Day 195 – More Education Cuts

Yesterday the Government announced a cut of £340M by cutting 133,000 training places as part of their reduction in the further education budget.

See the full story here.

This is the same Government that is desperately trying to tell us that further major cuts will not be inevitable, that the economy will recover quickly as we spend our way out of recession, and that they would like a fourth term in office (pretty please).

Of course, after the next election (whoever wins) the real cuts are likely to be revealed, and the overly bureaucratic and costly BSF programme under real threat.

So a quick quiz question for all those in favour of change – by how much would the BSF budget have to be reduced in order for the whole two-tier project to be shelved?

Would it be unviable with only £200M? How about £100M? What about if it all disappeared? A bit like the Primary funding which is almost completely illusory according to Appendix 3 of the report.

Moreover, BSF funding is so uncertain that even other authorities in the middle of change (Suffolk) have stopped the process until there is more financial assurance.

Of course, there is more than one visionary in this Borough who would still want to change even if no money were available at all…(which of course it very nearly isn’t in the Primary sector)…

The real problem with this, however, is that change costs a vast amount of public money, time and effort, and while that is being spent attention is being diverted from teaching and learning. Which is precisely why other authorities have suffered a major dip in results during and for around 4-6 years after change, the dip being indicative of a loss of focus and morale.

The only way you can help stop this is to contact the councillors and let them know that you think.

You only have until Monday evening to help save the education of a generation of children.

Day 194 – Unmanageable Risk

Change is inevitable in life. Everyone within SMS accepts that educational progress should be a priority in Bedford Borough and that change is inevitably a part of that.

However, any change carries risk, and when that risk becomes unmanaged or even unmanageable, then alarm bells start ringing. There are so many flaws in the primary funding plans, that even with BSF funding, we are risking a whole generation of children’s education. Our primary schools will become overcrowded institutions, lacking specialist facilities for Year 5 and 6 pupils and coping with portacabins owing to funding shortfalls.

Other authorities have believed they hold the secret to changing without disruption, and they have learned the hard way that this is just a fantasy. Milton Keynes have only just recovered, 5 years after change, to the same level as we are – and their change involved only 1 year group (middle schools aged 8-12 became junior schools aged 7-11), did not involve closing schools and only involved one new school building. In fact, in many parts of MK they still effectively have 3-tier (infant, junior and secondary)

Suspicions also arise where clear success criteria are not laid out in advance of change. The inevitable massive disruption must be worth the end result in order to justify change, but these success criteria appear to be entirely missing from the report. So how are we to judge success? And more importantly, how are we to judge failure, if the financial house of cards comes tumbling down and we are left in the middle of a chaotic change, just like Suffolk are at the moment.

Risk should be worth the reward. When the rewards are uncertain and the risks very great, then that is the time to explore the alternative – an enhancement and evolution of our current three-tier system with specific focus on the bits that aren’t working as well as they ought – across the lower, middle and upper schools.

If you want to stop this damaging change, then please help by contacting the councillors to let them know how you feel and attending the Full Council Vote on Monday 16th November at 6:30 in the Harpur Suite (Corn Exchange).

Day 192 – A Holy Report

Yes, full of holes, is the 200+ page report.

If you look at Appendix 4, it indicates that improvement is more or less guaranteed after change to two-tier…mmm, let’s look at that conclusion more closely…

Appendix 4: “Thus four of the five authorities showed some improvement in GCSE performance following change, although that in Warwickshire was small and has subsequently been lost.”

What the DCSF data actually show is that in four out of the five authorities cited in the Council Officers’ report GCSE performance fell during and after the change to 2-tier. Exactly the opposite of what they hide by only looking at the 2008 data.

During the change over to 2-tier MK GCSE results fell to 10% below the England average. 5 years of decline before MK recovered in 2008 by spending considerably more per pupil than in Bedford’s schools. And this was in an authority where only 1 year group was changed and no schools were closed…a much easier task than we have here in Bedford.

During the change over to 2-tier Merton GCSE results fell to 13% below the England average. 4 years of decline before Merton recovered in 2008.

Buckinghamshire changed between 1998-2000. From 1997 to 2008 GCSE passes have fallen 7.3% compared to the national average.

Only in Bradford has the GCSE pass rate improved compared to the national average, albeit from an incredibly low base, around 13% below the national average.

Warwickshire’s results stayed fairly stable, hovering around the national average, although results were only available for a limited period after change here.

So what this shows is that in only one authority, which was underperforming terribly, have results improved after a change to two-tier.

This change has been presented as inevitable because of our terrible underperformance at GCSE (wrong), because change will lead to improvement (unlikely), and because everybody wants the change (err…not true at all).

The only way for you to stop this is to contact the councillors, preferably by phone as emails can be ignored.

Day 190 – A Step-Change in Educational Standards

If councillors vote to support the conclusions of the 200+ page report, then they will succeed in creating a step-change in educational standards in Bedford Borough.

Unfortunately, they will be a step downwards, as every authority has shown during and immediately after the change. Results then take years to return to where they were pre-change, with no guarantee they will actually be higher.

In the meantime, a generation of children will received an impoverished educational experience, not just in terms of Mr.Gradgrind’s average GCSE results compared to those for whom grammar schools are available, but also with middle school teachers whose morale has fallen so much they are seeking to leave Bedford or the profession, with crowded and unsuitable primary accommodation, and with upper schools trying to build, accommodate new pupils and staff, and cope with the demands of compulsory post-16 education, all at the same time.

One of the most damaging aspects will be to our generally excellent lower schools – the section of the report which deals with this side of the funding is very dense, speaking in financial tongues and generally trying to hide the problems from its readership. Sir Humphrey always used to say that was the best way to get something past a Minister – hide it in the bottom of a red box!

Funding for the lower-primary change is very low and what is now clearer is that:

1. There is no funding for any new equipment for new primary classrooms, with furniture/ICT/equipment needing to be imported from existing middle schools presumably.
2. No funding for any externals – for example adapting playgrounds or sports fields.
3. No allowance for toilets, cloakrooms, corridors or practical/group spaces.

This last one is most important. Page 121 of the report says that 7560 square metres of space will be needed for 126 new classrooms – which is 60 square metres each.

This of course, has not considered room for anything else but the standard classroom space of 56-63 square metres. Guidelines for space requirements in schools are available here.

We have always said that funding was a huge problem – and now that the details are being examined, none of us are particularly surprised that the report was not published until only 12 days before the Full Council vote.

There are now only 10 days left – and the only people that can change this are the councillors. Contact them all and tell them what you think…and encourage everyone else to. The only way that this proposal will get voted down is by pressure from you.

Day 188 – The Public Have Spoken

The long-awaited consultation report has been published – all 201 pages and 6MB of it. The link to it is here.

And what does it say? Well of course it recommends a change to two-tier, as we knew all along it would. After all, we have just had the worst example of a non-consultation process that many of us have experienced.

What is interesting is that 57% of responses were in favour of three-tier overall, rising to 66% amongst parents/carers of current pupils. And this, remember, is despite the overwhelming and public display of support for two-tier by the lower and upper school Heads.

So it is clear that those parents who are experiencing the current system and who understand its value have voted overwhelmingly in favour of retention.

This could be a disastrous decision that causes chaos in Bedford’s education system, just like it has done in Northampton and Suffolk recently, both of which are now failing authorities. It could also cause financial meltdown in our schools as budgets are diverted to supporting an ill-planned and under-funded switch.

The Borough Education Officers have ignored the public. The councillors should be aware of the unpopularity of this decision. We urge everyone to contact all councillors urgently, especially their own plus the Executive and Roger Rigby (the Speaker who may have the casting vote in a Full Council debate). Let them know your strongly-held views as this decision can be changed by public protest.

