SATS plunge is not children's or teachers' failure - it is the Government's responsibility

Nicky Morgan cried crocodile tears this morning over children losing a day's education because of the NUT strike.  What the SATs results proved, when they were released this morning, is that she has wasted a whole year of thousands of children's education in which teachers have had to sacrifice real learning to 'teaching for the test'.  Tests which are based on a hastily and poorly revised curriculum with no evidence base, lambasted by expert educationalists and far too difficult for the majority of children.

With local reports of reading results down as much as 30% it is no wonder that Morgan quickly moved to say that the results were not comparable to last year.  She had to escape blame for the sudden drop in pupils' performance and instead congratulate herself and the government on their 'higher expectations'.

On top of the stress children and teachers suffered in the Gradgrind weeks before the tests and the stress of the tests themselves which saw many children reduced to tears, I now hear of children feeling deeply distressed and despondent because they 'haven't reached the required level' - some have gone weeping to their headteachers seeking comfort.

Eleven year olds seeing themselves as failures was something that happened in my childhood as a result of the 11+ examination - now Morgan and the Tories have introduced it to a new generation. That sense of failure can carry on throughout life.

At the same time Year 6 teachers and teaching assistants, headteachers and deputies, will also be feeling that they have somehow failed - although they know the demands were unrealistic, the preparation time inadequate, and the educational justification for the tests non-existent.

Worse some will be feeling guilty about the pressure they exerted on children in order to try and get them through the tests, knowing that it was unreasonable and unjustifiable in terms of their own professional integrity. They will feel that they colluded in something that damaged children even though they tried their hardest to protect them.

Then there are the parents left trying to comfort their child, persuade them that there is more to life that SATs, and perhaps worrying that somehow their child is just not capable of making the grade.

Today's strike was officially about funding, pay and conditions, and workload. Teachers cannot legally strike about the curriculum or the heartless ill treatment of children, but that was clearly a concern demonstrated in the many placards carried by the marchers today.

The long-term impact of Morgan and Gove's education policies will take years to emerge but I am right behind teachers, headteachers, governors and parents who are working together to ensure that the next cohort of pupils will not have to go through a process that amounts to mental cruelty.

Now is is time in the last weeks of term to pick up the pieces and rebuild children's confidence so that they do not start secondary school with low self-esteem and an expectation of further failure.

Green Party leadership candidates announced

Including joint candidates, there are six candidates standing to be the next Leader of the Green Party.  

Natalie Bennett has announced she is not standing for re-election after two two-year terms at the helm.

Running alongside the election for the new leader are the party’s Deputy Leadership elections and elections for half of the Party's national executive committee (GPEx) including for its chair.

The new Leadership team will be unveiled at the Green Party’s Autumn conference in Birmingham in early September. 

The verified candidates standing for (co-)Leader are:

Jonathan Bartley and Caroline Lucas (job share)

Clive Lord

David Malone

Martie Warin

David Williams

Existing Deputy Leaders Shahrar Ali and Amelia Womack both re-stand and are joined by five other verified candidates:

Shahrar Ali

Kat Boettge

Alan Borgars

Andrew Cooper

Störm Poorun

Daniella Radice

Amelia Womack

With nominations now announced, the hotly-anticipated campaign period now kicks-off. Hustings will be held throughout the period. Campaigning draws to close on 24 July, with balloting beginning on 25 July and closing on 25 August.

All paid-up members of the Green Party are eligible to vote in the elections. The Green Party has experienced a membership surge in the past ten days, having added over 2,500 new members.

A Green Party spokesperson commented:

“The Green Party’s membership and supporters are the lifeblood of the Party. Members are at the heart of all of the Party’s decision-making, from Conference and beyond, and these are their elections, elections in which they will decide who comprises the Leadership team for the next two years.” 

Speaking on her decision not to re-stand, Natalie said:

“It's been a privilege and an honour to have the title ‘leader of the Green Party’, but every member of the Green Party is a leader, helping to lead the way towards a society in which we live within our environmental limits while ensuring no one fears hunger or want.”

The party has elections every two years for Leader and Deputy Leader roles. This will be the fifth election since the party decided to switch from having principal speakers to having a leader and two deputy leaders, or co-leaders and one deputy leader.

London Mayor urged to intervene in risky Hammerson 'fairy tale' at Brent Cross

Guest blog by John Cox (click on image to enlarge)

11 year old's postive message for inclusive Chalkhill event

Since the Referendum vote even Brent has seen cases of racist insults against some of our residents so it is good that the Chalkhill Fun Day publicity features a strong inclusive statement from 11 year old Yusra Qamar who says:

My country is the earth. I am a citizen of the world which consists of only one race - the human race

The Fun Day bringing together everyone in the Chalkhill community is on Saturday 16th July.

Lack of necessary consent may delay Lucozade Powerleague development at Kingsbury High School

From Barry Gardiner MP (Labour Brent North). This indicates that the planning application may be delayed while Kingsbury High/LucozadePowerleague seek the necessary consents from the Education Funding Agency. The commercial operation has been opposed by residents of Roe Green Village.

 Barry Gardiner MP has received confirmation1 from the Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Schools, Lord Nash, that the proposed development at Kingsbury High School by Powerleague Fives Ltd, t/a Lucozade Powerleague, does not possess the necessary legal consent from the Education Funding Agency and that the scheme also jeopardises the government’s commitment to tackle childhood obesity.

The response follows Mr Gardiner’s request to the Secretary of State for Education seeking confirmation as to whether the school had sought the necessary consent prior to the proposal to dispose of this land and the submission of the planning application2. The Minister confirmed it had not.

