Details of International Busking Day at Wembley Park TODAY

FREE TICKETS HERE

FAMILY GUIDE HERE

School staff strike over allegations of bullying by management

Staff at Furness Primary School, Harlesden, went on strike this morning in protest against alleged bullying of staff by management.

The school is part of a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) with Oakington Manor Primary School.

The Trust claimed to have set up an independent investigation as requested by the NEU but the union decided to continue the strike until they knew who was going to carry out the investigation.  It is usual in such cases to ensure that both sides in a dispute have confidence in the independence of the investigator.

In a similar case at Sudbury Primary School, also an academy, the NUT organised a series of strikes LINK and a settlement was reached when the headteacher left. Brent Council has no immediate intervention rights but does have an overall responsibility for the safeguarding and wellbeing of every child in the borough. The Regional Schoools Commissioner and the Department for Education could intervene if they have concerns about the school or are approached by parents.

UPDATE: Brent Council agrees to ballot 1,000 South Kilburn residents on regeneration of the Estate

Brent Council has agreed to ballot the approximately 1,000 residents of the South Kilburn Estate who live in the 17 blocks still to be demolished on whether the regeneration of the Estate should continue.

The actual question has to be approved by the Electoral Reform Society who will conduct the ballot but the Council is proposing: 'Are you in favour of the proposal to continue with the regeneration of south Kilburn? - Yes/No

The Cabinet delegated management of the process to the Chief Executive.

A resident commented to Wembley Matters:

Assuming the council win the ballot, there are no available homes to decant most of the residents living in the remaining 13/14 blocks.

70 residents from both Neville & Winstanley have signed 'an allocation's contract' to move into Gloucester & Durham in 2020 or 2021,  The remainder will either be sold privately but most of the homes bought back by the council, may go to those in temporary accommodation living in South Kilburn.

Nothing else will be completed until at least 2022 at the earliest but those homes in the Peel development have already been allocated to the former residents who used to live there.

The next homes available are due in 2023 but the Queen's Park/Cullen House are still standing and their residents have already been decanted 3 years ago into L & Q homes in Albert Road.

It would be interesting  to ask the council where the residents of the dozen or so blocks will be decanted to and what the schedule dates are  to rehouse a thousand or so people?

I asked Brent Council for a response to the resident's questions and they said:

Our Re-Housing team works with everyone individually, to make sure that moving to their new home is as smooth as possible. The moving schedule for the estate is phased. This means that new homes are ready for residents to move in to, before their existing home is demolished. For example, residents who used to live in Bronte House and Fielding House moved in to their new homes in George House and Swift House before their previous block was demolished.

The latest version of the phasing plan for South Kilburn will be included in the Landlord Offer for residents, which is intended to be published in September.

 

'Gateway to Wembley' mural to be covered by advertising

Brent Planning Committee last night agreed an application by Quintain to largely cover the murals on the Bobby Moore Bridge underpass with advertising. The underpass leads from the Wembley Park station steps to Olympic Way, the processional route taken by most people attending events at Wembley Stadium.

The mural was commissioned by Brent Council in the early 1990s as a piece of public art to celebrate the rich and varied history of events  that have taken place at the Stadium and Arena, starting with the post-war Olympics. Local historian Philip Grant and local resident Jaine Lunn argued that the mural provided a superior 'gateway' to Wembley compared with advertisements for Quintain's Tipi rental scheme or the LDO.

Lunn said, 'It's our mural, paid for by local people, and we don't want it covered up.' Grant argued that the officers' main report did not even mention 'Heritage' as a key issue and only advocated physical protection to allow possible display in the future. He said that the application should be refused in the interests of local amenity.

The application was approved by five votes to two.

Document submitted to members of the Planning Committee by Philip Grant: (Click bottom right square to enlarge)

Furness School staff to strike after academy trust's refusal of independent investigation into bullying allegations

Furness Primary School members of the National Education Union (NEU) are to strike on Thursday July 18th after the Chair of Trustees, Jo Jhally, refused a request for an independent investigation into allegations of bullying by management at the school.

Lesley Gouldbourne, Brent NEU Secretary, said:

I don't understand the Trustees' reluctance to investigate these complaints - they have a duty of care to these staff which they are just not exercising. Why should my members live in fear?

Furness is no longer directly accountable to the local authority as it formed a Multi-Academy Trust with Oakington Manor Primary School in March 2016 under an Executive Headteacher LINK.

Furness parents and staff opposed the academisation LINK and asked for a secret ballot on the proposal and Cllr Kelcher asked the then lead member for Children and Families, Ruth Moher to adopt a more interventionist approach on the issue to try and retain Furness as a local authority school LINK.

There will be a picket line at the school in Furness Road, Harlesden, from 7.30am - 9am on Thursday.

59% of primary NEU members voting in ballot supported tests boycott but turnout did not meet Government imposed threshold

From Mary Bousted & Kevin Courtney, Joint General Secretaries of the National Education Union have sent this message to NEU members in primary schools

The union’s executive met on Saturday, 13 July and looked at the results of our indicative ballot of over 50,000 primary members.