Members of the Executive who make the first decision on Wed 11th are Dave Hodgson, Charles Royden, Barry Huckle, Michael Headley, David Sawyer, Nicky Attenborough, Nick Charsley, Sue Oliver and Will Hunt – their details may be found here.

Spread the word amongst your friends and family !

Can we do it? Yes we can !

Perhaps it is also worth mentioning now that the two online petitions stand at 1129 for three-tier and 161 (currently) for two-tier. Maybe that last figure will go up slightly now in response to this blog…but then our petition has closed, so we regard this as the final result (plus another 9000 or so written signatures, about 7000 of which made it into the report, the others being collected afterward July 24th).

Confirmation of the decision making process

The Executive will consider this on Wednesday 11th November at 6:30 in the Harpur Suite, Corn Exchange. Details are here. Members of the public may attend and ask questions of the Executive.

Should the Executive recommend a change to two-tier, then Full Council will consider this at a special meeting on Monday 16th November at 6:30 in the Harpur Suite, Corn Exchange. We would strongly urge you to attend this meeting. More details will be posted on this blog should they become relevant and when they are available.

Day 186 – The Decision-Making Timetable

The School Organisation Review report will be published on the Council’s website on Wednesday November 4th when the officers will almost certainly recommend a change to 2-tier. The Mayor and the Executive will then meet on Wednesday November 11th and, should they refer the decision to Full Council, the vote will be taken on Monday November 16th at the Corn Exchange. If this is the case, and when the venue and time is confirmed, we will publish that here and would encourage you to attend – democracy in action and all that.

We believe that we have made a rational case for an evolution of our three tier system which does not risk the education of a generation of children or the financial stability of Bedford Borough.

If you want to help get that message across to councillors, please contact them by email or phone and let them know that you support us.

Day 183 – The Cost to Communities

Following on from yesterday’s “green” blog, communities may find there are more knock-on effects, especially in rural areas. When the money runs out, the spectre of closing smaller village schools and combining them into much bigger primary schools sited where the middle schools used to be could become reality.

That would really show efficiencies of scale. It would also show a complete and utter lack of understanding of why many people choose to live in the countryside.

Day 182 – Environmental Cost

One of the costs of change that hasn’t been explored fully is the potential environmental cost. Why are we going to pull down existing buildings rather than refurbishing and re-using them? What environmental consequences might there be with new larger schools and pupils travelling greater distances to them? How many more car journeys will there be across Bedford each day?

This isn’t a decision that will just affect children, schools and families – it will affect all of us in our daily lives.

Day 181 – Primary Funding

It takes massive sums of money to change an authority’s schools from three tier to two tier. Redeployment of buildings and of staff (600 redundancies are planned in Bedford Borough) takes a vast amount of resources in itself, which is perhaps why BSF programmes have been beset by bureaucratic overspend, especially on consultants’ fees – £350M, even if it does exist, may well be insufficient for the task ahead.

Where, of course, funding is practically non-existent, is in the lower-primary switch. Estimated at a maximum of £60M in the consultation document, with £30M of borrowing against future capital receipts, this is a woeful underestimate of the true cost. Remember, this is the same number of pupils being subsumed into lower schools as into upper schools, and it is intended to cost about 1/6.

The real scandal is that Bedford Borough is that any shortfall in funding for the change to two-tier is going to be taken from the Dedicated Schools Grant. Read our letter to Chairs of Governors from September 1st.

This, of course, is in addition to the national £2 Billion cut in schools’ budgets from 2011.

Schools are under enough financial pressure as it is – why would we subject them to a very uncertain future by creating potential chaos?

Day 180 – It’s the Economy Stupid!

Another issue (raised repeatedly by Alistair Burt during the past six months) has been whether BSF funding is guaranteed.

Critically, nobody will assure him that £350M will be forthcoming. More worrying, nobody knows just what may happen in the next 18 months as a new Government comes into power.

What is certain is that public finances are in a shocking state – the country is £175 Billion in debt and last week there were rumours of more “quantitative easing” by the Bank of England…another £50 Billion was mentioned, which is getting on for another £1000 of debt for every person in Britain.

Every part of the public sector is already notified of cuts from 2011. The “Golden Age” of public funding is over and schools are already looking at a 2% cut in funds, without the ball and chain of funding the lower to primary switch from their own budgets.

BSF was seen as the Golden Goose for Bedford Borough – but it won’t be laying those golden eggs for much longer and there is a very great risk that funding will be pulled or reduced in the middle of a change to two-tier.

This would be disastrous, as underfunded change in Northampton and Oxford has demonstrated. Suffolk are so worried by these events that they have curtailed their school reorganisation in the middle, leaving whole areas in limbo.

Bedford Borough needs to act prudently at this time – a move to change every school at once is too risky, aside from being too disruptive and unlikely to lead to school improvement.

It would be much better to bid for BSF funds targeted at transforming underperforming schools in disadvantaged areas and upgrading specific facilities in other areas that are in a desperate state of repair.

Evolution not Revolution

Day 179 – BSF Spin

About 12 months ago, Chris Hilliard and the late Graham Last negotiated in principle a sum of £350M of BSF funding for Bedford Borough. Brian Glover, appointed to continue this work, then ensured that any capital receipts would be retained by Bedford, instead of 50% being returned to BSF as in usually the case.

Whether or not this money will exist under a new Government, we have always recognised that this was magnificent and all those involved should be commended for their professional efforts.

However, where we disagree is how this information appears to have communicated, or indeed spun.

It was allowed to become “public knowledge” that the £350M was apparently linked to changing to two-tier. Furthermore, that we would be unlikely to receive funding to remain three tier as this would not demonstrate a “transformation” of our schools. The late Frank Branston implied or stated this in public several times.

Nadine Dorries then made a crucial intervention by gaining permission for an Adjournment Debate on July 6th, where she and Alistair Burt received assurances from Iain Wright (the Schools’ Minister) that BSF funding was not linked to any particular school system, that three-tier bids have been successful recently, and that the Government’s position on school systems is that it should be a local decision made by local people – nobody has ever shown that one system is better than another.

The problem is that many parents who filled in the School Organisation Review didn’t realise this; in fact many of them probably still believe the spin which came from those in positions of power. So how relevant are the results from the review when it is published on Nov 4th?

SMS calls on councillors to use their judgement on this rather than accepting the official version of events. The fates both of our children’s education and the Borough’s financial future are in your hands.

Day 176 – Educational Half-Truths (4)

Continuing our theme this week…most of the arguments pro two-tier are based on half-truths. This is an excellent way to mislead, because the unwary recognise the half that is true and fail to spot the logical inconsistency in the other 50%.

Example number 4:

Pro two-tier: Secondary schools are so much better because they match their teaching to the National Curriculum Key Stages.

Pro three-tier: So do lower and middle schools – the National Curriculum is a continuous and hopefully progressive journey, not distinguished necessarily by age but by natural development.

This, of course, is the same National Curriculum that is being dismantled piece by piece by the current Government…not to say what the next Government will attempt to do to Schools.

Michael Gove for example seems very keen to change things, and I’m sure he won’t stop introducing new initiatives just because Bedford is busy changing school system !

Read more educational arguments under the Summary tab above – back on Monday looking at finance (or rather the lack of it).

Day 175 – Educational Half-Truths (3)

Continuing our theme this week…most of the arguments pro two-tier are based on half-truths. This is an excellent way to mislead, because the unwary recognise the half that is true and fail to spot the logical inconsistency in the other 50%.

Example number 3:

Pro two-tier: GCSE choices are very difficult in Year 9 because teachers don’t know the children well enough.

Pro three-tier: Teachers in secondary schools of 2000 pupils do not “know” their pupils very well at all. They turn up each September with almost entirely new faces in each of their classes and start from scratch again, learning new names and adjusting to new personalities. That’s if the teachers themselves aren’t new themselves…in fact it’s probably a struggle to know the names of all one’s colleagues in such large schools !

