Acadmies, and I am talking about one of the biggest local chains here, do not have the education of the masses at their heart. They are, in essence, grammar schools that provide for the bright and fairly affluent.
Their admissions policy will ensure they pick the brighter local students. This policy also allows them to remove pupils who, later in in the school, will hamper their results. There is some excellent research into the missing students in Acadmies who start yr 10 but then mysteriously go off roll before their GCSEs.
He new way of measuring achievement has hit them hard as it focuses in progress not attainment. The fact is that many Academies do not ''add value' to a child's education. Hence they are now adjusting their policies further.
People can admire the work they do but please do not be fooled into thinking they work alongside local authority schools. They cream off the most able and therefore do not represent the area they claim to support.
The academies that are successful basically kick out students from disadvantaged backgrounds as soon as they get into a little bit of trouble to set examples of them and get rid of them because poorer students on average do worse than middle class students.
Ah yes, look at all the evidence you've given for that statement.
Academies basically are 125 year contracts so if we lose this fight it will change history in Lewisham. Yes some academies are doing well but there is no evidence to suggest academies achieve better grades that was found by the home office report in January 2015. All teachers who work within academies are put under tremendous pressure to achieve good grades, all teachers that work in converted schools are telling teachers within our school they need to fight this with everything they have.
Also the Charter school (David Sheppard's old school which he oversaw the transition to the academy) has been criticized for re drawing the catchment area to no longer include 2 council estates. His wife is an investment banker and so is the head of the leathersellers, the historic 'charitable foundation'. The leathersellers have a long historical affiliation with prendergast and the view amoung intelligent teachers is that this is all about power, for a board of governors to take control of 3 schools in south london which intake students from a wide range of schools and is a federation with 1 school rated outstanding by ofsted and another school rated good and the third does require improve but it was only 4 years ago it was made into a federation and the teachers at hilly fielders were told then that they were becoming a federation to help raise standards. Theres no evidence that suggests academies raise standards anyway. The leathersellers all have enough money anyway so its about power to city boys. Sorry for being rude earlier.
Yes, they must be intelligent mustn't they, comrade lewy, because they fit in with your prejudices.
You can think theres no such thing as an intelligent teacher if it helps you sleep at night to fight YOUR prejudices, i see them every day so ill stick to my judgements of their intelligence though mate. Cheers city boy.
What is the problem with "city boys"? Whilst alot of companies have undergraduate schemes, the majority, like myself, left school with the most basic education.
Take the piss people all you like, you are grown men, perhaps middle class, taking the piss out of an 18 year working class boy with a voice trying to fight for what he believe's in. You should be ashamed of yourselves, comrades.
Take the piss people all you like, you are grown men, perhaps middle class, taking the piss out of an 18 year working class boy with a voice trying to fight for what he believe's in. You should be ashamed of yourselves, comrades.
Can't help being a old fart, perhaps you should have made clearer when you appealed for support that you were only addressing under 30's. Your age doesn't matter to me but if you wan't to start a debate you must expect others views to differ to yours, and just because you believe in something doesn't make it automatically right.
Lewyaddick I suggest that instead of accepting without question every piece of propaganda you are fed by one side of the argument, you read the propaganda published by those who champion academies. The truth is probably somewhere in between. At least make up your own mind and don't just be a mouthpiece for someone else's views you can't justify.
I went to Prendergast from 93 to 98, so started at Rushy Green and was in year 9 when we moved to Hilly Fields. It was the highest ranked non-indepedent school in the borough and also had some private funding/sponsoring from the Leathersellers in London, Colfes was the brother school based on Leathersellers connection. So I am surprised Prendergast would want to or need to become part of an academy and am a little saddened by it. I support your cause @lewyaddick but I don't like the way you've gone about it. If you want people to help then you don't get anyway by insulting them or making insinuations about their background. Perhaps start again by stating what is amazing about that school and how joining an academy will rip out the identity of this great school with an inspiring history. "Truth, honour, freedom and courtesy."
I know of 5 local schools. Primary and secondary. That since bring taken over by academies have destroyed their provision for those pupils with additional educational needs (such as those with ASD). These schools have improved their results by scraping off those at the bottom who will be very unlikely to achieve high grades. They do this by providing little support and encouraging parents to send their kids to state controlled schools who have to 'follow the rules' and provide the support those children so desperately need. In addition there is an area of Kent losing a number of schools shortly. These schools were all taken over by academies and are now being closed at little or no cost to the private businesses that have decided they are no longer viable branches of their empires.
Take the piss people all you like, you are grown men, perhaps middle class, taking the piss out of an 18 year working class boy with a voice trying to fight for what he believe's in. You should be ashamed of yourselves, comrades.
I feel like I would like to be on your side but you 'take the piss' out of me.
