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Kids enjoy Xmas bash
Children of St Joseph’s Roman Catholic School, Dockhead, gathered round a Christmas tree, all presents and correct, following a party in John Felton Hall on Monday.
The bash was organised by the school’s new Parent Teacher Association, with support from head teacher Mark Macauley and staff. (Southwark News 23.12.04)
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Xmas Fun!
Schools around the borough held their nativities over the past few weeks to the delight of parents.
The ‘News’ went to Redriff, in Rotherhithe, Southwark Park, Bermondsey, and Oliver Goldsmith, in Peckham, primaries to see the plays. (Southwark News 23.12.04)
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Prime Minister announces sport grant at East Dulwich school
Prime Minister Tony Blair looked like he had come straight from an early morning run on Tuesday as he visited a East Dulwich sports college to announce an extra half a billion pounds for sport in schools.
He chose Waverley specialist Sports College in Homestall Road because most students there already fulfil his aim for school children in 2020 – they do four hours of sport a week.
Mr Blair, accompanied by local MP Tessa Jowell, wore tracksuit bottoms and a fleece and played basketball with students at the school, one of only five specialist all-girls sport colleges in the country. He did not get a basket.
Concluding what he said was the first speech he had made “dressed like this”, he announced: “School sport is back! It’s great for children, for the community and for the country.”
Headteacher Lesley Day agreed: “Being a sports college has changed the whole ethos of the school and improved everything in such a short time. There is a sense of ownership now.”
Waverley’s new facilities will be open to the public from January 4. Southwark Council’s sports service providers Fusion have announced they will be managing the four-court multi-purpose main hall, small hall, conference room, 25 station gym and a floodlit outdoor sports area outside of school hours. (Southwark News 16.12.04)
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MP’s card winners
MP Tessa Jowell presented prizes for her Christmas card competition this week to lucky winners in Dulwich and West Norwood schools.
Thomas Judd 4, from Rosendale School, was the overall champion with his snowman design. Lulu Senft,9, from Dulwich Hamlet School and Tuan Nguyen,11, from St Anthony’s in East Dulwich, also received arts equipment and certificates signed by Ms Jowell. Persil sponsored the competition as part of their arts programme for schools and local businesses supported it. (Southwark News 16.12.04)
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Top that!
External building works finished, the roof sealed from the elements, Bermondsey City Academy was “topped-out” at a ceremony on Monday.
Chairman of the Governors, Bill Fraser, and builder Wilmott Dixon’s John Frankiewicz, poured glasses of wine, oil, salt and grain down a tube at the top of the building, before capping it off with another short pipe.
“It has been a long journey but they have only been building on this site for eleven months and this is the stage we are at,” said a beaming Bill Fraser, looking forward to the next stage of construction, which will see the inside decorated before pupils take to the school’s corridors next September.
A priest also spoke at the ceremony, which traditionally takes place in new public buildings to ward off evil spirits. “There’s not too many around here any longer I hope,“ said Mr Fraser, satisfied that the exorcisms had had the desired effect. (Southwark News 16.12.04)
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Pupils raise money reading
Walworth pupils buried their head in books last week, raising over £500 for children’s charities.
Jason O’Rourke raised £100 through the sponsored read, to be split between the Sargent Cancer Care for Children and the Roald Dahl Foundation.
Children also held a recital evening, where they showcased their literary talents, and they hope to go on to publish a collection of their works. Over the last five years the pupils have raised £2,500 for sick children. (Southwark News 16.12.04)
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New education boss outlines school plans
A week after taking over the helm of Southwark education, following the forced resignation of her predessor, Cllr Caroline Pidgeon has spoken about the challenges which lie ahead for borough schools, following this year’s mixed examination results.
Cllr Bob Skelly was asked to resign last week after losing his cool and making a series of facetious remarks to councillors on the Council’s Education Scrutiny Sub-committee. Cllr Pidgeon, who has previous experience as Deputy leader and as Liberal Democrat candidate for the Southwark & Lambeth London Assembly seat, was appointed to the position at last Wednesday’s full Council Assembly.
Cllr Pidgeon told the ‘News’ that her priority would be to get schools sharing their expertise to a far greater degree, and said that she had already emailed headteachers introducing herself and underlining the importance of school community areas.
