Today's NEU strike action and rally gave the NEU representative at Capital City Academy a chance to update members on what is happening regarding the takeover of the school by the Harris Federation Multi-Academy Trust - founded by a carpet millionaire.
The proposal was a shot out of the blue some time ago and came without any consultation with staff unions, governors, parents, the community or the local council. It is a sign of the increasing marketisation of education that there is no democratic involvement at all - schools can be traded as commodities.
There is resistance.
People who are opposed to the takeover are asked to join others at the school at 4.30pm on Thursday 4th May where the Harris Federation will be trying to smooth-talk parents into supporting their bid.
Government policy is now to push all schools into multi-academny trusts (MATs). This leaves stand-alone academies, that often converted from local authority schools for financial reasons, in a vulnerable position. Brent already has schools run by Ark and E-Act, and this would be the first Harris Federation incursion in the borough. Some stand-alone secondary academies (not in a multi-academy trust) such as Wembley and Preston Manor have also started primary departments. They all lack the democratic accountability previously derived from local authority oversight.
Given the climate change crisis we need children to walk to school, but pupils using the pedestrian bridge over the main railway line in Wembley to access their schools face a journey over a bridge in poor condition surrounded by litter and graffiti. Not the most pleasant way to travel - even if good for the planet.
The bridge goes from London Road over to the allotments and Lyon Park Avenue. There are schools on either side. The route avoids using the polluted High Road and Ealing Road.
I had heard that parents were concerned about a 'hole' in the bridge and their children falling through. When I visited today I found that the step had been repaired rather roughly (see above) but the bridge as a whole was in a shocking state, particularly the second leg over the two track railway where the sides of the bridge were rusting away. The covering of many of the steps has worn away and many lack any edging or warning yellow lines.
It is unclear which authority is responsible for the maintenance of the bridge although I understand the railway may have eventually made the small repair.
I dread to think about the danger of falling in wet or icy conditions.
A mixture of painted edging, metal edging and no edging
Topping to discourage climbing partially missing
Worn away tarmac covering exposing the wood below to rot and a trip hazard
Rusted sides of the lower section of the bridge with a gap between side and footway
With the Government refusing to negotiate, Brent and Harrow National Education Union members, on strike today, got together to deliver a letter to Conservative MP, Bob Blackman calling on hime to intervene with his Government to get them to the table to negotiate a fair settlement.
The teachers marched the short distance from Headstone Lane Garden Centre to Blackman's office and held a short rally outside before delivering the letter. The railway backs on to the MP's office but despite the noise from the trains the message was loud and clear: negotiate.
An independent inquiry, sponsored by the National Education Union, has been set up to look at an alternative system to Ofsted inspection.
“Everyone agrees that schools
need to be accountable, and to ensure they are, there needs to be a robust
system in place. However, what we currently have with Ofsted is an approach
that stirs up stress amongst school leaders that trickles down to staff and
pupils. Too often, it punishes rather than supports. The Beyond Ofsted inquiry
will rigorously investigate the system and identify what is needed to make it
fairer and more effective. A system that does not solely criticise but seeks to
provide assistance, especially to those schools that need it most”.
Welcome From The Chair, Lord Jim Knight
Schools must be accountable to
parents and taxpayers. They need to be safe and ambitious for their pupils. But
they should also be happy and caring environments if they are to nurture the
best in pupils and teachers. Our current inspection system creates the
opposite.
Too many schools operate in a
climate of fear and acute stress. More children are falling behind and dropping
out of school, as more teachers are leaving the profession. Change is urgent.
I am delighted to be able to
chair this inquiry into the future of school inspection. I am privileged to be
supported by both academic experts and an exceptional expert advisory group.
We will carefully examine
academic evidence, professional experience and international alternatives. We
aim to gain a deeper understanding of the problems with the Ofsted system and
then offer practical ways forward.
There is a growing appetite to
change school inspections in England, and how their judgements are used in
accountability. I am confident we can offer a fairer, more supportive, more
consistent and more ambitious way to report on the achievements of our schools.
We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Beyond Ofsted – An Inquiry into the Future of School Inspection
The need
for the Inquiry:
Beyond Ofsted is a new inquiry
established to develop a set of principles for underpinning a better school
inspection system and proposals for an alternative approach.
Ofsted has lost trust as an
agency, and there is a growing consensus that the full life of a school cannot
be summed up accurately or fairly in a ‘one word’ judgement.
Increasing numbers of teachers,
heads and MPs believe that the current inspection system is outdated and should
be fundamentally changed in line with the needs of the 21st Century.
Education stakeholders are keen
to see positive change around the way schools are inspected. Ofsted has become
synonymous with being more punitive than supportive, driving untenable levels
of stress for teachers and school heads, and detracting from what should
otherwise be a rich and deep learning experience for children.