As for GCSE choices, Secondary Schools rarely begin to think about these until the start of Year 9 and there are now also a range of post-14 options, many of which are not taught to younger pupils, so these would be unfamiliar to everyone.

GCSE choices are always concerning for children and parents – and there is no reason why the process cannot start in Year 8 as part of the transition to upper school – it’s a pretty flimsy reason on which to base massive disruption of a generation of schooldchildren.

Day 174 – Educational Half-Truths (2)

Continuing our theme this week…most of the arguments pro two-tier are based on half-truths. This is an excellent way to mislead, because the unwary recognise the half that is true and fail to spot the logical inconsistency in the other 50%.

Example number 2:

Pro two-tier: Two transitions are more disruptive than one.

Pro three-tier: Not if they are managed properly. Two smaller well-managed transitions between smaller, medium and larger schools ensures that children have the maturity to cope with change.

On the other hand, one harsh disruptive move from class-based teaching in Year 6 to subject-based teaching in Year 7, in huge schools of 2000 adolescents and young adults, can leave vulnerable young people emotionally disturbed for months if not years.

When this happens with three year groups at once (planned for Bedford in September 2014 or 2015 when Years 7,8 & 9 will all move at once), most of the new secondary schools will be struggling under the weight of nearly a thousand new pupils in one intake. In other schools in other authorities, this has caused standards to plummet for a generation.

Parents and teachers of middle (and prep) school children all over the country recognise the value of middle years education in producing rounded and confident young people.

Perhaps it is only bureaucrats and politicians without direct parental experience of the system who don’t recognise this.

Day 173 – Educational Half-Truths (1)

Most of the arguments pro two-tier are based on half-truths. This is an excellent way to mislead, because the unwary recognise the half that is true and fail to spot the logical inconsistency in the other 50%.

Example number 1:

Pro two-tier: there are practically no middle years training courses in the country, therefore teacher recruitment in Bedford is doomed.

Pro three-tier: This fails to recognise that most middle school teachers choose to teach in a middle school and, once in the system, are extremely happy to stay there. Far from being a dead end in a career, middle schools offer opportunities for leadership in human-sized organisations that would otherwise not exist for many teachers.

It also avoids the real positive of middle schools, which is the vibrant and creative mix of primary generalists and secondary specialists, something that is very modern indeed. In a truly two-tier system, primary and secondary go their separate ways and “never the twain shall meet”.

This then leads to one very harsh transition between sometimes very small primary schools and massive secondary schools – which in the end is much more disruptive than two smaller well-managed transitions.

Teachers don’t look at the whole country when they choose their jobs – they tend to teach in areas in which their family lives, where they studied, or where their partner works. Very few make large geographical moves more than once or twice. Teacher recruitment problems are a huge red herring.

Good schools will always attract good teachers, whatever the system. Many of our schools are already very good or outstanding – so why aren’t we targeting resources at the challenging schools rather than looking to change a whole system?

Day 172 – In the beginning…

Do you remember in the dim distant past (5 months ago) when the School Organisation Review (public consultation) was published? Do you remember the core arguments made in favour of change?

1. Bedford’s GCSE results aren’t very good.
2. Our three tier education system must be the cause of this.
3. There is £350M available for secondary buildings if we can show transformational change.
4. Therefore we must change to two-tier to improve results and get the dosh.

Someone trained in logic would have a field day with this chain of reasoning. It is nonsense from start to finish.

1. Results can always improve but we are in line with the national average, perform better than authorities of similar size and demographics (Milton Keynes and Swindon for example), and have some outstanding schools with none failing.
2. The Government has admitted that no credible source has ever shown that one system of schooling is better than another – it is much more to do with quality of teaching and leadership. Northamptonshire is now almost completely two-tier and still struggling.
3. Does anyone truly believe that from 2011 there will be a third of a billion pounds available for knocking down serviceable buildings and throwing up some more…? And where is the money coming for the lower-primary move?
4. Even if the money is available, there is no necessity to change school system to access BSF funding – again, the Government has admitted this.

The truth is that this was a non-consultation, a huge waste of public money, based on logical inconsistencies and misleading arguments. It was a nonsense then and it remains a nonsense now.

SMS calls on our new Mayor to show that he really understands the needs of Bedford Borough and to reject any proposal to move to two-tier immediately.

Day 169 – And the winner is…

Sometime today, the new Mayor will be elected. Whoever that may be, they deserve congratulations for winning what might turn out to be a close race, and also every good fortune in their new position of responsibility – and to balance the books in Bedford Borough they are certainly going to need a lot of fortune !

The School Organisation Review will be the first serious policy decision over which the new Mayor has influence. We can only hope that he (or she) uses their newfound influence to stop this educationally disruptive and financially ruinous decision.

On Monday this blog will return to the educational and financial arguments against change – as the serious work to Save Bedford’s Schools restarts in earnest.

Day 162 – Vote for a Three-Tier Mayor

Yesterday, SMS informed its supporters of its position on the Mayoral Election. The email is reproduced below in its entirety. Should you wish to receive a copy of it so you can forward it around your networks, email us at save.middle.schools@googlemail.com and we’d be delighted to oblige.

——————————————————————————–

Dear SMS Supporter and others,

Please forward this email onwards so that we can reach as many voters as possible. Newcomers to the details of the debate should read http://savemiddleschools.wordpress.com/summary/ if they need any more convincing !

Many of you have asked us how you should vote in the forthcoming Mayoral election. Our response has always been that we are not a political party, but a single issue campaign group and that you should vote for whoever you think will do the best for Bedford rather than their own or their party’s interests. However, if you wish to vote on this single issue, the positions of the three leading candidates as we understand them are given below.

Don’t forget that you have two votes under the voting system, and your vote may be transferred to your second choice candidate in the “second round”, where the top two contenders go head-to-head on combined first and second votes. Second votes may win this election.

Your votes may make the difference between electing a pro three-tier or a pro two-tier Mayor.

Parvez Akhtar (three-tier): (and pictured on his leaflet outside Alban Middle School’s “Save Our School” sign)
“As a dad of children in local lower, middle and upper schools, I know how important it is we get this decision right. I believe our three-tier schools have served us well. The case for change hasn’t been proven and there’s now massive uncertainty that the Labour Government would give us the money needed for a reorganisation – but here’s my personal guarantee: parents’ views will have the real role in my consultation process that many feel they don’t have now.”

Apu Bagchi (three-tier):
“I will put the brakes on the borough’s expensive school reorganisation programme and invest more to improve the educational attainment of all our children. If the predicted public spending squeeze really starts to bite, I don’t want to see the local taxpayer having to bail out a scheme that will create massive disruption for teachers, parents and a generation of our school children.”

Dave Hodgson (two-tier):
“My position is that I would like to see the system in Bedford Borough change to two-tier.”

Our (very informal and unscientific!) private polling suggests that this will be a very close contest between these three over two rounds of voting and that the other candidates are not in the running, but for the record Tony Hare supports three-tier strongly, James Valentine supports two-tier and Eve Robinson-Morley would like a referendum of those affected by the decision.

Thousands of voters have signed our petitions – please make sure they get out and vote pro three-tier on Thursday October 15th.

Regards,

Save Middle Schools

Day 161 – Wootton & Beyond

Last night several members of SMS were at Wootton Upper School for the Mayoral Question Time organised by a group of Sixth Formers (incidentally they got the biggest round of applause of the night and deservedly so – good show guys!)

Chaired by Chris Gill of the BoS, the 6 Mayoral candidates answered questions from the audience on all the major issues of the campaign…transport, regeneration, crime and disorder, balancing the books etc…

…and generally we have to say they all gave very reasonable answers most of the time…but with the occasional exception there seemed to be very little difference between their answers…they even agreed with each other !