“I am very keen for the schools to work together in the eight areas which correspond to the community councils,” Cllr Pidgeon said. “It’s important that schools learn from each other and share examples of best practice.”
The year’s results were remarkably encouraging for Key Stage three – fourteen year olds – with the country’s biggest improvements for Maths and English results, but recent Key Stage Two results –for eleven year olds – were very disappointing, with Southwark the country’s second worst performer.
Cllr Pidgeon argued that the situation was more complicated than raw headline figures would suggest and said she was looking forward to seeing the results of the review into the council’s School Improvements unit, which look set to be published in early 2005.
Cllr Andy Simmons, Labour’s spokesman for Education, as well as Vice-chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which has taken an interest in the unit’s performance, said that the exact problems were not clear but improvements had to be delivered. “From the outside we can tell that they aren’t working properly, but we are waiting to hear exactly what is wrong and what they are going to do to address those concerns.”
Cllr Simmons questioned whether Cllr Pidgeon had the necessary background experience to take on the education portfolio. “She is a good spin doctor but knows next to nothing about education,” he said – a claim which Cllr Pidgeon vigorously rebutted, arguing that she had had plenty of experience of learning in schools as a councillor, but nevertheless bought a “fresh pair of eyes” to the challenges of the sector. (Southwark News 16.12.04)
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Peckham Kids go gospel
Children from ten schools in Peckham have been rehearsing for ‘Peckham Goes Gospel’, two Christmas concerts at The Academy at Peckham, to be held today.
This is the third year that Project Music Workshops, the UK’s leading gospel music educators, have run workshops to prepare 450 children and their teachers to perform songs and solos as part of the arts initiative Best of Peckham. (Southwark News 16.12.04)
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Headmaster’s surprise visit
Twenty Two years after hanging up his mortar-board for the last time, Mr Pruce returned to Ilderton School in Rotherhithe for the first time on a surprise visit arranged by his son-in-law.
As he walked into the school he was greeted by Mrs Parish, a teaching assistant who was helping out at the school back in 1982, and meet up with Sylvia O’Leary and Dawn Webb who now work at the school which they were girls at when Mr Pruce was the head.
“The room where I work is Mr Pruce’s old room. I still see the old pipes that you had to sit next to if you were out on detention. But he was a very good head-master – very kind,” remembered Dawn.
“It’s lovely being back,” said Mr Pruce, 81. “A few things have changed around here, like the church where a vicar’s wife once ran off with a choir-boy! I think I’d get lost if I was left here on my own, he said, before wandering in to watch the school Christmas play ‘Finding Santa.’ (Southwark News 16.12.04)
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Education boss resigns after truancy comments
Liberal Democrats Suspend Councillor
Executive Member for education Bob Skelly resigned and was suspended from his party last week following “surprising” comments at a scrutiny meeting, leaving the way clear for likely successor Caroline Pidgeon.
He will take with him 13 years of experience in education, though just two in politics. Successor Caroline Pidgeon, though a political “big hitter”, has never previously worked in education.
Minutes from last Wednesday’s Education and Youth Scrutiny Sub-committee meeting show Cllr Skelly began his response to previously submitted questions from committee members in combative form.
He said: “These questions are not the sort I would largely expect in the scrutiny committee they would be more appropriate in Council Assembly which is an acknowledged political circus. If you want to tweak my nose I will tweak yours back harder. If you want a ding-dong I will dong back even louder.”
Some interesting responses to questions followed, including the one that led to his resignation. Answering: “What are you doing personally to address the performance of Caribbean boys in the borough?“ he said: “Every evening I go out in a big van and kidnap some Caribbean boys, I berate them about their lack of commitment to education and give them a booster lesson in English.”
Council Lead Nick Stanton had demanded Skelly’s resignation before lunchtime the next day, stating: “We will not tolerate offensive comments from any member of the Liberal Democrat group. We have moved swiftly, decisively and strongly and will continue to do so on such important matters.” Cllr Skelly has since written a letter of apology to the sub-committee.
A source close to Cllr Skelly explained that he had been under considerable stress following a heart operation the week before. Cllr Skelly himself told the ‘News’: I have been asked that question (on attainment of Caribbean boys) so many times. We have a policy. My responsibility as executive member lies in making sure the right policies are in place and that they are being implemented.”