The
composition and scope of the Inquiry:
Beyond Ofsted is chaired by Jim
Knight, the Rt Hon Lord Knight of Weymouth and former schools’ minister. It
will consider input from a wide range of well-informed voices, in order to set
out a new framework for an inspection system fit for the increasingly complex
needs of schools today.
The independent inquiry,
sponsored by the National Education Union (NEU), will include members of the
NEU, industry experts and academics and will provide the government and
relevant stakeholders with a robust and carefully considered set of principles
on which to build an alternative inspection system.
The inquiry will thoroughly
examine evidence from schools across the country and will compare the
current inspection system with those from other countries, taking lessons from
the latter to build a set of proposals in the final report.
Harlesden Library reopened on Monday after a £285k refurbishment that has improved the
facilities and created a brand-new community space that local people can
hire.
Residents will now see new IT facilities, quiet booths for study and a dedicated young adults' area, as well as new furniture.
The Brent Community Hub now has a dedicated area to suit customer
needs. Brent Start now also has more classroom space for its adult
learning classes.
The
library boasts a new hireable community space, which will be available
at reasonable rates to hire for events, meetings, workshops, classes and
performances.
The cash used to revamp the library - £285k - came from the Libraries Improvement Fund, a programme of work funded by the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) via Arts Council England.
Councillor Fleur Donnelly-Jackson, Cabinet Member for Customers, Communities and Culture, said:
Libraries are the cornerstone of our communities. Far from being
places for people to just read books, they double up as support hubs,
warm spaces, community meeting points and so much more.
It is wonderful to see such a transformation of Harlesden Library,
creating more space for groups and residents to meet and hold events, as
well as building on the vital services the library offers local
people.
Local residents
will be invited to a community launch of the new library on Saturday 1
July and our regular events such as Booktrust Story and Rhyme Time for
under 5s will begin again soon. Subscribe to our e-newsletter to find out more.
In recent years, Brent has invested over £1 million in refurbishing libraries across the borough, helping make them more welcoming and accessible for residents of all ages.
We are pleased to also announce that Kilburn Library will also shortly begin a similar £765k transformation following approval by Cabinet last week (17 April), also supported by a £231k grant from Arts Council England’s Libraries Improvement Fund.
Author Shrabani Basu wrote the book 'Victoria & Abdul: The Extraordinary True Story of the Queen's Closest Confidant', which was made into an award winning film starring Judy Dench. She was present during the making of the film, and is coming to tell us both about her book and the film. After her introduction we will screen the film, and there will be an opportunity to ask questions.
The Roundwood Gardening Group's Poet in Residence, Susan Carberry, will be reading from her recently published collection, 'Eternal Ephemera', in the Roundwood Park Cafe area tomorrow lunchtime.
The event marks a one hundred sales of the book which is on sale at the cafe for £5. Funds raised will be donated to the gardening club.
Susan says:
By purchasing this booklet, you will have help to support the work of the Roundwood Gardening Group, a collection of local - and not so local - volunteers who give up their time every week to support the full-time gardeners. The members not only help with the maintenance of Roundwood Park's beautiful flora, but also give valuable support to each other. Everyone gains much from the exercise, social interaction, banter and belonging.
The event runs from 12.15pm until 1pm.
ROUNDWOOD PARK...
...is a silent world with
steaming mists rising
from rain-swollen ponds
Is this Paradise? I ask,
but question and
answer are lost in
dragonflies' wings droning
loud as a passing storm
My canine companion,
thunder-growl spooked,
holds his head high,
his eyes ee all,
his nose quivers
at exciting new scents.
the park is recovering
its sensual persona.
The sun comes out
warming this oasis
in the heart of London.
Roundwood Park,
storm-battering over,
rises from the deluge:
once more a haven,
sanctuary for all.
Susan Carberry
[Roundwood Park published with permission. It is the author's intellectual property]
Sheila Simpson made a presentation at tonight's Scrutiny Committe on behalf of Brent Friends of the Earth, ahead of the Committee's consideration of progress on the Council's Climate Emergency Strategy. Three members of the Committee declared an interest as members of Brent FoE and it became clear that several members of the Committee led by Cllr Tom Miller (not a member of Brent FoE) shared many of the concerns Sheila had expressed. The Strategy was too patchy and ignored some major areas. It lacked any effective means of measuring local progress in terms of emissions and of comparing progress with other London boroughs.
There was diligent questioning of officers and Cllr Krupa Sheth, Lead Member for Environment, and the Committee made a number of recommendations. (Exact wording will be finalised by officers):
1. The provision of a framework and dashboard to enable assessment of progres.
2. As lack of resources was a major factor in making progress to lobby the government on the issue,
3. A review of progress to be brought to the Committee.
4. Every service in the Council should include a climate action impact statement in their reports as they do with equality assessments.
