community benefit will vary depending on their legal form and the associated requirements. The statutory guidance gives more information.

In fact Brent is behind other local authorities in publishing details on how it will administer the scheme. An officer in response to an FOI request earlier this year said the delay was due to officer sickness.

An example of an Expression of Interest form can  be found on the Haringey Council website HERE

It is likely that in the future this, along with the Community Right to Bid, Community Asset Transfer and Community Right to Build,  may be used by campaigners seeking to save local services but sustainability, as with the library volunteer bids, is likely to be a major issue.

Further information can be found at the My Community Rights website HERE 

Trades Unions vital in the long march to equality- Green Party

The Green Party today put itself firmly on the side of the trade union and working class movement when they passed a motion moved by Pete Murry of Brent Green Party and the Green Party Trade Union Group, on the party's relationship with the unions.

The motion said in part:

The Green Part believes that the Trade Union movement plays a vital role in defending the interests of working people and continues to play a leading role in the long march towards equality and social justice in Britain and around the world. Therefore the Green Party encounters all its members to be active Trade Unionists wherever this is possible.

Lobby Brent Council on Monday-Stop the Cuts

Greens make Social Justice central to the party

A motion changing the Green Party's Philosophical Basis to emphasise social justice achieved the necessary two thirds majority at the Green Party Conference today. The vote was 159 for and 64 against. 149 was need for a two thirds majority.

The amended preamble reads:

A system based on inequality and exploitation is threatening the future of the planet on which we depend, and encouraging reckless and environmentally damaging consumerism.

A world based on cooperation and democracy would priortitise the many, not the few, and would not risk the planet's future with environmental destruction and unsustainable consumption.

The Green Party isn't just another political party. Green Politics is a new and radical kind of politics guided by these core principles: (changed principles below)

1. The Green Party is  a party of social and environmental justice, which supports a radical transformation of society for the benefit of all, and for the planet as a whole. We understand that the threats to economic, social and environmental well being are part of the same problem, and recognise that solving  one of these crises, cannot be achieved without solving the others.

10. Electoral politics is not the only way to achieve change in society, and we will use a variety of methods, including lifestyle changes, to help effect progress, providing these methods do not conflict with our core principles.

The motion received eloquent support from many young Greens who said that the party's stance on social justice was what first attracted them to the party in the wake of the Lib Dem's betrayal on tuition fees and the Green's approach to the financial crisis and austerity. They wanted to give social justice and environmental justice a similar weighting.

People's Assembly against Austerity backed by Green Party

 The Green Party yesterday pledged to support the People's Assembly planned for June 22nd:

The Green Party notes with approval that The Coalition of Resistance (of which it is an affiliate), launched a call for a People’s Assembly Against Austerity on 5 February 2013, to be held on 22 June 2013. The aim of the People’s Assembly is  to bring together campaigns against cuts and privatisation with trade unionists in a movement for social justice to develop a strategy for resistance to mobilise millions of people against the Con Dem government.

The Green Party agrees to send a delegation to the People’s Assembly and to encourage local parties, regional federations and other GP bodies (eg GPTU) to also send delegations and to support future local People’s Assemblies.

Brent Council to deliver some Barnet services

The Brent Executive is to be asked at their April meeing to 'agree the principle of Brent taking over delivery of the Registration and Nationality Service on behalf of Barnet, explore in detail the business case for doing so and agree the formulation of an Inter Authority Agreement.'

Greens backs campaigns against forced primary academies

The Green Party Spring Conference yesterday suspended Standing Orders to take the following motion which was passed with no votes against:

Conference recognises that Michael Gove has recently escalated his policy of forcing primary schools to become academies so that now only one poor Ofsted report is required to trigger such a move. This has currently resulted  in several strong parent-led campaigns in defence of  community schools.

The Green Party believes forced academisation:

• Undermines the role of local authorities and school governing bodies in school improvement
• Undermines local democratic accountability of schools
• Ignores the wishes of major stakeholders including governors and parents
• Hands over local assets to an external provider without recompense
• Opens the school to eventually being run on a profit-making basis

Conference therefore instructs the GPEX campaigns coordinator to facilitate a campaign against this policy at national level over the next 6 months and calls on  local parties to take up the issue where appropriate.