He expressed this idea differently to the scrutiny panel, as the minutes show: “To paraphrase Henry IV of France when the parliament in Paris impugned the sincerity of his conversion – don’t cast aspersions on my commitment to the task.”
His remarks prompted an angry comment from Black Awareness Group chair Raymond Stevenson, who told the ‘News’: “Even if it was said tongue in cheek, we still find it offensive. In the light of the inquiry taking place (into institutional racism in the council), these comments are not helpful.”
For others, the issue is one of respect for the procedure of scrutiny. Though it cannot change policy, scrutiny calls the executive to account on issues it deems of concern by inviting members to answer questions.
Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Kim Humphreys commented: “Executive members have to understand that these interviews are a very important exercise in transparency in local government. They must treat them seriously.”
Cllr Andy Simmons, chair of Education and Youth Scrutiny, explained: “I asked the question last year but I don’t remember receiving a satisfactory answer. I didn’t have a sense that there was a strategy.”
A council spokesperson highlighted the borough’s excellent Key Stage 3 results of last year.
However according to figures on the council website, Caribbeans are the worst achieving ethnic group at school.
The spokesperson continued: “Southwark Council funds a number of projects to support black pupils, including the Boyhood to Manhood Foundation, the YESS project, Black Mentor Scheme, SPACES and the Southwark Children & Families Alliance.”
Though his own party distanced themselves from him, political opponents have voiced dismay at the departure of Bob Skelly, who taught English for 31 years at Alleyn’s School in Dulwich before becoming a councillor in 2002.
Conservative group leader Kim Humphreys, said: “It’s a shame to lose someone of his experience. He’s been a very capable executive member, but he’s made a very stupid mistake.”
Of Newington ward councillor Caroline Pidgeon, who stepped down as deputy leader to unsuccessfully run as Southwark and Lambeth Assembly Member, he commented: “She is a serious big hitter who would be an asset to the Executive.” She is likely to contest the post with Eliza Mann.
Cllr Skelly’s suspension from his group means that, including Labour councillors Dermot McInterney and Tony Ritchie, there are now three Southwark councillors suspended from their parties.
What was asked and what he answered
Councillor Bob Skelly attended the meeting and read out a short statement after which he immediately left the room.
“These questions are not the sort I would largely expect in the scrutiny committee – they would be more appropriate in Council Assembly which is an acknowledged political circus. If you want to tweak my nose I will tweak yours back harder. If you want a ding–dong I will ding–dong back even louder.”
My Answers are:
1. What is your greatest achievement as an Executive Member?
Answer – No comment – although the director will confirm that I got money to replace the seats in the girls toilet at Galleywall School, bringing them up to something approaching civilisation
2. What are you doing personally to address the performance of Caribbean boys in the borough?
Answer – Every evening I go out in a big van and kidnap some Caribbean boys, I berate them about their lack of commitment to education and give them a booster lesson in English
3. What factors contributed to this year’s Key Stage 2 results and what do you propose to do to address these factors?
Answer – A report is coming tonight. The Director is going to speak about it and I am not going to gild his lily
4. Will Galleywall school close?
Answer – No comment. If you ask this you must be dafter than I thought you were when I read questions 1-3
5. What is your view on those who present themselves for a school place when they are here only by virtue of supposedly not being a burden on public funds?
Answer – No-one knows what this question means. I have been trying to find out for a week but no one can tell me
6. What mechanisms do you propose to assess: a. the effect on individual Southwark schools of the new overriding priority for Looked After Children (wherever their carers live and whoever is the “Looking After” authority); and b. Whether other admissions authorities are adopting policies towards LAC’s as generous as those adopted by Southwark.
Answer – The Admissions Forum does that and b) everyone is doing the same thing
7. When will the next review of Primary Provision in the Dulwich area take place and are you prepared to alter (if necessary) the timing in order to take into account the decision of the Dulwich Community Council to facilitate a parental survey of admissions experience and opinion on the matter?
Answer – This has been put back pending the survey of the community council
8. If the Executive Member is satisfied that the outcome of LEA/CEA activity in respect of individual schools (eg annual target setting and monitoring) is adequately conveyed to governors
Answer – No, it is not satisfactory – it would help if more councillors were on governing bodies (Southwark News 9.12.04)
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Southwark bottom in school results
Southwark’s Primary schools were a disappointing bottom in the national results for eleven-year-olds, according to the government’s key stage two league tables published last Thursday.
