The Bristow Blog

Pictures from the Teachers Strike

It is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that the leadership of the NUT are reasonable and do not have a hidden political agenda.  This picture from the demonstration yesterday in London suggests otherwise.

I thought this was about teachers pay.

It should not be about the war, socialism, or a call to reverse privitisation.  Most trade unions left this all behind in the 70s and 80s.   Sadly not the NUT leadership. 

I feel sorry for teachers who have this done in their name.  The leadership of the NUT are not representative of the profession.

Teachers Strike

Some schools in the borough may be forced to close on Thursday 24th April because of a strike called by the National Union of Teachers (NUT).  This action is in response to the Labour Government’s pay proposals for a 2.45 per cent pay increase to teachers with effect from September 2008.

The council have asked for all schools to announce by Tuesday whether they will be closed.  Parents need to know! 

The council are doing their best to ensure that as many schools as possbile remain open on April 24 and that the impact of the strike on the education of our children and young people is minimised.  We have asked schools to give particular consideration to pupils with special needs and those with crucial examination commitments in the weeks that follow the intended action.  It is now up to the individual headteachers and Chairs of Governors to make decisions about whether to close their particular schools or not.

I can understand why some teachers feel aggrieved.   Pay has not seen the jumps that other public servants have received.  Local teachers work hard, and many of my friends who teach tell me the real problem facing the profession is endless bureaucracy from central government and work load.

However, the NUT are demanding a 10% pay rise, or £3,000 for every teacher in England and Wales this September, whichever is the greater.  This at a time when we have to tighten our belts as a country because the economy is on a downturn.  Other public sector workers have received worse settlements, most notably the police, who have demonstrated over what they say amounts to a 1.9% deal!

Moreover, the strike has been called with only a minority of members voting in favour.  Only third of the 200,000 NUT members took part in the ballot. 

It is parents who will be hit in the pocket by strike action.  Parents will have to pay for child minders or take time of work to look after their children.  It will disrupt learning, inconvenience parents, and place a burden on other teachers not in the NUT.  I hope this strike will be a one off and not a sign of things to come.

Closed schools announced so far:

Fulham Primary School and Kenmont Primary School.   

NUT press to ban the military in schools

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about student unions banning the military from recruiting at universities - http://thebristowblog.typepad.com/the_bristow_blog/2008/03/london-students.html

It would appear that the NUT are joining their junior comrades and want the same ban in our schools.

One delegate commented on what he considered the menace of misleading recruitment material:

"Let's just try and imagine what that recruitment material would have to say were it not to be misleading,"

"We would have material from the MoD saying 'Join the army and we will send you to carry out the imperialist occupation of other people's countries.

"'Join the army and we will send you to bomb, shoot and possibly torture fellow human beings in other countries.

"'Join the army and be sent, probably poorly equipped, into situations where people try and shoot you and kill you because you are occupying their countries.

This is just embarassing.  I worry that through the unpopularity of the Iraq war, and bashing from left wing institutions like the NUT, the respect with which the public hold our armed forces is eroding.

The NUT should focus on improving standards in schools and on representing their members.  Just like student unions, the leadership of the NUT in no way represent ordinary members.  When they make irrelevant proclimations like this, they shame the institution.  I have many friends who are teachers and members of the NUT, but who laugh at the organisation.  This is sad because there are challenges facing the profession and schools, that could do with professional input.

It is time for a step change - it is time for the NUT to become relevant again.

Go Mad in March - New offer at borough libraries

The council are trying to encourage new users of the borough's libraries - a new campaign called 'go mad in March' has been launched to find new members and encourage lapsed members. 

‘Go Mad in March’ will see all six libraries in the borough issuing all DVDs, CDs and videos free of charge for the whole of the month.

In addition, anyone who joins one of the libraries during March for the first time will be entered into a weekly prize draw giving them a chance to win £50 in vouchers. The winners will be able to choose if they want Marks and Spencer or HMV vouchers.

Entry forms for the draw are available in all the libraries, though members of the public may also spot them being given out in various public venues throughout the month.

In a separate event, famous author John Harvey will be making a personal appearance at Fulham Library on Thursday 27 March.  John Harvey is the author of the richly praised Charlie Resnick novels, and has won many awards including the CWA Silver Dagger, a Barry award for the best British crime novel published in the US, and, in 2007, the CWA Cartier Diamond Dagger for sustained excellence in the genre.

Attendance to the John Harvey event is by ticket only but tickets are free to anyone who wishes to apply. Tickets can be obtained from any of the six borough libraries or by phoning 020 8753 3877. The event starts at 7.30pm with doors opening at 7pm

The most improving schools in the UK

Hammersmith & Fulham have the most improving secondary schools in the UK according to the latest GCSE performance league tables. 