And then the schools issue came up. Here there was a clear difference.

Parvez Akhtar said that “The first thing that I am going to do is ring the Schools’ Minister and ask him whether he can guarantee the BSF money exists” and, later on, “It’s not going to happen”

Apu Bagchi said “I’m not in favour of change.”

Tony Hare said “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”

Eve Robinson-Morley said “I’d like a referendum of the people it affects”

Dave Hodgson said “I’m in favour of two-tier but I will accept the Full Council decision and there are other provisos”

James Valentine said “As a Labour Mayor working with a Labour Schools’ Minister I’ll be able to secure the BSF money”…mmm…maybe it won’t be a Labour Schools’ Minister for very long though…he also didn’t seem to realise that there is a huge underfunding in the lower-primary switch…very worrying James, you seemed so plausible and smooth, yet have so little in-depth knowledge of the issues…

What was obvious is that this is one of the only issues that divides the main candidates and that, in a potentially low turn-out, supporters of this campaign can make a difference to the final vote.

We will be emailing our supporters’ list later today in order to let them know our thoughts on the candidates’ views, and to encourage them to exercise their democratic right next Thursday.

Day 160 – Conservatives to cut public spending

Yesterday at the Conservative Party Conference, George Osborne announced plans (should he be in a position to implement them) to cut public sector bureacracy – cutting Whitehall budgets by a third which will then lead to massive job cuts.

Well, good luck with that one George – I’m sure Sir Humphrey will tell you he needs to employ 10,000 more staff in order to implement the cuts.

In all, the Conservatives are planning about £7 billion of cuts every year of the next Parliament.

Hands up who thinks £350 million to change school system in Bedford is a good use of public funds then…

Day 159 – Martin Bell’s visit

One member of SMS was at Apu Bagchi’s event last night to hear Martin Bell speak on behalf of the leading Independent candidate. Martin described himself as “just an old bloke who wants to make a difference” or something similar – well, hopefully he has made a difference to Apu’s campaign.

Starting as a 66-1 outsider, odds on Apu have now shortened to 8-1 or less, and, talking to people outside SMS (which we do occasionally), momentum is being carried into the final ten days of the Mayoral campaign by someone who would carry cross-party respect.

Martin’s support has obviously helped put Apu in the public eye. But Apu’s surge in the polls is more than that. It is a sign that the voting public are disaffected with party politics.

Steve Lowe (in the BoS) and others have said before that Bedford needed Frank Branston as Mayor precisely because he was genuinely and obviously his own man – a true Independent.

Apu Bagchi is not another Frank Branston – nobody is – but he is most certainly Independent, and experienced enough to be the calming hand on the tiller.

And Apu’s stance on schools? Don’t be silly – of course he wouldn’t embark on an expensive and unnecessary reorganisation when massive public spending cuts are just around the corner.

Day 154 – Meet the Mayoral Candidates

For those of you who like to hear (and see) the candidates opinions rather than accepting our (very slightly biased) interpretation…

Those nice guys at Heart Bedford FM have posted 3-4 minute interviews with all 6 Mayoral candidates including the question “Where do you stand on the School Organisation Review”…and their views are getting much clearer now.

Apu and Tony are very firmly in favour of retention with Parvez only slightly behind them.

James and Dave both support two-tier in principle, with many political noises from Dave in particular about changing his mind if the money isn’t there blah, blah, blah…SMS has been telling you this for months now Dave…you say you are a successful businessman…would you open new premises if your bank was about to foreclose on you?

Eve rather strangely dodges the question – surely, as the Green Party candidate, she would be appalled at the huge waste of ripping down existing buildings and the potential for 11 year olds to be transported large distances to huge secondary schools?

Anyway, some enterprising Sixth Formers at Wootton Upper School have arranged that you can see all the candidates and ask questions in a debate chaired by Chris Gill (editor of the BoS) next Wednesday 7th October 7:30-9:00. To register for the meeting email debate@wootton.beds.sch.uk with your name and any questions you wish to ask.

Day 153 – Refurbishment

“With forecast cuts in public spending it is likely that the Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme will need to consider more refurbishment and less new builds.”

With this quote, Roger Hawkins begins to argue the case for positive refurbishment of existing structures for schools in the Architects’ Journal.

Some buildings are obviously better pulled down, but many can be modernised effectively and gradually, and using funds that are realistically available. Ambitious plans can be made, but if funds disappear, they can be modified or cancelled.

These options aren’t available if school system change occurs. Pupils have to be housed somewhere; they need classrooms.

Nobody knows if funding will still be there after a change of government. Nobody knows where the lower-primary funding is coming from at all.

So why are we planning a revolution rather than an evolution?

Day 152 – Dave Hodgson

Dave Hodgson has got around to addressing the schools debate. Unfortunately not in the press as yet, but by email reply to SMS supporters and others who have queried his silence on the issue. His reply is standard and was forwarded to us by several people keen for it to gain a wider audience.

As this is the only issue in the election which appears to provide clear ground between the candidates (they all want to build the bypass, they all want to regenerate the town centre, they all want to attract business) then we do wonder why it has taken this long for Dave to reply – perhaps he has a lot on at the moment…

SMS will issue a reply to this letter in due course via this blog, but comments are very welcome to Dave’s email…all comments are anonymous via pseudonym of course and you can easily set up a temporary googlemail or hotmail account to further protect your anonymity from us (like Fred & William).

———————————————————————————————————
Thank you for your email about the school structures. I know that schools and schooling is something about which people, including myself, are passionate. Indeed, I came to Bedford when my father was appointed Headteacher of Westfield School and I went to school in Bedford through the last restructuring.

My position is that I would like to see the system in Bedford Borough change to 2 tier. I am the Chair of Governors at John Bunyan School which is soon to become an academy. All of the Headteachers in the Bunyan Pyramid, including the Headteachers of the Middle Schools, support a change to 2 tier education. The Academy sponsors are also wholeheartedly for 2 tier. If the Borough was starting from a blank sheet of paper there is, for me, no question that 2 tier schools would be the best option. It’s the system used by over 90% of local authorities, for which the national frameworks are devised and for which almost all teacher training is provided.

I have met with Tony Dadd and his colleagues when they asked for a meeting with councillors and I have heard their arguments and put questions to them.

Before finally deciding on whether I want the Borough to change to 2 tier I would consider:
- the consultation responses, whether they contained anything to change my view that a change to 2 tier is desirable
- can it be funded
- is there a credible plan for implementation

As you are no doubt aware, the final decision will be taken by the Full Council not the Mayor. As Mayor, even if the Council voted for the different option than me, I would take up the option decided on as the option for the Borough for the next 30 years and ensure it was pursued with all vigour to get the best education for the Borough’s children. Indeed, to get any money from the government they must be convinced that the Borough has made a clear decision and will pursue it wholeheartedly.

Regards
Dave Hodgson

Day 151 – Northamptonshire’s Great New Vision

Back in 2005, Northampton’s 3-tier system was changed to 2-tier. By November 2007, there were more schools in special measures or on notices to improve in Northamptonshire than in any other authority, many of them in Northampton as a direct result of the change.

Well, the special forces team have been into Northamptonshire for the past year and have now come up with a brand new shiny 21 point plan to improve educational standards. The Northampton Evening Telegraph covered this a week or so ago on their front page.

The proposed changes include cutting the summer holidays to four weeks and lengthening the school day.

Cllr Ron Sawbridge, chairman of the pupil attainment working group which is behind the plans, said: “If we are going to improve the situation quickly we need to introduce radical changes.”

Apparently changing from three tier to two tier wasn’t radical enough.