The figures show the results for English, maths and science tests, whilst a parallel table factors in a ‘value-added’ component, taking into account that not all pupils start from the same point.
Yet that bald figure masks individual stories from the diverse array of the borough’s schools.
Goose Green in East Dulwich is the second most improved school in the country, hurtling up the table from a rock bottom position four years ago, which was below any of this year’s most disappointing performers.
Peckham Rye School has also had excellent English results, with 86 per cent of year 6 pupils achieving national standards for their age, and 40 per cent of those reaching levels usually expected of 14-year-olds. This is a huge increase on last year’s results, which were 57 and 10 percent respectively.
Yet twelve of the borough’s 69 primary schools were languishing in the country’s bottom 5 per cent. The government also revealed truancy rates for key stage two pupils – and again Southwark was bottom of the list.
The problem was concentrated in Peckham, with both Oliver Goldsmith’s and Gloucester Primary making up two of the national bottom three positions. This was also reflected in the results, with both schools amongst the five worst performers in the borough.
A spokesperson for the council said: “If you look at attendance levels we are actually amongst the highest in London for KS2. The reason we also appear to have high truancy levels is because we encourage schools to be honest about recording absences, rather than authorising children to be out of school for the sake of the figures. This means we can target support where it is needed.”
Camberwell and Peckham MP Harriet Harman says that the problem of failure in Primary education must be addressed and has arranged for her government colleague, schools minister Stephen Twigg MP, to join her in Peckham early in the new year. “This is just not acceptable. The primary school years are the foundation for future education and so it’s very important for children to be able to get the best out of them, but that is not happening here in Southwark.”
A spokeswoman for the council accepted that it was “disappointing that we have not seen significant improvements in results for children leaving primary school” but noted that the “gap between Southwark’s position and the national one is closing for maths. There are no fixes for raising attainment but we will continue to work closely with all primary schools, developing a primary strategy, assessing each individual pupil and setting realistic targets to improve the attainment of every child in Southwark.
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John Donne school ranked bottom of the table for both average score and ‘value-added’ results, yet the head said that the table didn’t tell the full story. The Peckham school came off special measures last year after Ofsted inspectors were satisfied that the leadership and teaching quality was going in the right direction.
“Yes the results this year were very disappointing,” said Headteacher Jo Klimek, “but the standards of attainment are the last thing to improve. You get good quality teachers and teaching but it takes a number of years for that to turn into high results. Her Majesty’s Inspectors’ report said that two thirds of our teachers were good or better, which is quite exceptional. We have recruited and retained high quality staff. People have even approached me for jobs here having heard what it’s like to work here.”
Writing in their March 2004 Ofsted inspectors commented that “most lessons are taught well, and the headteacher’s leadership and management are very effective, resulting in an upward trend in pupils’ attainment throughout the school.”
Having brought a new and stable team into place, Ms Klimek says that the school has focused on laying down firm ground rules of acceptable behaviour. “When they get to year six they should be showing good results.”
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Goose Green was second in the national table of most improved schools, having lifted their aggregate score from 74 in 2001 to 223 this year.
The East Dulwich school was one of the first to have a ‘fresh start’ three years ago, with a new name, teaching body and head.
“We were very pleased with the results,“ said head teacher Stuart May. “Four years ago we were the lowest in London but now we are above the borough average. Both teachers and support staff have done a superb job and are all very proud of the school. After the fresh start we did an awful lot of work on positive behaviour because the children were very demotivated and not really wanting to learn. That included lots of trips, visits and visitors, which made learning more varied and interesting.”
The school adopted the Success for All literacy programme rather than the National Literacy Strategy. The programme, which originated in America, encourages children to communicate and work in a cooperative manner, which it is believed provides a more constructive and self-disciplined approach to education. “We also do a lot of assessment and set realistic targets, which are shared with the children, so they have something to aim for,” Mr May said.
“There is no magic wand with school improvement – it comes down to just an awful lot of hardwork and all going in the same direction. Staff need to agree on what constitutes good work – they shouldn’t be working in isolation.” (Southwark News 9.12.04)
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Cycle group to pump cash into school
A Cycling activist group is to pump £20,000 into cycling training and facilities at a single Rotherhithe primary school, to see if money can buy new cyclists.