5. Explore ways that Strategic CIL could be used to deliver the infrastructure necessary to to tackle climate change.
Sheila Simpon's Presentation
Good evening, I’m Sheila Simpson a
member of Brent Friends of the Earth with over 200 people on our mailing list. Thank
you for the opportunity to speak on their behalf.
Deep concern about
the urgency of the climate and ecological crisis and lack of government action
is growing. Our members were amongst many
thousands of people on the streets of Westminster last weekend hoping to raise
awareness, work on solutions and open dialogue with Parliament.
Locally, too, we must work in
partnership to make progress. No-one is outside the effects of climate change.In this spirit, I’m sharing some of our comments,
concerns and suggestions in relation to the Climate
and Ecological Emergency Strategy Update: Delivery Plan & Green
Neighbourhoods. The aims are rightly ambitious.
The rationale for a narrower
focus of resources on the selected Green Neighbourhoods is clear. Maximising
impact and testing solutions in this way makes sense, but also risks taking
time we may not have and leaving the majority of Brent untouched.
The commitment to consulting
and co-designing plans with residents is welcome and key to creating a sense of
community ownership. At a workshop for Church End and RoundwoodGreener
Neighbourhood, I saw how elements of our discussion were fed into the plan.
The resulting ‘patchwork’
of multiple, small-scale, individual projects can have some effect on carbon emissions
within the area. But it is not clear which actions would be prioritised given
limited resources, and some key proposals don’t appear.
For example, increasing
active travel: bicycle hangars will be of practical immediate help to some, whereas
the longer-term vision of creating safe cycle/pedestrian friendly Green
Corridors, is more tenuous, dependent upon feasibility studies, although it is more
likely to get results. (Cyclists who feel themselves at risk from traffic are
not bothered if the cars that present a danger use fossil fuel or electricity).
Aside from increasing the
number of School Streets there is little action or clear aspiration to actively
discourage or limit car use, this is effective in shifting behaviour away
from harmful travel choices. Perhaps more action is envisaged, see para. 5.18
where the feasibility study may ‘consider potential for more ambitious interventions
in the healthy streets agenda’?
Evidence grows for low
traffic neighbourhoods improving safety and the quality of life for residents.
Supporting car clubs can
provide affordable access to a low-emission vehicles and reduce demand for
on-road parking. (see Dept. of Transport guidance)
Kingsbury Greener
Neighbourhood focuses on schoolsThough a small number of schools are
involved their enthusiasm and energy is promising; students have potential to
be influencers at home, reaching diverse communities where extended families may well be living now
with the consequences of our choices here.
We see further scope for
quick wins with wider long-term impact.
Could the council be working more
closely with Brent Pure Energy to get Solar Panels installed on school roofs?
Over-consumption of meat and dairy
products as a major source of emissions, is not directly addressed in the plan.
Work could start now to encourage plant-based diets in schools, (learning from
the success of other local authorities, linking with organisations like
ProVegUK and Plant Based Universities) leading to life-long switches to healthy
low-carbon eating.
The Development Led Pilotwith
greater potential to impact the environment,is less formed and harder
to comment on. Brent Friends of the Earth and individual members submitted
considered and detailed views on plans for South Kilburn expressing many concerns
including loss of tree cover, biodiversity and open space, and risk of
flooding.
Brent’s 2021-2030 C.E.E. Strategy sees
members of Brent’s Environmental Network as key to community-led behaviour
change. Residents and businesses outside the green neighbourhoods also need to
be informed and involved in these issues. The B.E.N. website is not always up
to this task, (for example if you look at the section on Solar Power it leads
to finding there is no current programme of support on offer or any signposting
elsewhere.It is also unclear how often
the ‘regular’ newsletter can be expected)
Friends of the Earth distribute information
and engage in climate conversations with the public; it would be good to be
able to point them to council sources of up-to-date advice and information.
We will meet Cllr Donnelly-Jackson
to discuss ongoing plans
for meaningful Brent-wide
public engagement.
Brent won’t monitorthe
effect of interventions, relying on UK government statistics to benchmark and
demonstrate progress. This makes it almost impossible to see what the result of
the planned actions is, and what is attributable to more general national and local
trends. Without information linked to reduced emissions how will competing
demands for resources be prioritised or effective action targeted towards net
zero?
Public engagement needs credible
feedback demonstrating results to avoid burnout or cynicism.
Friends of the Earth’s ‘Near
You’ online database enables comparisons with similar local authorities, and
we’ll follow progress closely.
Only 6.5 years to 2030. You
have a vital task to keep the council on target to reach net zero
emissions.Given the urgency, size, and complexity of the
problem we suggest thiscommittee form a sub-group to focus on climate
emergency issues.