SMS wonders how much money has been diverted from teaching and learning to come up with this plan…and whether Suffolk are going to produce the same plan in a year’s time…and whether Bedford will be in 5 years’ time…

Day 147 – Parvez, Apu and Tony

Word reached SMS this week of Parvez Akhtar and Apu Bagchi’s first newsletters. This is what they say about schools:

Parvez Akhtar – Conservative (and pictured on his leaflet outside Alban Middle School’s “Save Our School” sign)
“As a dad of children in local lower, middle and upper schools, I know how important it is we get this decision right. I believe our three-tier schools have served us well. The case for change hasn’t been proven and there’s now massive uncertainty that the Labour Government would give us the money needed for a reorganisation – but here’s my personal guarantee: parents’ views will have the real role in my consultation process that many feel they don’t have now.”

Apu Bagchi – Independent
“(I will) put the brakes on the borough’s expensive school reorganisation programme and invest more to improve the educational attainment of all our children.” In his manifesto, Apu adds: “If the predicted public spending squeeze really starts to bite, I don’t want to see the local taxpayer having to bail out a scheme that will create massive disruption for teachers, parents and a generation of our school children.”

Last week, Tony Hare (Independent) said in the T&C:
“To change to a two-tier structure will cost a considerable amount of money, and the construction, upheaval to children at a vulnerable time, and the additional travelling for children in rural areas will all be for what? To change the existing system while using the same teachers, teaching the same children and using the same curriculum, for the same duration, with no guarantees of any better results.”

It seems like these three candidates ought to have our support then, as they have called this issue correctly.

For James Valentine (Labour, who supports two-tier on the basis of two school transitions being more disruptive than one) and for Dave Hodgson (LibDem, who apparently doesn’t think this is important enough to have a view either way in public) perhaps our readership might like to reconsider their traditional party allegiances this time round.

And in an election that may be too close to call, everybody’s votes (both of them, first choice and second) will count.

So SMS are asking that you ensure you, your family and your friends vote for a candidate who openly supports stability, not educational and financial chaos. Spread the word.

Day 146 – Suffolk Now Failing

Suffolk is in the middle of a change from two-tier to three-tier, based on the availability of BSF funding. Unfortunately, as reported on this blog on Day 139, half of the project has been put on hold over concerns that money will not be available post-2011.

In the meantime, teachers have left in droves from middle schools due to close and from an education system in the process of chaotic change.

Yesterday, the DCSF announced that expert advisors are being sent to Suffolk to prepare a progress review on results.

To interpret that in plain English, Suffolk is failing to provide a satisfactory education for many of its children. Just like Northampton and Milton Keynes did shortly after they announced their change.

Just like Bedford Borough will in the future should we attempt this unwise and underfunded change to a primary-secondary schools structure.

Day 145 – James Valentine’s view

The Labour Party’s candidate for Mayor made his public views on school system change known in the BoS at the weekend.

James says:
“I believe that changing school too many times hinders a child’s learning, so I support a move to two tier.”.

SMS says:
“James is welcome to his beliefs. However, most parents and middle school supporters believe that two smaller well-managed transitions can be much better than one harsh change from a primary school with maybe only 150 pupils to a huge secondary of 2000 adolescents and young adults.”

James says:
“To avoid disruption to our children, the reorganisation will take place over a long time period – planning and discussions with the schools over the next three years, and implementation between 2013 and 2015. But we need to decide now.”

SMS says:
“The disruption will be caused over the next 10 years, with Marie Celeste middle schools for 5 years losing their best staff and their brightest children whose parents will scrimp and save to put them into the private sector.”

“The disruption will be caused in upper schools, as three year groups and their new teachers descend on one day in September 2014 or 2015 and have a far-reaching effect on results for years, as in other authorities that have changed recently.”

“The disruption will be caused in lower schools, where the change to primary is underfunded and due to come out of the schools’ own budgets.”

“The disruption will be caused for all teachers, where the new government’s educational initiatives and financial cuts will have to be implemented at the same time as this damaging change.”

“Yes, we do have to decide now. Decide to remain three-tier for the next 30-50 years, so bureaucrats and politicians don’t come back and try again in 3,5,10 years’ time.”

James says:
“I am telling you this because I think it is important for Bedford’s democracy that anyone who wants to be Mayor is honest about what they believe.”

SMS says:
“Thank you James. That is the most sensible thing you have said so far. We don’t agree with your opinion on schools, and you probably won’t get elected as the ‘reds’ aren’t the nations favourite colour at the moment, but you might have made a reasonable Mayor of Bedford.”

“Perhaps it is time for Dave Hodgson to show his hand now. Come on Dave, you know you want to…”

Day 144 – A £2 Billion Cut in Schools’ Budgets

Ed Balls yesterday confirmed that, from 2011, there will be a £2 billion cut in schools’ budgets and said that he could successfully deliver them.

His solution? Mainly by creating federations of schools, where senior posts are shared across schools and therefore saving money by employing fewer senior non-teaching staff. Also a reduction in bureaucrats, which is always a popular thing to say (and you’ll hear more of that in the run-up to the next general election from all parties I’m sure).

So, from 2011, schools in Bedford will be involved in a massive reorganisation of senior management in order to find the huge cuts that Ed Balls has proposed (or whatever Michael Gove’s alternative is).

The education world will be in turmoil in order to find cuts of this size…and at the same time, Bedford is going to change its schools system?

And all this assumes that BSF funding will survive, and schools will find the money for lower-primary transition…

…and our children, schools and families will all continue happily along their way, gaining improved results?

Absolute fantasy.

So what can you do?

Help to vote in a Mayor who has a clear policy to retain and support three-tier education by any means possible – spread the word by email and social networking – “viral” campaigns such as ours can be more effective than leafletting in the modern world.

Encourage others to actively vote for three-tier supporters (with both their votes) and against two-tier supporters (by not voting for them)

Day 141 – Tony to run for Mayor

Tony Hare announced yesterday in the Times & Citizen that he would be running for Mayor as an Independent candidate. His comments on the schools debate included:

“To change to a two-tier structure will cost a considerable amount of money, and the construction, upheaval to children at a vulnerable time, and the additional travelling for children in rural areas will all be for what?”

“To change the existing system while using the same teachers, teaching the same children and using the same curriculum, for the same duration, with no guarantees of any better results.”

Quite. Well said.

There are now 5 candidates declared openly and of those positive sounds in public for a sensible decision on schools have been made by Parvez Akhtar (Conservative) and Tony Hare (Independent). James Valentine (Labour) has not had much press at all yet so we don’t know his views. Dave Hodgson (LibDem) and Apu Bagchi (Independent) had personal profile pieces yesterday in the T&C which (to be fair) were not policy platforms, but neither has made a public commitment yet either.

Of these, Dave Hodgson has solidly refused to make his position clear. Yesterday on this blog Michael Headley confirmed that the LibDems (the largest group) will have a free vote on the issue, which of course isn’t the same thing at all – potential Mayors need to show leadership, and it beggars belief that a man who attended a briefing for his party from both sides back in April or May, has spoken to SMS as part of our councillors’ meetings during the summer, and who is a governor of John Bunyan, does not know which side of the fence he sits on yet.

This is not about what the Consultation Report will say either (as Nicky Attenborough tried to get away with on Monday evening), because the Consultation Document made it very clear which way the “Sir Humphreys” of Bedford Borough were going with this.

It is about leadership. Or rather, a distinct lack of it from a man who may well be elected Mayor on October 15th.

Day 139 – Chaos in Suffolk

Yesterday in Suffolk, their plans to abolish middle schools were thrown into chaos as half the project was put on hold over concerns about BSF funding post-2011. The full article is here.

Graham Newman, the portfolio holder for children’s services said: “Because the government cannot give us any certainty about levels of funding for future years, we feel that as a prudent and sensible council we have to reconsider the timeline for the remainder of the review. Until we have more clarity on the future financial position, it would be irresponsible for us to make promises on what happens next and when.”