Southwark Cyclists has been granted the cash by Rotherhithe Community Council and will shortly carry out its Cycle Saturation programme at a chosen primary.
“We can give them one to one cycle training, using professional trainers,” said Barry Mason, coordinator at the group. “We can organise formal classes, talk to parents. Supply bikes to some extent, organise day trips and take parents along as well and hopefully they will keep doing it.”
Just to make sure, the group will return to the school six months later to test how much of a change the £20,000 had to the daily school run.
“No one has ever measured the before and after effect,” said Mr Mason. “Whether kids keep cycling afterwards or when it starts getting colder.”
The only qualification the primary requires is a willingness to submit to the experiment – Southwark Cyclists will be looking at schools where they believe the money could make a difference in the coming months.
The £20,000 was one or three sums voted by the community council to push cycling in Rotherhithe. A total of £88,000 will be spent on improving the Thames Path around the peninsula, extending it round Surrey Docks Farm and ramping the path at Kings Stairs. (Southwark News 9.12.04)
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Dinner bash
Children served Christmas dinner to pensioners on Saturday at St John’s RC Primary School in Rotherhithe.
Ms Williamson and Eileen Philips, admin officers at the school on Archangel Street, fundraised with local businesses and year 6 pupils and raised £182 for the full Christmas dinner served to pensioners from Jamaica Road to Abbeyfield Street.
Pensioner Bridget O’Brien said: “The children make it. They’re very helpful, very friendly.” Jessie Colewell added: “They are so grown up compared to what we were! We didn’t know anything and they know everything!”
This is the fifth year the meal has been organised, as a way for the school to reach out to the community. (Southwark News 9.12.04)
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Peckham Rye School gets nod for fresh start status
Peckham Rye School has been given the green light for a Fresh Start after a major turnaround and at the end of five years of government ‘special measures’.
The last round of special measures, imposed on failing schools, began in January but since then SATs results have sky rocketed, from 57 per cent reaching the national Year 6 standard last year to 86 per cent this year.
Fresh Start status will guarantee £500,000 over the next three years from the Department for Education and Skills for staff and school resources and £986,000 for ICT, building and infrastructure.
The change, by all accounts, is due to the arrival of a new head in September last year. Virginia Bridge was seconded from Southwark Local Education Authority to take the school through its January Ofsted report, but she decided to stay on. She told the ‘News’: “I couldn’t leave. The kids are wonderful and they can do it.”
She said teachers bought in to boost Year 6 on reading and writing have seen the ten-year-olds make five years’ progress in two terms. Year 6s agreed that the secret of this year has been “more fun”.
For Ms Bridge the turnaround has been multi-faceted. She laid the blame for previous problems on the lack of a stable head and a surfeit of temporary teachers. The new strategy began with a “high profile focus” on attendance, because “if they’re not in school, they’re not learning”.
She implemented “child tracking”, being sure that teachers knew what level all the children were at, and also staff tracking, monitoring of teachers by senior staff to plan training and induct new staff “carefully”.
The change the children seem to have liked is the new curriculum, which is really the old one with “enrichment opportunities”. Year 6 student Sophie Bartolo summed up: “Last year we were meant to make bread but we didn’t get round to it. This year we get to do everything.”
This means trips, a focus on art, practical activities and a theme – this year is ‘food of the world’. Ms Bridge said: “It felt like the children were not engaged with learning before”. (Southwark News 2.12.04)
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Southwark asks ‘are kids blingin’?
A limousine drew up at Peckham Academy’s side entrance on Tuesday escorted by police and fronted by security looking like Matrix agents.
These suited men in sunglasses began questioning with a certain menace the students mobbing the limousine: “Are you blingin’ or mingin’?”
After a while one child caught on, “They’re not famous people!”, but few concerned themselves with the true identities of Southwark Council’s environment officers as they tried to shame the ‘mingers’ who drop litter, graffiti of don’t recycle.
Those who got the questions right won keyrings and squashy environmental dice, and everyone got a good look at the new bloke from Footballer’s Wives, whose real name is Paul Davis.
The children seemed to approve. “It’s good, it’s a bit different,” said one, while another agreed: “I thought someone was having a fight! Then I saw the limo….”
