Question time with Michael Gove last night was a very well run and entertaining event, thanks to Connect Christian Counselling for putting it together.
There were a lot of people wanting to ask questions and it is a shame that in the end there were only time for four items to be posed to the panel. I was a little embarrassed that my question was one picked as I'm sure that others may have phrased it better. Michaels answer probably would not have been any different however, regardless of the question asked. He explained in a political and balanced way that his role as "Education Secretary" prevented him from being involved, maintained that it would be a free and fair process and gave a balanced view of some of the pros and cons of the merger.
I will cover if this will indeed be free and fair in another post.
I understand what Michael said but I do have some reservations about how we are being supported. My expectation of Mr Gove is that he ensures that the process is performed legally and fairly, if he were not conflicted I would expect he support his constituents views. Effectively because of Mr Goves cabinet post we are being denied the representation in the House of Commons that we have a right to expect. Perhaps more unfortunate for Mr Gove is that if the merger goes ahead it is likely that the damage done to our childrens education and the teething problems of the chaotic upheavel in their school provision will still be evident as we come to vote in the next election.
I doubt that 4000 parents expressing their disgust at the lack of support Mr Gove was able to give will affect his "safe seat". Equally though I doubt that the fact that Mr Gove is behaving professionally will deflect either the anger they feel or their worries about "lack of representation".
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Saturday, 9 April 2011
Friday, 8 April 2011
Travel Planning in Surrey Heath
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspages.nsf/LookupWebPagesByTITLE_RTF/Travel+planning+in+Surrey+Heath?opendocument
Note who has travel planning obligations and who does not also note the status of plans.
Surely TK merger would eclipse the effect of many of the businesses listed here who have obligations.
Note who has travel planning obligations and who does not also note the status of plans.
Surely TK merger would eclipse the effect of many of the businesses listed here who have obligations.
Merger will destroy Tomlinscote Travel "Role Model"
Split site solution would contravene SurreyCC travel policy - Tomlinscote named as a good example of how to do it - this would not be the case if the merger goes ahead.
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/591f7dda55aad72a80256c670041a50d/c36a7ab335af1f0980256bc000405ba4/$FILE/School2.pdf
http://www.surreycc.gov.uk/sccwebsite/sccwspublications.nsf/591f7dda55aad72a80256c670041a50d/c36a7ab335af1f0980256bc000405ba4/$FILE/School2.pdf
Thursday, 7 April 2011
A Central Committee
On Tuesday 5th April a number of concerned parents from both schools and community members met to discuss the Tomlinscote / Kings merger proposal.
Those present agreed that our preferred option would be to have educational choice in Surrey Heath and that this is best served by having Tomlinscote, Collingwood and Kings separately offering distinctive and excellent education.
The group also agreed that the proposed takeover of Kings by Tomlinscote presents a very high risk to the quality of education of students at both schools.
The group will examine SurreyCCs assertion that Kings continuing as a separate school is not viable and seek to highlight the grave risks posed to students’ education by the proposed takeover and split site working.
The group will investigate credible alternatives to the proposal which will deliver both choice and educational excellence.
The discussion centred on organisation and how working groups could be established to address key areas.
If you agree with us and would like to help to fight this proposal please indicate your support by sending an email to tomlinscote.kings.nomerger@gmail.com - no replies will be given from this address it will only be used to determine support levels. Names and expressions of support are will obviously help legitimise the list, but are not essential, names will not be published but we may contact you with important information. We need your support in order to represent your views.
If you want to help, particularly if you have a particular expertise relevant to the campaign, please do get in touch with tomlinscote.kings@gmail.com.
We would like to arrange an open meeting and are trying to find a suitable time and location. Given the number of parents finding a location is not proving easy. We will post an update on this as soon as possible.
Please make a donation, no matter how small, to help keep the campaign running
Ian Sorby
Those present agreed that our preferred option would be to have educational choice in Surrey Heath and that this is best served by having Tomlinscote, Collingwood and Kings separately offering distinctive and excellent education.