Andrew Stringer, the Green Party councillor who has been one of the leading figures in the fight to retain middle schools, said education in the Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket areas was now facing a crisis.

“We are left with the worst of all possible worlds – an exodus of teachers has already begun because of the changes, which means our children are facing the prospect of falling education standards.

“Two years’ ago, we warned the county council not to proceed until it has a cast iron assurance that the money would be there to pay for it. We feared we were being led down a blind alley and, sadly, we have been proved right,” said Mr Stringer.

The political and educational establishment has already destabilised our schools by trying to influence popular opinion by indicating that this is a “done deal”.

Isn’t it time we voted in a Mayor who believed in stability rather than chaos, incremental change by targeting resources where they are needed rather than massive disruption, visions based on solid reality rather than the fantasy of the Emperor’s new clothes.

Day 138 – The Morning After

What a show the Conservatives put on at Dame Alice Harpur last night ! The audience (of 700+?) queued for miles (almost literally) as the security checks were very tight, although they didn’t seem to mind whether you were carrying any guns or drugs, as long as your name was on the electoral register. Maybe identity cards would have helped…or,err…maybe not…

The surprise guest (Mr.Pickles) and the Chairman then did an impromptu double act on Conservative Party policies under David Cameron for an hour and a half with a style that was very “Eric and Ernie”, in fact Eric Pickles might even have won the nomination at the end if his name had been on the ballot paper. More than one stomach grumbled, and those grumbles moved vertically as the evening wore on…oh well, the best laid plans…democracy in action and all that…

But at last we were off, with a shortened time slot of 5 mins standard questioning from the Chair and 5 mins from the audience, and what fun was had seeing how the prospective mayoral candidates dealt with one standard question in particular: “Three tier or Two tier”?

And these were our impressions of their answers:

Parvez Akhtar: We need to look at it carefully and consider all the evidence. Oh alright, if you insist on a straight answer, I tend to support the three tier side….(wow, a considered but straight answer. How impressive !)

Tom Wootton: I’m a traditionalist. Three tier through and through…(good man)

Nicky Attenborough: How could I possibly comment when the official report hasn’t been published? I don’t know anything about this yet. Once I am elected, I’ll tell you what I think…(methinks she has been well trained by the bureaucrats in Borough Hall – going native they called it in Yes Minister)

Jason Reddy: If the finance is there, then we’ll be able to make a decision…(well, that one’s easy then Jason, because the money isn’t there for the lower-primary change, even if we do get £340M for secondary schools)…and what decision do you personally support? (not that it matters much now…)

And the result? Parvez by a country mile with over 50% of the votes in the first round. There were then quite a few grumbles from the party faithful about procedure and the fact their selection procedure had been “hijacked” by outsiders (ie real and not necessarily Tory voters willing to give up an evening of their time), but to be honest, Parvez was by far the best candidate overall.

The next task of course will be to ensure that the schools debate becomes the main focus of this Mayoral campaign. If any of the other candidates try the Nicky Attenborough approach (she was heckled and not by SMS it must be said), they may get laughed at openly….by the electorate on polling day.

Day 137 – The Conservative Open Primary

Tonight the Conservative Party plus other more independently minded Bedfordians will select the Conservative candidate for the Mayoral Elections.

The candidates are:

Nicky Attenborough, Leader of the Bedford Borough Conservative Councillors

Tom Wootton, Conservative Borough Councillor

Parvez Akhtar, Chair of the Queens Park Parish Council

Jason Reddy, a Putnoe GP and Deputy Medical Director of the NHS Bedfordshire PCT

SMS wonders what each of them will say about the schools’ debate. Some of us will be there to listen with interest, especially as many traditionally Conservative votes are in wards with very good middle schools.

Day 135 – Mayoral Candidates

So far we know of three declared candidates:

Cllr Dave Hodgson – LibDems and Governor of John Bunyan Upper School

James Valentine – Labour and “an upper school” governor (according to his blurb in the BoS)

Cllr Apu Bagchi – Independent and Governor of Castle Lower School

On Monday night the Conservative Party and their invited guests will select their candidate and in one week’s time we will know who all the candidates are.

We wonder when any of them will state their position on whether they support two or three tier education? The voters of Bedford have a right to know what they believe and what they plan to do.

Day 133 – Good News !

On Tuesday night, David Cameron spoke to an audience of 140 in Bedford about future Conservative policy after the next General Election – should they win a majority of course.

He was asked about BSF funding and he said that he “thinks” the money will still be available. Excellent news.

He also said that it is up to us in Bedford to decide which school system we want to have. More excellent news.

As we know that the BSF funding does not cover lower-primary change and that this money will be coming out of school budgets probably for the next 25 years, let us decide positively to retain three tier education and to spend BSF funding wisely on our existing school system.

Also that way, if David Cameron takes office and discovers that the public finances are worse than he “thought”, that swingeing cuts will have to be made, and that BSF funding will be reduced dramatically, we won’t be left in the middle of a financial mess of our own making.

Day 131 – BSF in the News

Yesterday, Michael Gove, the high-profile Shadow Children’s Secretary, criticised openly the Building Schools for the Future programme, revealing that £170M had been spent on consultants with hardly any improvement to schools.

This was immediately rebutted by Ed Balls, who said that the BSF funding was not safe in the Conservatives’ hands and that they planned to make big cuts.

All good party political stuff which you can read more about here.

Both Michael and Ed seem to be saying things that are probably true though. The BSF programme is a bureaucrat’s dream, creating reams of paper, reports, feasibility studies, planning meetings, jobs for the boys, etc. Anything to avoid spending money on real children, real teachers and real schools. Any Civil Service scheme would be; will be, even under a Conservative administration.

The next Government, moreover, will almost certainly be forced to make cuts, and it might not just be the blues that do that; the reds, should they make a miraculous recovery in the polls, would almost certainly be forced to make huge cuts too.

It’s not about party politics here – it’s about the inability of politicians to control bureaucratic programmes.

The really interesting thing though, is that the Conservatives are so high profile on Education. Lots more changes ahead methinks.

Day 130 – The Mayoral Elections

The new Mayor of Bedford will be elected on Thursday 15th October but will only hold office until May 2011 (19 months) when they will be up for re-election along with every councillor.

The first major decision immediately they take office will be the School Organisation Review and the new Mayor will have a great deal of influence over the result.

This is why it is essential that opponents of the educationally unsound, financially unviable, and massively disruptive change to two-tier, take time to consider their positions (and votes) carefully.

This is also why it is also essential that candidates of all political hues make their intentions clear to everybody. The new Mayor may not make this decision on their own, but they should be able to show leadership. After all, if they can’t give a straight-forward answer on this (much debated) issue, how can we trust them not to be just another politician, in it for their own egos.

Only one candidate has been declared so far – Cllr Dave Hodgson for the LibDems. The BoS yesterday quoted him as saying, “We face enormous challenges such as the decaying town centre, the regeneration of the bus station area and the need for a quality transport system”…not one word about schools there…so we do hope Dave is intending to make his position clear sometime very soon…along with all the other candidates of course…

By the way, don’t forget that the Conservatives have announced that you can help them select their candidate for Mayor by attending their US-style primary on the evening of Monday 14th September. You don’t need to be a party member, and you don’t even have to be a Conservative supporter, but you do have to register by sending your full name and address to: mayor@bedfordconservatives.com.

Day 127 – £1 Trillion

£1 Trillion is apparently how much the country is in debt – according to the Daily Mail Comment today (so it must be right then…)

The Mail are commenting on the fact that both main political parties are rejecting a consultants’ report which says that job cuts of up to 10% are necessary in order to save £20 Billion over the next 5 years. The NHS, say both Labour and Conservative parties, is far too important…true, but I wonder if the next Government says the same thing when it is forced to cut costs drastically.

