Consultation re: Free School on old Ashmount site

Mirandola

Thought people might be interested in this: http://www.whitehallparkschool.co.uk/consultation/ Views?

yagamuffin

Very well worded questions that could only possibly elicit a positive response. I answered in the negative to every one - Yes, all of that would be lovely but I am wholly against the idea of private enterprise being involved in the education of our children.

Eliz

I've responded in exactly the same way as you yagamuffin, thanks for the link Mirandola.

Mirandola

I am not impressed.

Mirandola

By the consultation, I mean.

Fin

Educating children. How awful!

David Barry

There are also running a "drop in  information session."<div><div><br></div><div> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times; font-size: medium; -webkit-text-size-adjust: none; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(88, 77, 77); font-family: Arial-BoldMT, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 19px; ">Thursday 10th October 2.00pm – 4.00pm</span><p class="paragraph_style_12" style="color: rgb(88, 77, 77); font-family: ArialMT, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: 0px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 1; padding-bottom: 11px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left; text-decoration: none; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; ">Hornsey Lane Estate Community Centre<br>Hazellville Road<br>London N19 3YJ</p></span></div></div>

David Barry

Its the second of two drop in sessions - I went to the first, and there were people there, mostly previously declared supporters of the idea, but who were interested in more information, which actually, in my opinion, was rather thin. (Reiterated statements that it would be an "outstanding school" but not really saying how this would be achieved in concrete terms. They intend to appoint an "outstanding" Head of course and will be hiring Headhunters next month to help them with this. -So, err no Head appointed yet. and so forth)<div><br></div><div>The atmosphere of positivity was slightly impaired when the Chief Executive of Bellvue Education Group Ltd when asked by someone what I thought a reasonable question as to why they believe they would have no difficulty filling the school when Islington keep saying that there is not the school place demand - I would have expected an explanation of the evidence they were relying on - accused the questioner of playing politics rather than being interested in children's welfare as he was, unlike the questioner....</div><div><br></div><div>I wonder if he will be at the second session, and if so if he will have calmed down..</div>

miss annie

Any news on the totem poles @DavidBarry?

David Barry

No one knows where the totem poles are.<div><br></div><div>Questions continue to be asked.</div>

andy

Put one of the Dexter Fletchers on it. "The case of the missing Totem Poles"

miss annie

Excellent idea. I have suggested it.

dion

What I am having trouble understanding is that Bellvue is a charity, but there must be profit in it somewhere for someone, or why would they bother?<div><br></div><div>Any ideas anyone?<br><div><br></div></div>

JoeV

<span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Currently state-funded, privately run schools are essentially charities and are not allowed by law to earn a profit. Michael Gove is on record saying he would like to change the rules to allow the organisations running free schools and academies to change status and become for profit companies, which would allow them to keep any surpluses and and also allow them to raise money to fund themselves on the open market.</span><div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);"><br></span></div><div><span style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: Arial, Helmet, Freesans, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255);">Why big business is bothering is because there's money to be made -- in the (near) future. All those billions spent on education would flow from the public to the private sector.</span></div>

yagamuffin

That's what privatisation is. Utilities and railways are just the same, same crap service as it's publicly owned predecessor but with the added bonus of private companies being subsidised by the tax-payer. Wonderful!

David Barry

While JoeV is correct Bellevue Group Ltd is not a charity, but  a (highly profitable) limited company with. It currently owns five for profit, fee paying independent schools in this country and two, one of which is a finishing school, in Switzerland. <div><br></div><div>In order to set up  Free Schools they have established a charity called Bellevue Place whose trustees they appoint. The Trust then appoints the Head and also appoints the governing Body when one is set up. </div><div><br></div><div>So if one says (as I have done) that the site is being taken from Islington Council, without payment and transfeered to a profit making company this is not strictly correct because what is actually happening is this:-</div><div><br></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; ">The old Ashmount  site now publically owned is being transferred in accordance with a recent statute (so the process lawful) without any financial compensation, to a special purpose vehicle registered as a charitable trust, wholly controlled by two profit making limited companies, the predominant of which is Bellevue, which are in turn wholly controlled by their owners who are, in the main venture capitalists - See more at: http://www.localschoolsnetwork.org.uk/2013/06/the-new-islington-free-school/#sthash.T3CcJ29Q.dpuf</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; "><br></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(68, 68, 68); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; line-height: 16px; ">So in effect they are operating through a special purpose vehicle, which has the additional advatage to them of being tax exempt.</span></div>