Environment officer Simon Baxter said: “I got the idea from my daughter’s magazine…. We wanted to make a link between environmental problems and being hip.”
The Academy’s work, learning and enterprise co-ordinator Dawn Taylor commented: “There’s no point in us having this bloody great new building if the kids are just going to trash it! It’s an eco school - there’s the recycling facility, the water we use is rainwater collected at the school, we’ve planted trees.” (Southwark News 2.12.04)
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Southwark praised for Key Stage 3 results
Southwark schools have the best improved English key stage three results in the country – bar the Scilly Isles. The results arrived late after a series of problems with the national agency charged with running the exams and the ‘News’ understands that many schools are still unhappy with the consistency of marking.
English results are up 10 per cent on last year, with the previously published maths results showing a massive 7 per cent rise, both well above the national average of a 2 per cent increase.
The Schools’ Minister David Miliband MP was so impressed by the performance of the borough’s 14 year olds that he cited the borough as the best example of improving results.
“I am particularly pleased to see that some of the biggest improvements have been seen in economically disadvantaged areas, mirroring the success at primary this summer – for example Southwark,” he said.
Cllr Bob Skelly the council’s Executive Member for Education, also welcomed the results, saying that they were proof of real changes in the quality of schooling in the borough. “These are the biggest increases in both Maths and English which is excellent news for Southwark. But there is general unhappiness in Southwark and the country at large as to the accuracy of the English results.
The ‘News’ understands that many Southwark schools believe the results to be over marked, whilst others feel that they have been hard done by.
The Managing Director of the National Assessment Agency Jonathon Ford resigned from his post on the same day that the Qualifications and Curriculum Authority published a damning report into the difficulties experienced in this year’s Key Stage three exams.
“We’ve accepted responsibility in the report and will be writing to schools early in the New Year outlining the steps we will take to ensure that the problems are not repeated,” said a spokeswoman for the QCA. (Southwark News 25.11.04)
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Pupils treated at Twickenham
Children from Robert Browning Primary in Walworth and Charlotte Sharman in the Elephant and Castle travelled to Twickenham on Saturday to play the curtain raiser before England’s match against Canada.
The children used the changing rooms next to the England team’s and formed the guard of honour during the national anthems. They then had front row seats to watch the match, in which England beat Canada 70-0.
Children from Southwark Tigers Rugby Club, the first inner-city rugby club when it was launched in 2001, also played at the home of rugby on the same day. They took on the Brixton Bulls and were beaten 6-5.
Vernon Neve-Dunn, Southwark community Games co-ordinator and Southwark Tigers manager, said: “Seeing Southwark primary school children walk out on the Twickenham pitch was a really moving moment and the icing on the cake. They did the borough proud”. (Southwark News 18.11.04)
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Web of intrigue
Girls from St Saviours and St Olaves School quizzed some of the country’s leading scientists at the launch of a national science web forum on Tuesday.
The panel, including Prof. Sue Hill, the Department of Health’s Chief Scientific Officer, tried to explain issues such as MRSA, HIV retrovirals and asthma to the inquisitive audience.
The head teacher, Dr Irene Bishop, said: “Having the opportunity to talk with healthcare scientists of this calibre was a real bonus for the students, and we are sure that they will continue to use the forum throughout the next month.”
http://forum.learnaboutscienceinhealth.org (Southwark News 18.11.04)
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Entrepreneur Fever
It is National Enterprise Week and The Academy at Peckham has been engulfed by entrepreneurial fever.
Tuesday and Wednesday saw Year 10s completing in ‘I’m an entrepreneur, get me out of here!’ With the help of real entrepreneurs each student constructed a business plan to be judged for possible development.
Friday launches a six month project called Changemakers, which encourages students to look at what they would like to change both in their school and in the wider community. They will then develop projects to achieve the changes.
This week is the enterprise of Dawn Taylor, work, learning and enterprise co-ordinator at the Academy. She said: “Enterprise is not just about business, it’s about change. We are even having a teachers’ enterprise day which is about weird ways of teaching lessons.”
The ‘News’ talked to four students, of whom Edward Edejor and Peter Adewumi, both 14, were most concerned with making money, though they admitted confidence and knowledge were also important.