£20 Billion is only 2% of the overall debt, if the figures are to believed, hardly anything. £340M of BSF funding is less than 2% of the proposed NHS cut, so a piddly amount (although SMS wouldn’t mind this amount of small change).

There are going to have to be some massive swingeing cuts, and these are going to be coming very soon. BSF funding, especially for school system change, is a luxury compared to employing nurses, teachers, social workers, policemen…

Those people who believe the money has been allocated are fantasists – but we now have the opportunity to ensure that the next Mayor won’t be one of these, by electing someone with some financial sense.

Tell the Mayoral candidates what you think by writing to the Times & Citizen or Beds on Sunday or email the Stephen Rhodes breakfast show on BBC 3CR or Heart FM Bedford.

Day 126 – Congratulations !

One week ago GCSE results were published. Many pupils celebrated their individual success and our warmest congratulations to them.

The Bedfordshire on Sunday carried the yearly reports of the very successful pupils with hatfuls of A*s and the Borough commended its schools with a webpage of results.

Now these results are very interesting…if you average the schools’ 5 A*-C results then overall you get 68.4%…compared to a national average of 67.1%…so we could be said to be better than the national average.

And this despite spending £220 less per pupil than the national average.

Surely the consultation document told us that we were considerably worse than the national average on this measure?

The truth is that, since 2006 when the last damaging proposal to change to two-tier was thrown out by county councillors, results have improved year-on-year.

And of course, statistics tend to hide all sorts of real stories, concerning real schools and real pupils.

So let’s focus on the real issue of ensuring that we save three tier education in Bedford by voting in a Mayor who believes in it wholeheartedly.

Day 125 – Lord Baker’s Technical Revolution

Lord Baker was in the news yesterday linked with schools – again – you may recollect him from the early days of the National Curriculum and from when “Baker Days” were introduced.

SMS heard him on the Today Programme on Radio 4 enthusing over technical schools, something that has been reworked from Butler’s 1944 Education Act (there are no new ideas in education remember).

This time the schools will be University or FE college-sponsored; of high status; similar to Germany’s very popular technical schools.

This time, however, technical education will be aimed at over 14s…or…err…upper school age children. Lord Baker was particularly at pains to point out that 11 was too young to make decisions about the future but that 14 was just right.

Apparently the idea has all-party support, with particularly enthusiastic sounds coming from the Conservative Michael Gove, the most likely candidate to be Education Minister after the next General Election.

Vernon Coaker (another schools Minister – how many are there?) said “These are really early days,on this and we’re right at the beginning of our thinking. The concept is a good one: 14-19 schools specialising in a couple of areas of diplomas and core GCSEs with links to local employers”.

Remind us again why we we want to change our flexible 14-19 schools into 11-19 leviathans?

Day 124 – A Letter to Chairs of Governors

The following letter was sent on Friday 28th August by Save Middle Schools to Chairs of Governors of Lower Schools.

————————————————————————————————————–

F.A.O. Chairs of Governors of Lower Schools – Bedford Borough

Dear Sir/Madam,

HOW WILL YOUR SCHOOL BE AFFECTED?

During the summer break, and one week after the School Organisation Review consultation period ended, it emerged that the funding of converting 50 lower schools to primary will not after all be achieved by Council borrowing but by raiding the Dedicated Schools Grant received every year from Central Government. This may result in each school having to find 2% annual savings for potentially the next 25 years.

One can understand why our Council are considering this. The borrowing route will mean a 3.6% increase in Council Tax for 25 years. Projections for the current year suggest an overall overspend of £3million and recent budget projections (assuming no change to the school system and no remedial action taken) point to a requirement to increase Council Tax by £22 million up to the end of 2012/13. This equates to an annual increase of 7% which clearly the Council cannot justify; efficiency savings or cuts in services will be imperative.

One school governor with experience of school building projects has done his own sums on the cost of creating primaries and predicts that the total conversion cost is likely to be over £100 million and not the £60 million included in the consultation document.

Only you will know how difficult it will be to find sustainable cuts in your DSG monies of 2%, 4% 6% p.a.? Very soon, cuts in teaching assistants and equipment will be necessary; and all of this whilst governing bodies will be managing their schools through 5-10 years of unnecessary organisational change.

Many governing bodies of lower schools have supported the two tier proposal on the basis that it would provide opportunities for their own schools. However, in the light of this new information which was not available during the consultation period, your governing body should have the opportunity to reconsider its position and we hope, indeed, that you do so. As the consultation period has now ended, your only recourse now is to contact your local councillor and advise them of the consequences of such a decision for your school.

I am attaching a Press Release from Cllr Michael Headley dated August 3rd which supports our views.

Yours faithfully,

Tony Dadd
Coordinator, Save Middle Schools

————————————————————————————————————–

Date: Monday 3 Aug 09

Cllr Michael Headley
Press Release

Schools Budget To Be Raided For Tiers Change?

It has emerged that the Council is considering taking money from the budget for schools to pay for the change to a 2 tier education system.

They have identified a need for a possible £2.4m per year for 25 years to pay for the borrowing needed to extend lower schools into primary schools.

It had been assumed that this would have to come from the council’s general fund budget. However, just a few days after the consultation period closed it has emerged that the council are turning their attention to taking the money from the “Dedicated Schools Grant”, the vast majority of which normally goes straight to schools.

Cllr Michael Headley said “ It seems bizarre that in the name of improving standards the council is even considering cutting the money going into our local schools. Many people fear that a change of school system will be very disruptive for the education of the children caught up in it, but now we face the prospect of these very same children being short changed with cuts in the schools budget.”

“I’m not surprised that the council have at last realised that the expense of this project would be hard to find out of the council’s budget. But I’m astonished that taking it from the money destined for schools is seen as a better option.”

“No sooner has the consultation ended than we learn about this new development. We will never know if parents, schools and others would have changed their view if they had known at the time that there would have to be a 2% cut in the money going to schools to fund this change.”

“I know that superficially there may look like there are savings in closing the middle schools, but it doesn’t take long to realise that they won’t materialise. There will still be the same number of pupils needing teachers Heads and deputies at the enlarged schools will get paid more, whilst those at the middle schools will have protected salaries. Even the total floor area of all schools could well increase rather than decrease. I can see this cut in the schools’ budget ultimately resulting in a worse educational experience for the children.”

In 2009/10 the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) was £92,249,807. Additional school funding streams brings the total funding for supporting schools to £118,397,466. The £2.4m would equate to 2% of that.

ENDS

Day 123 – More Government Cuts

Taken from the Guardian on Saturday 29th August.

The government is preparing to cut spending on its flagship academy programme, with schools’ sponsors told to expect a reduction in funding for each new academy school as soon as next year.

Academy leaders have been told to brace themselves for tighter spending from 2010 in the first admission that the government is preparing to reduce its spending in some areas of education.

Every day we hear more stories about future cuts in government spending on schools. It is inconceivable that Building Schools for the Future funding will be left untouched by the financial chaos the country is now in.

What is more worrying for Bedford Borough though, is that the BSF money only covers the 7 upper schools & Lincroft 11-16. The transformation of the 50 or so lower schools to primary schools are being funded out of thin air, in a feat of prestidigitation…

…or rather from the schools’ own budgets, as revealed by Cllr Headley during the summer holidays…more on this tomorrow…

Day 120 – As Time Goes By

A long time ago (in prehistoric days so our children tell us), SMS was told at school that a fair comparison involved apples on both sides of an equation, rather than apples and pears, or apples and avocados (both of which were employed by the non-consultation document).

However, there is another issue (for which I’ll struggle to find a fruity analogy sadly – any suggestions very welcome via a comment). The problem is of grade inflation over the years.