Do you know what working class is? I lived with my parents and brother in one room until I was 11. We then spent the next ten years in a small council flat in charlton. My dad worked on a building site.
I spent some time thereafter working in the City which apparently makes me middle class.
What is the problem with teachers being put under tremendous pressure to achieve results? I've been in that position all my life in order to build myself up. Please don't be naive lewyaddick. You cannot blanket everyone with the same tag.
All the best with your fight where it makes sense but please do not allow others to keep you blinkered to truths.
The academies that are successful basically kick out students from disadvantaged backgrounds as soon as they get into a little bit of trouble to set examples of them and get rid of them because poorer students on average do worse than middle class students.
Ah yes, look at all the evidence you've given for that statement.
Academies basically are 125 year contracts so if we lose this fight it will change history in Lewisham. Yes some academies are doing well but there is no evidence to suggest academies achieve better grades that was found by the home office report in January 2015. All teachers who work within academies are put under tremendous pressure to achieve good grades, all teachers that work in converted schools are telling teachers within our school they need to fight this with everything they have.
Also the Charter school (David Sheppard's old school which he oversaw the transition to the academy) has been criticized for re drawing the catchment area to no longer include 2 council estates. His wife is an investment banker and so is the head of the leathersellers, the historic 'charitable foundation'. The leathersellers have a long historical affiliation with prendergast and the view amoung intelligent teachers is that this is all about power, for a board of governors to take control of 3 schools in south london which intake students from a wide range of schools and is a federation with 1 school rated outstanding by ofsted and another school rated good and the third does require improve but it was only 4 years ago it was made into a federation and the teachers at hilly fielders were told then that they were becoming a federation to help raise standards. Theres no evidence that suggests academies raise standards anyway. The leathersellers all have enough money anyway so its about power to city boys. Sorry for being rude earlier.
Yes, they must be intelligent mustn't they, comrade lewy, because they fit in with your prejudices.
You can think theres no such thing as an intelligent teacher if it helps you sleep at night to fight YOUR prejudices, i see them every day so ill stick to my judgements of their intelligence though mate. Cheers city boy.
when did i say there were no intelligent teachers? I'm saying the ones you deem to be intelligent are the ones that seem to be saying the kind of things you want to hear. Maybe they aren't as intelligent as you think, in the words of Karl Marx "question everything".
I'm taking the piss out of you because you turn your nose up at some one else's background, which i see as one of the stupidest, most widely ignorant things a person can do. So really I'm laughing at your stupidity.
Acadmies, and I am talking about one of the biggest local chains here, do not have the education of the masses at their heart. They are, in essence, grammar schools that provide for the bright and fairly affluent.
Their admissions policy will ensure they pick the brighter local students. This policy also allows them to remove pupils who, later in in the school, will hamper their results. There is some excellent research into the missing students in Acadmies who start yr 10 but then mysteriously go off roll before their GCSEs.
He new way of measuring achievement has hit them hard as it focuses in progress not attainment. The fact is that many Academies do not ''add value' to a child's education. Hence they are now adjusting their policies further.
People can admire the work they do but please do not be fooled into thinking they work alongside local authority schools. They cream off the most able and therefore do not represent the area they claim to support.
ah yes, those evil grammar schools and their social mobility.
Take the piss people all you like, you are grown men, perhaps middle class, taking the piss out of an 18 year working class boy with a voice trying to fight for what he believe's in. You should be ashamed of yourselves, comrades.
I feel like I would like to be on your side but you 'take the piss' out of me.
Do you know what working class is? I lived with my parents and brother in one room until I was 11. We then spent the next ten years in a small council flat in charlton. My dad worked on a building site.
I spent some time thereafter working in the City which apparently makes me middle class.
What is the problem with teachers being put under tremendous pressure to achieve results? I've been in that position all my life in order to build myself up. Please don't be naive lewyaddick. You cannot blanket everyone with the same tag.
All the best with your fight where it makes sense but please do not allow others to keep you blinkered to truths.
lewy will reply to your post about how more working class he is than you after playing his £300 games console and messaging his mates on his £400 touch screen phone that his parents chipped in for him for christmas.
Acadmies, and I am talking about one of the biggest local chains here, do not have the education of the masses at their heart. They are, in essence, grammar schools that provide for the bright and fairly affluent.
Their admissions policy will ensure they pick the brighter local students. This policy also allows them to remove pupils who, later in in the school, will hamper their results. There is some excellent research into the missing students in Acadmies who start yr 10 but then mysteriously go off roll before their GCSEs.
He new way of measuring achievement has hit them hard as it focuses in progress not attainment. The fact is that many Academies do not ''add value' to a child's education. Hence they are now adjusting their policies further.
People can admire the work they do but please do not be fooled into thinking they work alongside local authority schools. They cream off the most able and therefore do not represent the area they claim to support.
ah yes, those evil grammar schools and their social mobility.