Remi Stephenson, 14, who wants to make clothes, said: “You can be more in control if it’s your business – it’s you who decides your future.”
Ms Taylor explained that if the students’ business plans were strong they could stay behind after school and take extra lessons such as business studies to get a head start. (Southwark News 18.11.04)
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Peckham Youths Create Curriculum
A Peckham–based youth project is creating a curriculum to tackle gun crime for the whole of London’s schools.
The From Boyhood to Manhood Foundation (FBMF) were chosen by London Mayor Ken Livingstone as part of an anti-guns initiative called ‘Calling the Shots’.
They are currently piloting some of their 18 lessons at Geoffrey Chaucer School in Walworth, and were at Kingsdale School, Dulwich, before that.
“Lessons are based on six themes”, explained FBMF founder Decima Francis. “The myth behind guns, self confidence, self control and dealing with authority, amongst others.”
FBMF deals mainly with boys excluded from mainstream school, providing them with teaching and support. It has just been granted Ofsted independent school status. “We have a good base to test the language and content of the programme,” she said. “It’s about explaining some of the stereotypes young people have and looking at the thinking behind the lifestyle.
They wear the hooded tops and the baggy trousers to scare people because they think that will make them safe.
“When they stop they see that people look them in the face and they get stopped less by the police.” (Southwark News 18.11.04)
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Fangtastic!
Over 200 parents, boys and ghouls turned out for a fangtastic fancy dress Halloween party and disco at Redriff Primary School in Rotherhithe.
The children and their parents dunked for apples and danced at the two hour long celebration of Halloween, which raised over £250 for the Parents’ Association.
The chair of governors, Diane Heafield, said, “we raised some money for the school but more importantly the children had a great night – lots of treats and not too many tricks.”
Demon Headteacher Mickey Kelly said: “The children and staff have worked very hard so it’s good to let our hair down once in a while.” (Southwark News 11.11.04)
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Waverley students on song
Dulwich and West Norwood MP Tessa Jowell visited Waverley School last week to see pupils taking part in the national Big Sing.
The MP went to the Homestall Road school last Friday, as the students sung the Big Sing song ‘Each Day’. The Big Sing is an event designed to promote singing together in schools and the community. (Southwark News 11.11.04)
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‘Magical’ teachers
Two Southwark teachers have been nominated for national teaching awards.
Russell Jones of the Elephant and Castle’s Geoffrey Chaucer School and Laura Vallins of Dulwich’s Charter School were both put forward after winning the London-wide awards in the summer.
Russell Jones was commended for infusing his teaching with his experiences as an actor when nominated for the innovation in education award but the best testament to his quality is the six-fold increase in the number of students taking his classes. “There are some teachers that are good, some that are great and some that are just magical. Russell belongs quite definitely in the magical category,” said the judges at the awards.
According to her head teacher Laura Vallins also has that magic. “She is one of the most gifted new teachers I have had the privilege to work with in 35 years,” said Charter School’s Mrs Bowmaker. Ms Vallins, an English teacher hailing from Canada, was nominated as the best Outstanding New Teacher in a Secondary School. (Southwark News 4.11.04)
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Bermondsey primary revamp may be put on ice until 2008
It was four years ago that a Bermondsey junior school drew up plans for what Ofsted described as a ‘dynamic and visionary’ scheme, yet now governors have been told that they may have to return to the drawing board,
Parents and governors of Eveline Lowe Primary School petitioned Southwark Council’s Executive on Tuesday night after finding out that, despite earlier promises, they may have to forgo direct funding and wait until the Bermondsey Spa regeneration scheme’s planning gain money comes on stream in 2008.
The school is concerned that funding from regeneration would be dependent on land being released to developers – spacious grounds central to a school which was founded in the 1960s on the ethos of being a green oasis in the midst of the city.
Everyone agrees that new facilities are required for the older students at the school, and until this year it seemed that there was a common vision for addressing the issue.
Ofsted, the government’s school inspectors, said that the accommodation for pupils in years 3-6 was “cramped and entirely unsuitable” but left little room for doubting the strength of the new plans, describing them as ‘dynamic and visionary’ adding that “They have considerable scope in helping to raise standards further for pupils.”
The council’s own asset management committee made the project their number one priority and, according to the school’s chairman of governors, officers promised that the project would be council funded if central government money wasn’t forthcoming.