The tables, which look at the percentage of pupils gaining five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C, including English and maths, show that schools in the borough are in the top ten per-cent nationally for improvement since 2004. 

Phoenix High School has been named as one of the most improving schools in London. This year, more students than ever before at the school in Shepherds Bush achieved 5 A* to C grades including English and maths, up by 17 percentage points to 43 per cent.

Hurlingham and Chelsea School’s results continue to improve year on year. Last summer’s set of GCSE examinations saw 37 per cent of pupils score five of more GCSE passes at grades A* to C compared with 25 per cent the year before. 

Overall, 56 per cent of students gained five or more good grades last year. This was also well above the national average of 45.9 per cent.

Our hard working local teachers have done a fantastic job and pupils who have done well deserve to be very proud of themselves.  It is an exciting time for parents in Hammersmith & Fulham with investment and reform proposed in our schools.  The Building Schools for the Future initiative will provide new facilities and the best equipment.

We are sure that the changes that are proposed over the coming year will give our pupils a 21st Century learning environment to be proud of.  The council will be consulting residents on its plans for Building Schools for the Future (BSF) very soon, using more than £100 million of Government money.

21st Century library for Shepherds Bush

Design work has began on a new 'state of the art' public library in Shepherds Bush, due to be located next to the much anticipated Westfield shopping centre.  It will be fitted out with the most innovative technology and provide new exciting services.

It is hoped the new building will be ready by Christmas 2008 (along with the rest of the shopping centre) and will be ideally located to attract new users.  It will have self service facilities, brand new IT facilities, DVD/CD hire as well as traditional book lending services.

Library services come under the 'Residents Services' department and I am the cabinet member responsible for this exciting project (hence the picture).  The whole concept is shaped around residents' needs.  This ground breaking public library will serve the local area well into the 21st century. 

In addition to a brand new library, our existing libraries are going through a reform process bringing then up to 21st century standards.  They will soon be open for longer than ever before - increasing to 318 hours (an overall rise of 39.5 hours a week). 

We are doing what we promised.  We are delivering efficiency and improving services.  It is no longer acceptable for libraries to be open standard office hours and to be closed on Wednesdays if we hope to attract a broad range of users.  We are also extending opening hours on Sundays and increasing the number of IT facilities.

Libraries provide crucial local services.  It is vital that they are made relevant and attract as many local residents as possible.  This is what this new Shepherds Bush library and longer opening hours are all about.

Viva la France in Fulham

The Evening Standard this week picked up on the news that H&F council are in discussion with the French Government about offering a bilingual comprehensive school in south Fulham to local parents.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23417905-details/Bilingual+school+to+be+capital%27s+%27Little+France%27/article.do

If created, it would be the first bilingual comprehensive school in England.  It would offer both the English and French national curriculum.  It would be of course free to British citizens while French expatriate pupils would pay fees.  If a deal is done, the partnership would be between Hurlingham & Chelsea school and the Lycee Francais school owned by the French government.

Our part of London is home to largest French community in London - there is a clear need for the Lycee Francais to expand, and the scheme would give a unique and exciting offer to local parents.

The independent Fulham Schools Commission recommended that Hurlingham & Chelsea school should look at a partnership model to give it a more solid base for the future.  Results have improved at the school.  However, it remains the borough's most unpopular state school with parents and has a significant number of spare places.  This has the potential to be an exciting partnership model that more appropriately serves the need of the local community.  The commission also noted that the French model "could be the basis of a very attractive model".   

It would be excellent if that in a few years time results have improved further and the school was at capacity.  Other than Kensington & Chelsea, our borough has the least number of local parents choosing local schools for their children.  Too many send their children to private schools or state schools outside the borough.

This could be another example that shows our borough has a very exciting future.  Nothing is more important than ensuring that all local children fulfil their potential.

OFSTED rate Bayonne Nursery as 'Outstanding'

I am a school governor at the excellent Bayonne Nusery School in the heart of Fulham Reach ward - Paynes Walk on the Bayonne Estate.  This is a role that I really enjoy and something I did before becoming a councillor.  This is something to which I wish I had more time to devote; it really is a wonderful community asset

The achievements of Bayonne Nursery have now been recognised by OFSTED (the watchdog rating schools across the country).  They rate the nursery as 'outstanding', and in every indication but one they also give an outstanding rating.  The first paragrpah sums up everything about this school:

The children achieve extremely well in this outstanding school.  They develop excellent personal qualities, behave extremely well and treat other children and adults with respect and courtesy.  The insprational and highly effective leadership of the headteacher and outstanding teaching staff benefit the children enormously.  Parents are overwhelmingly pleased with the school.  Nearly all pay tribute to the staff, 'Both my chikdren have attended Bayonne and we could not have asked for more. It is a fantastic school', is one of many typical comments, and they are right.  It is a superb school.