Do you have any evidence that grammar schools increase social mobility? Personally, I'm not convinced that they do.
I'm not much older than you, you're coming across as a bit of an idiot. If you want to campaign for the cause, leave out the aspect of class and so called "city boys". Comes across as jealousy rather than anything else, you'll achieve more if you don't start throwing about stereotypes and offending people that you are trying to get on side.
My daughter is at Prendergast HF and there have been two strikes in the last few weeks about this and it's the only one I have direct experience of. There are 3 Prendergast schools, the historic one in HIlly Fields, the new one on the site of the old Lewisham Bridge Primary and Ladywell Fields, which used to be Crofton (the latter two are where the boys are, though there are boys in the 6th form at HF). There are all sorts of rumours going around about why they want to turn it into an Academy, but the problem as a parent is that we've had no information from the school about it until this week, when a letter came home. They've announced a 6 week consultation period but I suspect this is just a rubberstamping exercise. Prendergast HF is already the best school in the borough in terms of results (better even than the private ones) so I can't see how it is about results. It's already academically oriented, so I can't see them going for more freedom from the National Curriculum (I'm not sure that applies to Academies anyway). So, the only big difference I can see is that it is an attempt to undermine teacher's pay and terms and conditions. I've talked to teachers in academies and the pressure does seem to be a lot higher. While I want teachers to be working hard for my kids, I also want them to have a work environment that doesn't mean they leave all the time (something that has become more of a problem at my son's primary since it became part of a federation). Teachers already have a really stressful job, I fail to see how ratcheting up the stress levels will help anyone.
Three years ago we looked at secondary schools for my step daughter to attend. Out of the six we visited only one was an academy, but this was the best choice for her. Good facilities, good grades, good discipline.
Three years on, her grades are fantastic and is loving her life at school.
My daughter is at Prendergast HF and there have been two strikes in the last few weeks about this and it's the only one I have direct experience of. There are 3 Prendergast schools, the historic one in HIlly Fields, the new one on the site of the old Lewisham Bridge Primary and Ladywell Fields, which used to be Crofton (the latter two are where the boys are, though there are boys in the 6th form at HF). There are all sorts of rumours going around about why they want to turn it into an Academy, but the problem as a parent is that we've had no information from the school about it until this week, when a letter came home. They've announced a 6 week consultation period but I suspect this is just a rubberstamping exercise. Prendergast HF is already the best school in the borough in terms of results (better even than the private ones) so I can't see how it is about results. It's already academically oriented, so I can't see them going for more freedom from the National Curriculum (I'm not sure that applies to Academies anyway). So, the only big difference I can see is that it is an attempt to undermine teacher's pay and terms and conditions. I've talked to teachers in academies and the pressure does seem to be a lot higher. While I want teachers to be working hard for my kids, I also want them to have a work environment that doesn't mean they leave all the time (something that has become more of a problem at my son's primary since it became part of a federation). Teachers already have a really stressful job, I fail to see how ratcheting up the stress levels will help anyone.
To (try and) answer a couple of the points you've raised:
The consultation period is a necessary part of converting to academy status. I suspect you're right to feel that it won't affect the outcome greatly, but use it as a chance to get your views across, and to attempt to get the school to explain their reasons for wanting to convert.
Academies aren't required to follow the National Curriculum in the same way that local authority schools are, but many do regardless.
Having worked in a grammar school with some amazing students who came from estates in Peckham and Thamesmead then went on to study at top universities and have excellent careers, I am in no doubt that they are a fantastic tool for social mobility. I am very sceptical that academies have such altruistic purposes though.
My experience of academies is they look good from the outside and sound good on paper but they are not as they seem. Academies are run more like businesses, they as a result are all about efficiency and results but the care and wellbeing of the students comes last, children with SEN who are by law entitled a mainstream education are outcasted as they'd rather not have them (affects pupil attainment marks) children with behaviour problems or social difficulties get directive moves or exclusions without care and attention. The staff hate it too, they are treated like pawns on a chess board, they are moved around like they are assets rather than people their work benefits are substantially less and they have to work to a regime that doesn't benefit the kids, if they don't like it they are pushed out.
I understand the turning of an underachieving school into an academy as it wasn't working as it were and a non working school has nothing to lose, but a high achieving school with happy pupils such as Prendergast has everything to lose.
Take the piss people all you like, you are grown men, perhaps middle class, taking the piss out of an 18 year working class boy with a voice trying to fight for what he believe's in. You should be ashamed of yourselves, comrades.