The group also agreed that the proposed takeover of Kings by Tomlinscote presents a very high risk to the quality of education of students at both schools.
The group will examine SurreyCCs assertion that Kings continuing as a separate school is not viable and seek to highlight the grave risks posed to students’ education by the proposed takeover and split site working.
The group will investigate credible alternatives to the proposal which will deliver both choice and educational excellence.
The discussion centred on organisation and how working groups could be established to address key areas.
If you agree with us and would like to help to fight this proposal please indicate your support by sending an email to tomlinscote.kings.nomerger@gmail.com - no replies will be given from this address it will only be used to determine support levels. Names and expressions of support are will obviously help legitimise the list, but are not essential, names will not be published but we may contact you with important information. We need your support in order to represent your views.
If you want to help, particularly if you have a particular expertise relevant to the campaign, please do get in touch with tomlinscote.kings@gmail.com.
We would like to arrange an open meeting and are trying to find a suitable time and location. Given the number of parents finding a location is not proving easy. We will post an update on this as soon as possible.
Please make a donation, no matter how small, to help keep the campaign running
Ian Sorby
Bob Lacey
Barbara Lapthorn
Belinda Tam
Louise Nicholas
Johanna Hinks
Claire Funnell
Sue Pearson
Bob Garrett
Mark Reynolds
Tina Carney
Ken Harding
Eilidh Brodie
Steve Lapthorn
Arfan Ahmed
Julie Mason
Robert Raymont
Paul Deach
Rajesh Mistry
Wednesday, 6 April 2011
PJ Wilkinson refuses to speak to parents on BBC Surrey
Barbara Lapthorn and Ian Sorby were interviewed by Nick Wallis on BBC Surrey this morning. PJ Wilkinson refused to be interviewed alongside them but provided a response slightly later.
You can listen here :
Enjoy..
You can listen here :
Enjoy..
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Bullying to blame for Conservative council hell
I'm sure anyone who has been following this will find this article from Aug 2009 sounds all too familiar in 2011 - has much changed?
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23732345-bullying-and-obsession-with-red-tape-to-blame-for-conservative-council-hell.do
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23732345-bullying-and-obsession-with-red-tape-to-blame-for-conservative-council-hell.do
Monday, 4 April 2011
Camberley News and Mail - Merger needs more thought
POLITICIANS in Surrey Heath have branded plans to merge two of the borough’s three secondary schools “unworkable”.
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2090552_school_merger_proposals_need_more_thought
So now I guess we would like to hear from their fellow politicians at county hall. So far the majority of both sets of parents feel it will affect their childrens education. The staff at both schools feel that it will be a situation that hinders their ability to teach our children. Residents around both schools are worried about traffic. And the local politicians also believe that the idea of a split site is "unworkable". We have not even heard from the hospital yet and how they see the inevitable traffic surge will affect their plans to "reduce congestion around the main hospital site and to find innovative ways to solve the pressure of traffic". Local business we heard from PJ Wilkinson "will not be directly consulted but may wish to respond to the proposals", I think they and their employees especially may not be that impressed.
What gets me most is that SurreyCC appear to have tried to get this through without any consultation and without having really thought it through. Essentially if Tomlinscotes governors had not voted to do "due diligence" it would have gone ahead without any thought for the consequences. I'm starting to feel that it is unfair on the governors to decide on something that is so patently "half baked" and has implications for the community that make the scope of the decision far larger than the governing body of a local school. SurreyCC has put them in a horrible position.
I think it is both incompetent and irresponsible for SurreyCC to have even floated the idea to Tomlinscote without doing their own "due diligence". The fact that their arguments could be shredded with such consummate ease at each of the parental presentations leaves you wondering at what level this came from, and how much thought had gone into it. I think it is time we started to question the politicians at County Hall if they still think this is a good idea or do they agree with the local politicians in the area that this is indeed UNWORKABLE.