OFSTED are absolutely spot on.  Pat Logan is an excellent headteacher and the rest of the teaching staff do a fantastic job.  David Coleman, the Chair of the Governors, also ensures that the governing body is effective and is an asset to the school.  I am extremely grateful for the work that they do.  It is clear that local parents and the community share my views.

The school is located in a mixed area of private and social housing, providing the sort mixed education offer that we should aspire to in H&F.  Children could not wish for a better start in life than attending the Bayonne Nursery School. 

Today, I am extremely proud to be a school governor and a councillor in ward that contains such a fine school.

The future of Secondary Schools in Fulham

Earlier this year, the council commissioned a report from an independent body to look into secondary school provision in Fulham.  The Fulham Schools Commission earlier this month presented their findings.  It makes interesting reading!

The body included a number of independent education experts - William Atkinson, the Head of Pheonix High in the north of the borough - Bob Litchfield, a former Director of Education and Deputy Chief Executive of Camden Council - John McIntosh, the former Head of the London Oratory School in Fulham - and was chaired by former Chief Inspector of Schools, Baroness Perry of Southwark. 

It was tasked with looking at the long-term educational needs of the borough, and it has taken two months after speaking with teachers, governors, pupils, and parents.  It was almost universally accepted that reform was needed to boost education in the south of the borough.

Notably, it has suggested the following:

• Fulham Cross Girls' and Henry Compton Schools be brought together to provide single sex teaching up to the age of 16 - with a mixed sixth form.
• H&F council seek a partner to strengthen Hurlingham and Chelsea School.
• Build upon the success of the William Morris Academy and consider ways in which the sixth form college can contribute to the wider challenges of 14-19 education.
• Improve the relationships between Primary and Secondary schools.

The commission were given the task of looking at the educational offer in South Fulham compeletly afresh.  It is this sort of neutral and independent thinking that often produces the best solutions.  The changes proposed are considerable - but hopefully reflect the needs and aspirations of parents and our young people.  There is nothing more important than getting education right.  It has to be about creating a ladder of opportunity.  Children are our future!

This is an incredibly exciting time for our borough.  The best is yet to come.  This has to reflected in education if this promise for the future is to be long lasting.  The council may have access to almost £100 million for the Building Schools for the Future programme to help make this happen.

The council will respond to the commission's findings at the Council's Cabinet meeting on 8th October.

The full report is available here www.lbhf.gov.uk/Images/Appendixcomplete_tcm21-85451.pdf

Pride in our Young People

This is a little late but I wanted to congratulate the young people in our local schools that have just received their GCSEs and A levels results.  Opinions always fly around at this time of year about standards slipping and exams becoming easier.  Whatever the merits of these arguments, I think it is important that we recognise the achievements of our young people.  This should be a time for celebration and excitement in many households.

GCSE results were published last week and A levels the week before.  There was plenty to be proud of:

More students than ever before have gained A and B grades in their A levels.  Nearly 60% of passes were at A-B grade.  Overall pass rate A-E was also up and above the national average.  Similarly, students also achieved the borough's best ever GCSE results. 

It is thrilling to see students being rewarded for all of their hard-work.  It is important that as many of our students as possible get the opportunity to progress further into higher education, if that is what wish to do, and ultimately into satisfying and well paid jobs.  Our children are our future.

Finally, we should also use this opportunity to thank teachers working in our schools for their hard work and professionalism.  I admire them and greatly appreciate all of their efforts.

See below for our borough's results:

Percentage of pupils gaining five or more GCSE passes at grades A* to C, including English and maths:

London Oratory   91 (83)

Sacred Heart   83 (85)

Henry Compton  37 (27) 

Fulham Cross  43 (33) 

Phoenix High  43 (26)

Lady Margaret   82 (84)

Burlington Danes   36 (33)   

Hurlingham & Chelsea  37 (25)

Overall borough figure   56 (49)

A Level percentage pass rates at grades A-B

            

Lady Margaret School   77.9 (80.8) 

London Oratory School   65.8 (61.5)   

William Morris Academy   38.3 (37.7)

Overall borough figure   58.4 (56.6)

National overall figure  49.7 (48.1)