I am here now twirling my villain moustache whilst lighting my cigars with £50 notes, writing the new curriculum for prendergast. Mondays is chimney sweeping, Tuesday is elocution lessons to sort out you terrible poor peoples voices. Wednesday is a lesson on how to clean my Bentley. Thursdays is running day. All day, round the playground though, I'll be selling the fields off as soon as possible. And Fridays, you can all go fishing and catch something. Due to the huge profits we want the canteen will be closed.
If you were one of the dirty protester bstds who made my Saturday work take 6 hrs longer because people want to cause havoc on central London then you deserve my size 11 working class boot up your arse
The reasons some Academies are thriving is down to one thing. Money. Funds have been withdrawn from Local Authorities and given straight to Acadmeies and Free schools. New buildings, enhanced facilities and new governing bodies will of course provide a fairly immediate upturn in results.
However, here are many Acadmies and chains of Academies that are failing. Of course these are not in the news as they do not fit the rhetoric. Free schools are a complete farce.mfor example there is one in Labeth that cost 18 million to build and has 13 students!
When schools become Academies it allows for a sea of change to sweep in and alter job descriptions, working conditions, staff structure etc.
I support the Prendergast schools in fighting this, but do yourself a favour Lewy and maintain your dignity in the responses you give. That is as important as the pointt you are attempting to make.
Exactly this. My wife is a very committed and, dare I say it, inspirational, teaching assistant in a school that became an academy. She claims, and this is her view, that the previous school being put into special measures was 'fixed' so that the academy could be fast-tracked in. She insists it was really improving under the old regime, that they'd all worked incredibly hard in turning it round. From what she tells me about how this academy is run day to day it really does sound like some strange sort of cult. But that's from the inside.
Comments
Their admissions policy will ensure they pick the brighter local students. This policy also allows them to remove pupils who, later in in the school, will hamper their results. There is some excellent research into the missing students in Acadmies who start yr 10 but then mysteriously go off roll before their GCSEs.
He new way of measuring achievement has hit them hard as it focuses in progress not attainment. The fact is that many Academies do not ''add value' to a child's education. Hence they are now adjusting their policies further.
People can admire the work they do but please do not be fooled into thinking they work alongside local authority schools. They cream off the most able and therefore do not represent the area they claim to support.
I know you're only 18, but your coming across, as a juvenile ranting left winger.
Facts and reasoned arguments can win the day, not incoherent rants.
Sort your attitude out sunshine.
P.s when did they start letting boys in?
Do you know what working class is? I lived with my parents and brother in one room until I was 11. We then spent the next ten years in a small council flat in charlton. My dad worked on a building site.
I spent some time thereafter working in the City which apparently makes me middle class.
What is the problem with teachers being put under tremendous pressure to achieve results? I've been in that position all my life in order to build myself up. Please don't be naive lewyaddick. You cannot blanket everyone with the same tag.
All the best with your fight where it makes sense but please do not allow others to keep you blinkered to truths.
I'm taking the piss out of you because you turn your nose up at some one else's background, which i see as one of the stupidest, most widely ignorant things a person can do. So really I'm laughing at your stupidity.
There are all sorts of rumours going around about why they want to turn it into an Academy, but the problem as a parent is that we've had no information from the school about it until this week, when a letter came home. They've announced a 6 week consultation period but I suspect this is just a rubberstamping exercise. Prendergast HF is already the best school in the borough in terms of results (better even than the private ones) so I can't see how it is about results. It's already academically oriented, so I can't see them going for more freedom from the National Curriculum (I'm not sure that applies to Academies anyway). So, the only big difference I can see is that it is an attempt to undermine teacher's pay and terms and conditions. I've talked to teachers in academies and the pressure does seem to be a lot higher. While I want teachers to be working hard for my kids, I also want them to have a work environment that doesn't mean they leave all the time (something that has become more of a problem at my son's primary since it became part of a federation). Teachers already have a really stressful job, I fail to see how ratcheting up the stress levels will help anyone.
Three years on, her grades are fantastic and is loving her life at school.
Up the academies.
The consultation period is a necessary part of converting to academy status. I suspect you're right to feel that it won't affect the outcome greatly, but use it as a chance to get your views across, and to attempt to get the school to explain their reasons for wanting to convert.
Academies aren't required to follow the National Curriculum in the same way that local authority schools are, but many do regardless.
I understand the turning of an underachieving school into an academy as it wasn't working as it were and a non working school has nothing to lose, but a high achieving school with happy pupils such as Prendergast has everything to lose.
http://new.damn.com/concerned-parents-call-school-shocked-answering-machine-message/
Exactly this. My wife is a very committed and, dare I say it, inspirational, teaching assistant in a school that became an academy. She claims, and this is her view, that the previous school being put into special measures was 'fixed' so that the academy could be fast-tracked in. She insists it was really improving under the old regime, that they'd all worked incredibly hard in turning it round. From what she tells me about how this academy is run day to day it really does sound like some strange sort of cult. But that's from the inside.