Yet recently the school was informed that the entire project was to be reconsidered in the light of the upcoming Bermondsey Spa redevelopment.
“It came as a bit of a shock. Why was the decision made without any consultation? This isn’t supposed to be the way it works,” said Eileen Adams, chairman of governors.
“It’s fair to say that the staff of the school are very disappointed,” said the school’s head teacher, Gary Foskett. “These plans, which Ofsted themselves said were urgent, have been put on hold for five years now.”
Ben Humphries, of the architects Archiform, said he had had “whole buildings, designed built and occupied” since undertaking the design work in 2000.
In the 1960s the original one storey school had been featured in the national press with its rejection of classrooms and corridors heralding a new, progressive approach to education. The school has continued to emphasise the importance of place and space in the development of the child, with its community garden and discrete swimming pool, which the school fears will be lost if the upper site is sold off.
Yet the council insists that it has to make the most of the limited resources.
“We remain committed to providing a new school building for Eveline Lowe but we need to look at the most cost effective way of doing that,” said a council spokeswoman.
“The option we’re currently looking at would provide new buildings at little or no cost to the council, which would make more money available for other schools in the borough. We hope to make a decision very shortly in order to minimise delays.”
Local MP Simon Hughes said that “nothing should be decided until the commission [into the future of local primary provision] reports.
“The swimming pool is very well used and I’m very keen it continues. We should only lose any asset belonging to Eveline Lowe if we ended up with better facilities for that particular school.” (Southwark News 4.11.04)
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Headteacher defends his stance on downtown
A Rotherhithe Headteacher was defiant this week following the resignation of seven governors in protest at his “domineering behaviour”.
Redriff Primary’s Michael Kelly told the ‘News’: “This school was judged by Ofsted prior to my arrival as having serious weakness. Ofsted rated my leadership and management as excellent. They did have a few comments about the governing body but we will pass over that.”
The seven resigned shortly after the election of a new head of governors in the first meeting of the new term. “If we remain,” they wrote, “it is our belief that we will be asked to rubber stamp decisions made by others in private.”
One governor claimed that these ‘decisions’ were in part to do with the proposed development by Barratt of the Downtown site: a derelict 4.7 acres of land directly behind the school, and involved the school running a new community centre to be built as part of the development.
Mr Kelly denied that any such decision had been taken. “There can be no details on this until planning permission is granted,” he said. “All of the governors who resigned were present at a meeting (on the subject). When the decision is made by the local authority there will be 106 (planning gain) money available. Our hope will be that some of that will come to the school.”
Despite the strength of feeling against the height of the proposed development among many parents, he said it was not his place to take sides. “If there is a big fence we will sit on it,” he said.
Diane Heathfield, head of the governors, echoed the sentiment, saying that although as a resident she opposed the height of the current development, “something will go there whether we like it or not. As a school we just hope we get the best for the children.”
But Steve Cornish, chair of the Downtown Defence Campaign told the ‘News’: “It’s not fair for Mr Kelly to decide. It’s for the parents, who have told me in no uncertain terms that they don’t want those heights and densities there, the width of a wire fence away from the school.”
A spokesperson from Southwark Council said the authority was aware of the situation and was providing support to the governors. (Southwark News 4.11.04)
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Technicolour play
Rotherhithe Children returned to school this week to find their playground had turned technicolour.
Unbeknown to pupils, a crack team of investment bankers from JP Morgan Chase had descended on Rotherhithe Primary School over half term to paint climbing frames, benches, posts and fences in a dazzling kaleidoscope of red yellow and blue.
Billy and Fallon, both ten, approached their head teacher to inform her that “a rainbow had fallen on the playground.”
“It should be called Rotherhithe Rainbow School,” said Fallon.
Her fellow pupil, Ishaka, 9, told the ‘News’: “The benches make you want to sit down now. Before it was all grey. It makes you want to go round the whole school and look at it all.”
As well as giving the playground the fluorescent treatment, works of art by the children have been blown up and attached to the outside walls of their school. “This was an African mask,” said Alenjna, 8. “It was hard to colour in. My hand was aching.”
Head teacher Janet Anns said: “We had about 75 volunteers come over two days. They did re-turfing, planting and an awful lot of painting.” (Southwark News 4.11.04)
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