Our members resoundingly told us that they want to high stakes tests replaced by better alternatives inour primary schools. 

It was the biggest survey of primary educators for decades, with 50,000 voting by 97 per cent that they want high stakes tests to end.

While the results showed members are not yet ready to engage in a national boycott, they made it absolutely clear they want the union to continue our campaign for an alternative. 

Although 39 per cent of members voted and 59 per cent of those supported calls to boycott, this wasn’t enough to reach the Government’s imposed double thresholds for industrial action in schools. 

To reach those, 50 per cent of all members would have to cast a vote and 40 per cent of all members would need to vote yes.

The union will continue our campaign to secure changes to the way we assess our youngest children,and engage with politicians of all parties in Parliament and local councils on this issue.

We will also continue to work with Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens – all of whom agree with us that high-stakes testing must stop – on their assessment policy proposals. 

We’d like to thank you for taking part in the biggest-ever survey of primary practitioners on this issue and will keep you posted on the next steps in our campaign to stop these toxic tests. 

The union is backing a petition against reception baseline assessment, which is being piloted in some schools from September.

Help us to keep up the pressure by signing and sharing the More Than A Score petition against baseline and visit our website to find out more about our assessment campaign.

Thank you for your continued support for our union and everything you do for the children in your schools and colleges.

-->

Do you have a story to share about Windrush? We would like to hear from you.

From Learning Through the Arts

We are collecting stories of Windrush Migrants and their descendants with a connection to Brent. If you have a story you would like to share, please contact us by August: events@learningthroughthearts.co.uk  //  07510 917517.  In collaboration with Brent Museum & Archives and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

Deanna Christou

Arts and Heritage Officer

Brent Civic Centre witnesses a tide of support for threatened Strathcona School as staff, parents & pupils occupy the atrium steps

Kiri Tunks, Joint National President of the NEU, addresses the protesters

From Brent National Education Union

The fight to save Strathcona School, Wembley, intensified On Wednesday. Staff, parents and children in greater numbers than last time, joined union colleagues on the steps inside Brent Civic Centre. While they sang their song and waved their placards, leaflets were handed out to those working in the centre and to the public. They were very well received and made an impact.

Siluan Buliga, a Year 5 pupil who was there with his mother Oana, said:

 I learnt to speak English with the help of the teachers. Without the school we won't have knowledge as school is education. I am really sad.

 His mother Oana added:

The school is like a family. From the cooks to the teachers, all the staff work together. The school has been a great support and the children have done very well. I want to choose Strathcona for my next child who will be coming into Reception but Brent won't let me.

Another parent Vasantiben Kerai agreed the school has been very supportive and has made a great effort to support her two boys:

Another son is in High School and is in the top set because of the education he got at Strathcona.

Noreen Ahmed has had children at the school since it opened. She said:

My son has become more confident and opened up since going to Strathcona. They support the whole family as they did when I had health problems. They are like a family.

Brent Council intends to close the Roe Green Strathcona school site despite the fact that it is a very popular and successful school site. The Year 6 students achieved progress in the top 3% of schools in England in their SATs results this week. Cllr Muhammed Butt complimented the striking staff and parents on being very well behaved and making a colourful scene with their flags and placards. But staff say listen to our suggestions that will enable to school to stay open.

Kiri Tunks, Joint National President of NEU addressed the group praising them for their brave actions in speaking out against their school being closed. The protesters were also addressed by NEU London Executive members Stefan Simms and Hank Roberts, and representatives of Brent Trades Council.

Lesley Gouldbourne, Brent NEU Secretary said

 The Strathcona staff have shown great dignity and unity in their fight to keep their fantastic unit open. Shame on Brent Council for not listening to them.

Mary Adossides, Chair Brent Trades Council said:

 Brent Trades Council send a message of sport and solidarity to the striking staff of Roe Green Strathcona. Their fight in defence of education and jobs is a remarkable test of their determination to ensure the best for the children of Brent. May they win!

Cllr Jumbo Chan who sent solidarity greeting to the strikers said:

I fully support the brave staff, parents and other members of the Roe Green Strathcona community as they continue their extraordinary strike campaign to save their school from closure.

Rather than following the agenda of closure and privatisation set by the Conservative government, our Labour Brent Council should listen to these people who have shown so much dedication to public education, and support them to seek a new alternative.

Brent Council says that there are not enough students going there now that student numbers are dropping across the borough - but of course smaller schools and smaller classes are the best environment for Brent’s children (and after all its good enough for Eton!). And the school has submitted proposals to boost numbers by providing much needed places for SEND students.

An informal consultation received a massive 463 responses with all but 3 against (99.4%) - but Brent have ignored this and moved to a Formal consultation. Parents and staff say please join us and SAY NO to this consultation too.

Email  StrathconaConsultation@brent.gov.uk or write to Michael Rollin, Children and Young People, 5^th Floor, Brent Civic Centre, Engineers Way, Wembley, HA9 OFJ

-->