Renaissance Education – the local teacher agency for South London
Camberwell Primary to go on special measures
By Kevin Quinn
A PARENT governor at a Camberwell primary school has called for the headteacher to go, claiming a government inspector told him it was the worst school she had seen.
Ofsted inspectors who visited Cobourg Primary earlier this month told the governing body last week that it will be placed on special measures. An official report on the situation at the school is expected to be published in five weeks’ time, but parent governor Ian Driver said that work on turning the school around must start immediately. The 47-year-old, who has a three-year-old daughter in the reception class, said he was stunned to discover how badly standards had dropped. He told the ‘News’ how after eighteen months of trying to get on the governing body of the school, he attended his first meeting last week to hear a series of damning findings.
He said: “The officer from Ofsted told us that this is about as bad as it gets. She said she had put many schools on special measures but none as bad as this. She said education standards were very low, with unsatisfactory pupil achievement and made special reference to how bad the teaching was in English, maths and science. And above all she made clear how poor the leadership and management of the school was. She told us there was no clear plan for improvement of leadership and management and that staff morale was very low, with lack of confidence in the leadership of the school.”
Mr Driver, who says he is determined that fellow parents should be made aware of the dire situation at the school, said that in the two day inspection officers visited eighteen lessons and found eight to be unsatisfactory,
He claimed that out of the sixteen teaching staff at the school, nine had left or were in the process of leaving. Mr Driver is now calling for a meeting with parents so that the entire situation can be made clear.
Special measures will mean that a school is given an action plan with regular inspections and greater intervention from the local education authority. Mr Driver told the ‘News’ that he felt that the headteacher and the chair of governors should resign. “This has not happened over night and the school’s management will have known that this was coming. They been highlighted by the inspectors themselves and so they should go,” he said.
Simon Jenkin, Director of Schools Services for Southwark, said: “I am of course very disappointed with the outcome of the recent HMI visit to Cobourg Primary School. It is clear that there now needs to be a committed and concerted effort to turn the situation around as soon as possible. The LEA will be working closely with the governors at the school to provide additional support and to work through an agreed action plan. Ultimately, a school placed under special measures is not providing an acceptable level of education for its pupils and this cannot be allowed to continue.” (Southwark News - 25.6.04)
Renaissance – working with schools across South London
Walworth School praised in report
By Euan Denholm
WALWORTH SCHOOL, the borough’s biggest secondary has been classed as ‘satistactory’ and ‘improving’ by Ofsted, the government schools’ inspectors, in a report published this week.
The report praised staff and the headteacher for promoting an ‘inclusive spirit’ which helped pupils achieve over and above inner-city schools with similar intakes.
The inspectors said that they had seen real improvements since their last inspection in 1999 but highlighted areas requiring further attention, notably the school buildings, pupil attendance and a minority of departments’ quality of teaching.
“It means that they are seeing the trends and we aren’t sitting still,” said headteacher, Liz Hanham. “I am very proud to be a headteacher of such a successful school.
“The report makes clear that we are doing all the right things to improve standards at Walworth School. It recognises that everyone works together as Team Walworth - staff, pupils and our parents and carers, “she said.
Teaching in English, maths, science and geography were all rated as good, but physical education, drama and citizenship were rated as unsatisfactory.
Despite the quality of teaching Walworth’s results still placed it in the bottom five per cent of all schools nationally, although fewer pupils left school with no GCSEs than the Southwark average.
Inspectors rated 90 per cent of lessons they observed as satisfactory or better, adding that the unsatisfactory level was still ‘too high.’
Teachers were praised for their efforts in providing extra lessons outside normal hours which were proving ‘beneficial’ in helping students with exams.
According to inspectors, students have responded to this, “becoming impressive young people. They are rightly proud of what they have accomplished, showing a wide range of talents, are confident and courteous and respectful of what the school has helped them to achieve.”
Yet the school still has a difficult minority and whilst the school’s efforts at tackling bullying and promoting racial harmony were praised, students still highlighted them as problems. (Southwark News - 25.6.04)
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Kids with vision
RADIO PERSONALITIES Robert Elms and Sue MacGregor were on site beside the new Unicorn Theatre, London Bridge last Thursday, with children from Tower Bridge Primary School, to kick off Architecture Week.
“I’m a friend of Unicorn Theatre,” said Mr Elms, who hosts regular architecture slots on his afternoon show on BBC London. “I have little kids. The moment that building opens we will be trekking round it, talking about the area, where you can get ice creams - that’s what architecture is, it’s about the lives we live.”
Overlooking the new theatre, which will be finished in autumn 2005, from the second floor of Two More London, year six children from the local primary painted their visions for the new theatre on the glass.
“It’s very nice to be here,” said Akanksha, before explaining her painting. “It’s a posh building. It smells very nice. People say there is going to be a café so you can taste nice things. Everyone’s going to be really busy around it.”
The children have been involved for four years in the project to construct the first ever purpose built children’s theatre in London.
“We’re about eight metres high so far,” said architect Keith Williams. “Another twelve or so to go.”
Earlier, top executives from property companies dressed up as rock stars for a fund raising concert for the theatre. Mike Slade, chief executive of Helical Bar PLC, won praise for his appearance as Alice Cooper, singing School’s Out For Summer.
A spokesperson said the event was expected to have raised over £100,000 for the Unicorn. (Southwark News - 25.6.04)
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Sports college
OVER 100 pupils took part in a day of sports activities to launch Southwark’s first specialist sports college on Tuesday.
Waverley School, in East Dulwich, which will be the joint first college of its kind in the country, celebrated its new found status with a day of events for pupils from five primary schools in the area. Students participated in a variety of activities led by school partners including Millwall FC, Surrey Cricket, and Southbank University.
Stephanie Newman, Head of Sport and Fitness at Waverley School, said: “We’re delighted that not only are we the first designated specialist sports college in the borough but also the joint-first all girls’ sports college in the country.” (Southwark News - 25.6.04)
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Head comes a cropper to raise money for primary
By Eleanor Niblock
A Headteacher who shaved her head to raise money for her primary school has raised over £2,000 for new computer equipment.
Carol Field, head of Langbourne Primary School on the Kingswood Estate, went under the razor last Friday in front of a crowd of stunned pupils and astonished parents.
Ms Field decided that drastic action was needed to raise money after a government shortfall in primary school provision left the school with only fifteen computers for 190 children.
One young onlooker commented: “I think Ms Field is really brave, because it’s not very often that you see bald ladies.”
So how is she coping with her new found baldness?
Ms Field told the ‘News’: “I feel the cold a lot more and have had some funny stares, but I’m really glad we have managed to raise so much for the school and we are still welcoming any late donations. (Southwark News - 18/6/04)
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The whole world’s a stage
BERMONDSEY SCHOOLGIRLS put on a show of music, dance, story telling and food from all over the world.
This was the second international evening to be held at Aylwin Girls’ School on Southwark Park Road.
“Last year it was so successful in terms of student participation and bringing parents into an activity that wasn’t curriculum based,” said head teacher Cathy Loxton. “There were many requests for another one this year.”
Parents and students had prepared traditional food from Africa, South America and Asia: after the transcontinental buffet, they moved on to the school hall to see acts ranging from pop music to traditional Chinese story telling.
“It’s about sharing the traditions that each of us has individually and also about how we see things,” said Shaheen Edo, 14. (Southwark News - 4/6/2004)
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