Mr Gardiner said:

Many of my constituents are extremely concerned about the way in which the proposed Powerleague Fives scheme at Kingsbury High School has been handled and we now find they have not obtained the necessary legal consent. It also cannot be right that schools may be required to advertise the very products we are attempting to restrict children’s access to. Allowing soft drink manufacturers to advertise on school campuses flies in the face of the government’s stated commitment to reducing childhood obesity and is at odds with Brent Council’s Obesity Strategy – especially given Brent’s worrying levels of childhood obesity and diabetes are far higher than other parts of the country.

Click on image to enlarge

Governors urged not to panic over government academisation policy: 'seize the agenda and be collectively creative'

Gail Tolley, Strategic Director of Brent Children and Young People, advised governors at this weeks Governors Conference, not to be panicked into action on the Government's aim to convert all schools to academy status.

She said:

There is no time pressure for schools to panic themselves into action - you have the opportunity to pause and reflect on what action to take.

The immediate time pressure disappeared when the Government backed down in the face of opposition from Tory MPs and Tory shire counties.  Academisation of all schools remains a long-term objective but the legislative timetable is unclear ion the light of recent events.

The Government retains the policy of  triggering mass academisation in local authorities which are deemed to be failing or where the number of academies has reached a tipping point where there are so many academies that LA management of the remaining LA schools is not viable.

Brent is not a designated 'Achieving Excellence Area' (newspeak for failing) nor are there a majority of academies across the borough.  93% of Brent primary schools are deemed Good or better by Ofsted (91% of Brent schools overall).  12 out of 23 Brent academies and free schools are part of a Multi Academy Trust.  86% of Brent primary schools and 17% of secondary schools remain with the LA.

The Senior HMI in Brent has told Ms Tolley that Brent is now a 'light touch' local authority and meetings with the HMI will now take place on an annual, rather than termly, basis.

However the local authority will come under pressure financially due to the changesin the National Funding Formula LINK and the phasing out of the £3m Education Services Grant.  There may also be reductions due to the loss of European funding.

The local authority will retain core responsibilities:

• school places, admissions, school transport, emergency planning
• vulnerable children, special educational needs and disabilities, attendance, exclusion, safeguarding, looked after children
• acting as a champion for parents

The collaborative BSP (Brent Schools Partnership), run on a school subscription basis, will undertake more education and training and school improvement functions. LINK Its Strategic Director, Farzana Aldridge, told the conference that most Brent schools, whether LA, voluntary, academies or free schools, were now part of the Partnership.  They had offered 'neutral' information sessions on academisation.

In discussion it appeared that various options were on the table including the LA itself, or perhaps  the BSP, setting up multi-academy trusts of Brent schools.

The role of the Regional Schools Commissioner (RSC) came under some scrutiny. Our RSC is responsible for a large chuck of London and large areas of the South East outside London. They have powers to convert schools deemed failing to academy status and can over-rule the local authority. The RSC capacity to intervene with particular schools at a detailed level is extremely limited.

A new provision is that the LA and governing bodies now have a statutory duty to assist the academisation process in these circumstances.

A further change which has not received much publicity is that LAs will have to comply with a request by the Secretary of State to transfer its land (not just 'education' land) to the SoS for free school or academy use.  This involves a major loss of local public land to the government. Currently the land is leased to the free school or academy at a peppercorn rent for a 125 year lease.

The question for me is whether the LA can survive the forthcoming financial cuts sufficiently to maintain the borough's current success in its oversight of schools and thus avoid a 'failing local authority' designation leading to forced academisation.

Gail Tolley remained optimistic telling governors they had the opportunity to 'seize the agenda' and be 'collectively creative and make a focused response.'

She emphasised that it was extremely important for governors to respond to the second round of consultation on the National Funding Formula - this is clearly vital given the potential impact of cuts.

Cllr Wilhelmina Mitchell Murray, the new lead member for Children and Young People, did  not intervene on any matters of detail but told governors that the voice of parents and governors was important. She asked. 'What do you do with failing academies?*' and said that the government should concentrate on 'running the country - not running our schools.'

* The answer is hand them over to another academy trust. They are not allowed to revert to LA status.

Community Day - Kings Drive - Saturday

Headteachers call for government to reassure EU children in UK of their right to stay

 I have been hearing reports of children from EU countries crying in school the morning after the Referendum fearing that they would be forced to leave the UK. This initiative by the National Association of Headteachers is welcome.

Today (Wednesday 29 June) school leaders’ union NAHT published an open letter to David Cameron calling for assurances to be given to EU pupils. The full text of the letter follows:

Dear Prime Minister,

The vote to leave the European Union has brought uncertainty to many areas of life in Britain, including education.

School leaders are reporting to us that some of their young students are worrying about their future.

Pupils are worried about being forced to leave Britain. They are fearful of a potential rise in racism and community conflict. They are concerned about their prospects in an uncertain and isolated Britain.

It is not just the economic markets that need calming. Our young people need a statement from the government to address their fears.

NAHT strongly urges the Government to give pupils from the EU better assurance that they will be able to complete their school education without interruption; that they and their families remain welcome and valued members of the communities they call home.

Our schools are the places in which we shape our future as a nation. Our teachers and school leaders can help young people make sense of dramatic changes and build their own plans. To do this, we need clarity, swiftly. Please do not ignore the impact of the EU referendum result on the next generation.

Sincerely,

Russell Hobby
General Secretary