David Barry

<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; color: rgb(34, 34, 34); ">Public Meeting.<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Support Our Local Schools<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Should a free school open in Hornsey Lane?<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Chair: Jeremy Corbyn MP<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Speakers: Pana McGee, Headteacher,<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Ashmount School; Councillor Joe Caluori,<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Executive Member for Children and Families<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">at LB Islington; David Barry, outgoing chair<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">of Governors, Ashmount School and local<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">resident; Barrie O’Shea, Headteacher,<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Duncombe School and Julie Davies,<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Secretary, Haringey NUT<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">7pm Thursday 24th October<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Church Hall, Christ Church, Crouch End Hill, N8<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; "><br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">Support Our Local Schools represents local parents, teachers and<br style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; ">governors, c/o supportourlocalschools@outlook.com</span>

andy

Are you taking bets on how the motion will go? <div><br></div><div>Because with that line-up of speakers, I'd like to bet quite serious money that the meeting will conclude a free school shouldn't open in Hornsey Lane.</div>

poxy

Isn't the new Belle Vue school in the old Ashmount site a done deal?  Just what does this meeting hope to achieve? 

David Barry

@andy<;div><br></div><div>I wasnt expecting there to be a motion myself; surely it is legitimate to make sure that the case against is put?</div><div><br></div><div><br></div>

David Barry

@poxy<;div><br></div><div>No it is not a done deal. The education funding agency has yet to agree to fund the project. There are a number of arguments going on behind the scenes. The function of this kind of public meeting is to ensure that people are well informed, and to, ever so slightly, increase the political cost to the government of the project going ahead. if you dont do things like this, then the proposers can claim broad support from the community - which is what they claim now.</div>

poxy

<P>Thanks.  I shall try to attend.  </P>

andy

@david It is completely legitimate to make the case against, but I'm curious why one would frame the evening in terms of a question that has more than one answer when you are not interested in the other answers.

David Barry

@Andy<;div><br></div><div> I extracted the title by cut and paste from a pdf of a flyer - if you give me an email address happy to send the flyer to you - the flyer gave a context for the title which makes it plain that the view of the speakers and the organisiers is that the answer to the question expected is "no". I think you do have a point which I wil pass on to the organisers. However when you see the flyer it will be obvious there was no intent to mislead.</div><div><br></div><div>As well as that when the meeting was originally being organised it was actually intended to hold a more open debate by asking Bellevue Ltd along to make their case -in which case a different chair might have had to be found, as part of a rather different format - but they have simply not responded to communications, and I think to a degree the title may have survived from that earlier stage.</div><div><br></div><div>I am personally happy to debate with anyone.</div>

David Barry

And remember the meeting is on tomorrow (thursday!)

Perflexed

<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Hello everyone. Intermittently avid fan of Sgorg, first post though.</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Thought I might add this:</p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><a href="http://www.whpara.org.uk/WHPARA/InfoAshmount_2013.html">http://www.whpara.org.uk/WHPARA/InfoAshmount_2013.html</a></p>; <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica; min-height: 14.0px"><br></p> <p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Some interesting end of act two drama appears to be developing over at the old Ashmount building.</p>

David Barry

Its an informative link Perflexed but REALLY important that you scroll down to get the whole picture: Full disclosure, some of the bists written by me, I always sign my contributions. ASAG you will note prefers anonymity...

Perflexed

<p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">@ David Barry</p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica"><br></p><p style="margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px; font: 12.0px Helvetica">Yes, I have indeed read <strike>most of </strike>the whole thread, and all very interesting & nuanced to be sure, it was really the arrival of the crusty jugglers that I was referring to.</p>

David Barry

Those I have seen going in and out of the building seem neither crusty nor jugglers...<div><br></div><div>Mind you I cant see them lasting once the cold weather sets in, as it gets really parky with all those single glazed ill fitting panels, and if they can get the gas on, they will discover that the heating system is on its last legs...</div>

David Barry

Did anyone go to the meeting last Thursday? Any views on how it went?<div><br></div><div>And by the way the squatters are said by journalists who have spoken to them to be Italian Anarcho Syndicalists, and there seem to be about 100 of them altogether.</div>

David Barry

Some coverage of the public meeting here<div><br></div><div>http://www.thisislocallondon.co.uk/news/10766113._We_don_t_want_schools_run_to_just_make_a_profit_/</div>;