We have recently heard that another 'free' school is being set up nearby - this time over the border in Suffolk at Brandon. The details are the usual - county alleges school not doing well, wants to close. Up pop some Michael Gove clones who say: give it to us, we'll run it...
Today we heard the contract to actually manage the school has been awarded. The £21m task goes to a Swedish firm which already runs some free schools in Sweden. This then is their qualification - that in a foreign land where these schools are not actually doing very well but where their principal task as stated on their web site (http://engelska.se/en) is to teach the English language is considered the best suited to run an all-ability, non-selective (for now) 11-16 range school in leafy Brandon, Suffolk.
Well, maybe and I am assured lots of hard work was put in to ensure a fair and proper selection under EU rules (heard of them I am sure - they sent the huge train contract from UK Bombardier, Derby to Germany).
But here's a thing. If you go to the link below you will see something interesting happening a few months back. Odd that, don't you think?http://engelska.se/articles/ies-invited-meet-senior-uk-government-officials
Being me I took this up with the leader of the Brandon school group. Web site is http://www.sabreseducationaltrust.com/
My main point with him is about this particular scheme and process. Here's a flavour of what I said, after explaining my background as reason for interest:
>>
...I am antipathetic towards 'private' I admit. I see too much privilege and for all the claimed efficiencies private school parents seem always to be coughing up more cash than just the fees...
But OK your free school will be part of the education system, albeit at a pretty long arm's length. The current pledge is for no selection. But you will allow me a worry that this is now with this team of governance and under this government, so far as that is any guarantee. And yes Brandon's Middle School was due to close for reasons which are frankly unclear - it was rated good as recently as 2003! But you plan an 11-16 school so you will compete for children at the lower end which changes the dynamics.
I will admit to worries about Mr Gove, too. For me he has too much of Sir Keith Joseph about him. Not quite the beloved Anne's something of the night either but if he wore a black shirt it would not surprise me. I nearly jest. But I do not see him as a champion of ordinary kids needs.
Now to the democracy problem. As I said, I have an open mind about the principle of the free school (oh for a better name!) but not about the process. IF I had seen a clear public campaign, an open contest to choose candidates for the 'management team' I would have less to say. In Brandon or in Norwich. But I have searched and can find nothing that matches that. I have searched too on the names (of your team) and only three seem to have a public profile so far. Yourself of course, John Hodges and Alicia Rickards-Ottevanger who I see is at the school but is mostly the Twitter and Facebook person. In Norwich the new principle is a disaffected mum who was head teacher at another school!
But that would be OK if when I get to the web site I am quickly informed who these people are, what is the skill set that makes them suitable and at least a guide as to how they came to 'power' - for that is what they have in the public perception. I want to ask where they were in the fight to improve existing schools? Or have they just popped out of the woodwork because Gove rattled it?
So can I plead for some better material on the web site, both in Who we are; why we care; how we get to be here. Ditto in the FAQs which sadly are more of the Answers to the questions we WANT you to ask than FAQs. And then a really strong set of commitments to what the school will be about - as yet it is a bit woolly in my view.
I think you may find that passing the contract to Sweden will be an error in public reaction terms. I think many will say free schools are NOT working well in Sweden (or the US frankly) so we don't want their failed solutions here. In fact there is a swell of opinion (mois aussi) that says Gove has landed us with a failed solution; others say it is a solution to a different problem anyway. Others will see a cultural difference that may be unhelpful or even unhealthy.
Finally I really do think the free school movement needs to ensure that there is a highly acceptable overseeing body to whom parents will be able to appeal, against whose standards the school will be measured; and which ensures public money is being used wisely and that parents are not being unfairly asked to pick up the bill for building 'privilege schools' out of the process. And to ensure the goals and commitments do not drift with new people.
I shall be delighted to hear yours or any one else's comments.<<
As a great radio communicator would have said: If you have been, thanks for listening....
Today we heard the contract to actually manage the school has been awarded. The £21m task goes to a Swedish firm which already runs some free schools in Sweden. This then is their qualification - that in a foreign land where these schools are not actually doing very well but where their principal task as stated on their web site (http://engelska.se/en) is to teach the English language is considered the best suited to run an all-ability, non-selective (for now) 11-16 range school in leafy Brandon, Suffolk.
Well, maybe and I am assured lots of hard work was put in to ensure a fair and proper selection under EU rules (heard of them I am sure - they sent the huge train contract from UK Bombardier, Derby to Germany).
But here's a thing. If you go to the link below you will see something interesting happening a few months back. Odd that, don't you think?http://engelska.se/articles/ies-invited-meet-senior-uk-government-officials
Being me I took this up with the leader of the Brandon school group. Web site is http://www.sabreseducationaltrust.com/
My main point with him is about this particular scheme and process. Here's a flavour of what I said, after explaining my background as reason for interest:
>>
...I am antipathetic towards 'private' I admit. I see too much privilege and for all the claimed efficiencies private school parents seem always to be coughing up more cash than just the fees...
But OK your free school will be part of the education system, albeit at a pretty long arm's length. The current pledge is for no selection. But you will allow me a worry that this is now with this team of governance and under this government, so far as that is any guarantee. And yes Brandon's Middle School was due to close for reasons which are frankly unclear - it was rated good as recently as 2003! But you plan an 11-16 school so you will compete for children at the lower end which changes the dynamics.
I will admit to worries about Mr Gove, too. For me he has too much of Sir Keith Joseph about him. Not quite the beloved Anne's something of the night either but if he wore a black shirt it would not surprise me. I nearly jest. But I do not see him as a champion of ordinary kids needs.
Now to the democracy problem. As I said, I have an open mind about the principle of the free school (oh for a better name!) but not about the process. IF I had seen a clear public campaign, an open contest to choose candidates for the 'management team' I would have less to say. In Brandon or in Norwich. But I have searched and can find nothing that matches that. I have searched too on the names (of your team) and only three seem to have a public profile so far. Yourself of course, John Hodges and Alicia Rickards-Ottevanger who I see is at the school but is mostly the Twitter and Facebook person. In Norwich the new principle is a disaffected mum who was head teacher at another school!
But that would be OK if when I get to the web site I am quickly informed who these people are, what is the skill set that makes them suitable and at least a guide as to how they came to 'power' - for that is what they have in the public perception. I want to ask where they were in the fight to improve existing schools? Or have they just popped out of the woodwork because Gove rattled it?
So can I plead for some better material on the web site, both in Who we are; why we care; how we get to be here. Ditto in the FAQs which sadly are more of the Answers to the questions we WANT you to ask than FAQs. And then a really strong set of commitments to what the school will be about - as yet it is a bit woolly in my view.
I think you may find that passing the contract to Sweden will be an error in public reaction terms. I think many will say free schools are NOT working well in Sweden (or the US frankly) so we don't want their failed solutions here. In fact there is a swell of opinion (mois aussi) that says Gove has landed us with a failed solution; others say it is a solution to a different problem anyway. Others will see a cultural difference that may be unhelpful or even unhealthy.
Finally I really do think the free school movement needs to ensure that there is a highly acceptable overseeing body to whom parents will be able to appeal, against whose standards the school will be measured; and which ensures public money is being used wisely and that parents are not being unfairly asked to pick up the bill for building 'privilege schools' out of the process. And to ensure the goals and commitments do not drift with new people.
I shall be delighted to hear yours or any one else's comments.<<
As a great radio communicator would have said: If you have been, thanks for listening....