Ian Sorby
I do wish people would stop referring to Kings as a 'failing' school. It is an improving school, and is predicted to come out of the special measures Ofsted placed them in (with rather dubious evidence)much sooner than predicted. It's hugely insulting to the teachers and pupils at the school to continually refer to them as failing, particularly after the huge improvements they have made.
Three of my children have attended/are attending Kings because that is where I chose to send them, and it has not failed them in any way, shape or form. My eldest is now at Oxford studying politics, philosophy and economics. My middle 'less academic' son who had no interest in going to University (let alone school!) left Kings with 10 A-C grade GCSE's and is now working full time. My daughter is on target to get at least 8 A-C grade GCSE's. I believe they have achieved this because of the ethos at Kings of ensuring EVERY child achieves what they are capable of, and not giving up on those who will have a negative impact on the league tables.
My concern is SCC seem to be trying to railroad these proposals through, with no apparant thought to what is best for the pupils and parents from both schools. There has been so much opposition from both sides to the merger, yet SCC are interviewing for the new head this week and have told current year 6 parents there will be one uniform across the two schools from September this year! So much for a meaningful consultation. I don't know what SCC's motives are in rushing this through but a decision that will impact not only the parents and pupils but the surrounding area too deserves proper consideration, and given the level of discontent with the current proposals, SCC must take notice.
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2090552_school_merger_proposals_need_more_thought
So now I guess we would like to hear from their fellow politicians at county hall. So far the majority of both sets of parents feel it will affect their childrens education. The staff at both schools feel that it will be a situation that hinders their ability to teach our children. Residents around both schools are worried about traffic. And the local politicians also believe that the idea of a split site is "unworkable". We have not even heard from the hospital yet and how they see the inevitable traffic surge will affect their plans to "reduce congestion around the main hospital site and to find innovative ways to solve the pressure of traffic". Local business we heard from PJ Wilkinson "will not be directly consulted but may wish to respond to the proposals", I think they and their employees especially may not be that impressed.
What gets me most is that SurreyCC appear to have tried to get this through without any consultation and without having really thought it through. Essentially if Tomlinscotes governors had not voted to do "due diligence" it would have gone ahead without any thought for the consequences. I'm starting to feel that it is unfair on the governors to decide on something that is so patently "half baked" and has implications for the community that make the scope of the decision far larger than the governing body of a local school. SurreyCC has put them in a horrible position.
I think it is both incompetent and irresponsible for SurreyCC to have even floated the idea to Tomlinscote without doing their own "due diligence". The fact that their arguments could be shredded with such consummate ease at each of the parental presentations leaves you wondering at what level this came from, and how much thought had gone into it. I think it is time we started to question the politicians at County Hall if they still think this is a good idea or do they agree with the local politicians in the area that this is indeed UNWORKABLE.
Ian Sorby
I do wish people would stop referring to Kings as a 'failing' school. It is an improving school, and is predicted to come out of the special measures Ofsted placed them in (with rather dubious evidence)much sooner than predicted. It's hugely insulting to the teachers and pupils at the school to continually refer to them as failing, particularly after the huge improvements they have made.
Three of my children have attended/are attending Kings because that is where I chose to send them, and it has not failed them in any way, shape or form. My eldest is now at Oxford studying politics, philosophy and economics. My middle 'less academic' son who had no interest in going to University (let alone school!) left Kings with 10 A-C grade GCSE's and is now working full time. My daughter is on target to get at least 8 A-C grade GCSE's. I believe they have achieved this because of the ethos at Kings of ensuring EVERY child achieves what they are capable of, and not giving up on those who will have a negative impact on the league tables.
My concern is SCC seem to be trying to railroad these proposals through, with no apparant thought to what is best for the pupils and parents from both schools. There has been so much opposition from both sides to the merger, yet SCC are interviewing for the new head this week and have told current year 6 parents there will be one uniform across the two schools from September this year! So much for a meaningful consultation. I don't know what SCC's motives are in rushing this through but a decision that will impact not only the parents and pupils but the surrounding area too deserves proper consideration, and given the level of discontent with the current proposals, SCC must take notice.
Barbara Lapthorn
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