Without wishing to denigrate the efforts of all those hardworking GCSE candidates out there (especially ones sometime known by initials only and you know who you are) grades mean different things in different years.

Generally, Government pressure means that every year more candidates get higher grades than before, as was evidenced yesterday.

Add to this that the Government changes how it assesses “success” at GCSE every so often, and it becomes very difficult to decide whether the current crop of pupils have done brilliantly and better than previous generations, or whether the exams or marking schemes just got easier. And every August, journalists take one side or another – Boris Johnson wrote a very clever piece on this last Sunday.

Educational statisticians know that it is nigh on impossible to compare different cohorts of pupils – yet this is what our local bureaucrats have tried to do with their comparisons of KS1 and KS4 statistics – and make very strong conclusions that three-tier is to blame.

What nonsense. They must think the voting public is stupid. Well soon we will find out what voters really think.

Day 119 – Farewell Frank

Today is Frank Branston’s funeral and memorial service.

In the past week, this blog has been deliberately quieter than usual out of respect for Frank’s family and friends, many of whom are in opposition to SMS on the school structures issue.

Today we ask you to think of Frank and to celebrate all the good things he did for Bedford during his lifetime.

Day 116 – Underdogs

Everyone loves an underdog.

Maybe it started with the puny David lining up against the seemingly invincible Goliath? A bloodbath seemed the only logical conclusion, until David revealed his superior weaponry, but I’m sure all the cheers were for David right from the start.

It must be part of human nature, to support the plucky loser, the spirited campaign which must be doomed to failure. Except when it doesn’t fail. Like when Burnley beat Manchester United or England regain the Ashes (hurrah!).

When SMS began (over that now infamous glass or two of wine) both of us felt that we would lose but that we were going to fight anyway, backs to the walls, until the proverbial larger lady had voiced her last note. How could we compete with the might of Bedford’s bureaucracy, the political will of important local politicians, with the manipulation of public opinion that was taking place?

A lot of words have been written on this blog since then, thirty thousand hits have been recorded, with nine thousand signatures on our paper petition and 1100 on our online petition. We have been out on the streets judging public opinion, talked to parents in all parts of Bedford Borough, established communications with the media, engaged with local politicians, and fought for the right to be heard.

We have won a lot of battles; we may still lose the war. But we all still have the stomach for a fight, and that is what we shall continue to do.

Day 113 – TINA

In the days of swingeing Conservative cuts to public services after Labour had wrecked the public finances….and no, we’re talking the past not the future here…back in the 80s. You know the sort of country we lived in, with rising unemployment, the threat of terrorism, England losing at cricket…oh well, plus ca change…

In those days, there was an acronym Margaret Thatcher used with seemingly alarming regularity – TINA – There Is No Alternative (it referred to the neoliberalist economic policies of free markets, free trade and capitalist globalisation, apparently, but thank goodness this blog doesn’t have to debate neoliberalism).

SMS has heard that phrase (TINA, not neoliberalism!) behind many of the public pronouncements of the bureaucrats and manipulators who still believe in the dogma of two-tier. It is actually a shrill and desperate form of intellectual argument, indicating that these people have run out of ideas and this must be the only way forward.

Rubbish.

To persuade yourselves that you are right and the overwhelming majority of people in Bedford are wrong is a sign that power has changed you; that you have descended from the young, fresh-thinking visionary, to the world-weary cynic.

It happens to all leaders eventually of whichever political hue and is certainly true in the business world or indeed any other organisation as well. That is why power corrupts and leaders inevitably fall either on their own swords or by the hand of others.

There is an alternative in Bedford. The alternative is to enhance and develop the much-loved three-tier education system, to build new schools where they are needed and to refurbish existing schools with facilities fit for the next 50 years. This is both educationally sound and financially prudent. That is why SMS calls for:

Evolution not Revolution

Day 112 – The Future

Yesterday it was announced that Frank Branston will have a family funeral next Thursday (August 27th) followed by a memorial service at 4:30 at Bedford Corn Exchange.

SMS understands that the date for the election of a new Mayor will not be announced until after the funeral and that it is likely that this will be somewhere between mid-October and early November.

The School Organisation Review has been suspended until the new Mayor has been elected, although the bureaucrats will continue to work on the report…presumably they will be preparing two versions now…

Now is not the time to discuss the implications of all of this, so we would ask contributors not to post comments about the future election. Any such comments will be removed (and would be the first time that we have had to remove unsuitable material).

Day 111 – Nelson and the Ashes of Bedford School Sport

In England, the score 111 is called a “Nelson” (aye aye eye I think it comes from) and is regarded as unlucky for a batsman. One umpire (David Shepherd?) even used to dance a jig at square leg when a batsman or team was on that particular figure in a superstitious attempt to induce good luck. The Aussies have the same issue with 87 (13 short of a century).

All England can hope for in the next few days is that Australian batsmen get stuck on lower scores than 87 or 111…13 would do it for me…or preferably a duck…eleven of them…

Unfortunately we are likely to see the Ashes of England cricket once more returned to their current home…

Of course, should the decision be made to go two-tier, Years 5 and 6 will not experience as much sport (including cricket) within school. Primary schools have an impoverished curriculum compared to middle schools in this respect…something to do with a lack of specialist teaching and fewer male teachers perchance?

This doesn’t show up in test results because you can’t measure it easily- which also explains why parents understand what is important more than bureaucrats in air-conditioned offices reading the latest gradgrind production figures from schools.

The Ashes of Bedford School Sport ? Very possibly I’m afraid…

Day 110 – Polls and Votes

When is a vote not a vote? When you lose it, that’s when…

Martin Fletcher’s Hastingsbury poll was taken down yesterday and, whilst SMS has ridiculed this in the past for very good reasons (it allowed multiple voting from the same computer), it did show 71.1% of votes in favour of retaining three-tier education, a figure broadly in line with our experiences of campaigning on the streets of Bedford on this issue.

SMS wonders whether the public “vote” during the recent consultation process was for three-tier? It always has been in every authority that has ever conducted this type of review and was strongly in favour of retention in 2006. Considering the strength of feeling SMS has encountered, the vote would lack authenticity and not have the “ring of truth” about it should it be in favour of two-tier.

This is why, should the “vote” be in the other direction, SMS will work tirelessly to discover if there has been any unusual or misleading voting patterns in order to sway councillors’ opinions on this.

Interesting things, votes…every one counts…except when you lose…

Day 109 – The Start of the (Political) Football Season

Yesterday, Michael Gove (the Shadow Education Spokesman) had a lot of media coverage as he put forward some of the Conservative Party’s visions for education.

Many in Education must have felt their heart sink - not at the prospect of a change in Government (although for some that may be true) but at education being used as a political football yet again.

Both main parties realise that education is close to many voters’ hearts; that it is (relatively) easy to do something to for a Government, and that nobody will be able to prove whether the reforms have worked or not because (and this is crucial) the Government controls or at least influences strongly the assessment measures.

Here we go again. A new Government would mean wholesale changes in assessment, just at the time that schools are facing a massive expansion of post-16 education as this becomes compulsory and changes in post-14 education come online.

A change in assessment (by awarding different value to different GCSE or A-level subjects) would mean that Bedford would need to re-examine its results relative to the national average – and who knows what will come out of that. Importantly, schools would then need to redesign the focus of their curriculum if they wished to maximise their points scoring under the new system.

Amidst all this change in curriculum and assessment, Bedford Borough are proposing a huge chaotic switch to a different system of schooling, one that actually doesn’t fit the 14-19 curriculum very well ! It does indeed beggar belief that we will waste public resources in this way during a world recession.

Here is a link to Michael Gove’s BBC interview - SMS will leave it to their contributors today to discuss the implications of the detail.