Brent tells Gove Gladstone Park improvement should be via local school partnership

Yesterday I had another letter published in the Brent and Kilburn Times responding to Mary Arnold's letter of the previous week when she accused me of having 'distorted views' on Brent Education.

In yesterday's letter I wrote that 'Brent Labour Party appears to have given up the fight against Michael Gove's policies and instead seeks to work with them. Parents (a reference to Gladstone Park parents fighting forced academy status) have been left on their own to challenge DfE bullying.

A posting appeared on the Brent Labour website by Mary Arnold containing the very welcome news that Brent Council has written to the Michael Gove asking him to accept that Gladstone Park's school improvement plan is 'most effectively delivered with the support of a local school partnership'.

Gladstone Park is the latest school to be challenged by Michael Gove's obsessive drive to academise all schools nationwide. 

When Ofsted comes and finds weaknesses, the DfE has a single solution to insist on a 'management change' which Gove equates with status change and imposing a sponsoring academy. This is regardless of the school's track record, the improvement plans or the parents' views.

We have a major responsibility to represent our parents and pupils to ensure high standards. We have written to the Secretary of State to ask him to accept the school improvement plan that would be most effectively delivered with the support of a local school partnership that is both knowledgeable and experienced in our children's needs.

The Academy Commission Report pointed out that academy status alone is not a panacea for improvement - some academies are good, some can turn round schools and others are failing or have weaknesses. As the Gladstone plan is declared fit for purpose and the school is keen to deliver with early signs of raised achievement already, it is more sensible to concentrate on this rather than disrupt the structure and disadvantage the pupils and teachers.

Our schools must not have inadequate standards or under perform but we know in Brent, based on sound evidence, that local federation and partnership is the best solution

Cllr Mary Arnold is the lead member for Children & Families at Brent Council

Kilburn Times names Brent officers facing the axe

I reported recently on the restructuring of top jobs at Brent Council which would cut a number of senior positions. The Kilburn Times in an exclusive this week puts names to some of the those facing redundancy..

I'll let you read the full list in the paper or on-line LINK but they include Krutika Pau, Director of Children and Families; Phil Newby, Director of Strategy, Partnerships and Improvement; Chris Walker, Assistant Director for Planning Development and Toni McConville, Director of Customer and Community Engagement.

Consultations and negotiations are still in progress. It will be a difficult and uncertain time for those concerned.

Last days of the Palace of Industry, Wembley

Mark Cummins, Lib Dem councillor for Brondesbury Park, is reported in today's Wembley Observer as calling on Quintain Estates to 'rethink their plans to destroy one of the last remnants of the Wembley Empire Exhibition'. As you can see from the video, which was taken today, the destruction is almost complete and Cllr Cummins is too late.

Quintain estates turned down an appeal from local historian Philip Grant to at least leave one wall of the historic building, one of the first to extensively use reinforced concrete,  in time for celebrations of the 90th anniversary of the British Empire Exhibition which takes place next year.

Brent's lack of respect for our local heritage continues...

Glenda 'tells it like it was' in magnificent anti-Thatcher speech

Magnificent speech by Glenda Jackson who represents parts of Brent as well as Camden. The  section of her speech on the state of schools and classrooms back then absolutely ring true to my experience as a teacher at the time. Unfortunately schools like Copland are experiencing the same kind of conditions now.

Labour 'Young Turks' may challenge for Brent Executive positions

The challengers are probably too young to remember this!

The Brent Executive may have a more youthful profile following Labour's Annual General Meeting in May. AGMs of any organisation are an occasion for elected positions to be open to challenge and part of that process is for members to assess the performance of the incumbents and consider alternatives.

According to my sources among the incumbents under particular scrutiny this time round are Cllr Lesley Jones, Cllr Mary Arnold and Cllr James Powney. 'Alternatives' that have been mentioned include the very able Cllr James Denselow who has a background in journalism; Cllr Michael Pavey, energetic Barnhill by-election winner, who is  a school governor and has launched a high profile campaign to safeguard Children's Centres; and Cllr Roxanne Mashari who yesterday announced she was not standing for the Brent Central parliamentary selection. Presumably experience as a member of the Brent Executive would stand her in good stead in any future parliamentary bid. I have heard that Cllr Lincoln Beswick is not expected to carry on but Jim Moher, contrary to weekend reports, is to stand again.

Meanwhile Cllr Butt himself has contributed a new blog on the Council website which calls on residents to campaign on cuts to the fire service and on the A&E closures. This adopts a slightly harder line than previously.  LINK

Following my posting yesterday on the front runners for the Brent Central selection I have had somewhat conflicting information. There has been a suggestion that Cllr Ann John has joined James Powney in backing Catherine West but others claim that West is seeking nomination in another constituency.

Apparently there has been some disquiet that members of the short-listing panel, who it is claimed should remain neutral, have been involved in backing particular candidates. Meanwhile I have let all the  prospective candidates I am aware of  that in the interests of an informed public I am happy to carry their Guest Blogs on this site.

Brent Housing Action launched to campaign on housing emergency

After a successful strategy meeting last night Brent Housing Action has been formed and a website and Facebook group have been set up.

The website states:

Brent Housing Action was formed by a group of residents, campaigners and community organisations in Brent in April 2013.

We want to support our friends, our neighbours and one another to fight against cuts to vital benefits and to the threat to our homes an communities. We want our council to support us in challenging changes which might mean the difference between home and homelessness for over 600 Brent families. And we need your support.

The next meeting with be on Tuesday 23rd April 7pm at Mencap High Road Willesden,
 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/brenthousingaction/

http://brenthousingaction.wordpress.com/

Brent's message to Birbalsingh: 'You are not wanted here'

Having attracted only six (almost all critical) people at its first consultation, Michaela Secondary Free School hit rock bottom at its second, evening, consultation last week. As far as I can ascertain two people went along and they were both opposed to Katharine Birbalsingh's 'traditional' and 'disciplined' secondary school where she has appointed herself headteacher.. One was a union representative who wanted to put her reservations on record.

The small room at Chalkhill Community Centre looked crowded, but it turned out to be full of Michaela staff and governors.

Apparently Katharine Birbalsingh didn't look very happy.

It will be interesting to see whether the DfE nonetheless goes ahead and gives Birbalsingh a stash of taxpayers' money to refurbish Arena House and pay herself and her staff salaries when Brent schools could do with the money.

Brent housing and welfare campaign meeting tonight