The media has done so much in recent times to expose injustice especially institutional injustice. Why is it that when it comes to education, they don't seem to have done their homework?
It seems it's just a game to them. Where are the newspapers that stand up and refuse to print league tables? Surely it's obvious to anyone with half a brain that these raw statistics are meaningless on their own. And actually damaging; and damaging children and vulnerable adults [i.e. parents deseprate to get school choice right for their own children but with no proper information to go on].
I would expect papers to be probing, and more interested in establishing the truth; I have no such expectations of politicians, though, so Michael, my Gove of Little Brain, please press on with whatever rubbish you choose. History will prove you wanting, and sooner rather than later.
We, the inner city teachers of this country are under siege, under attack. We chose to go into the hardest places, deal with the rawest of situations, work on the educational frontlines, where deprivation and injustice walk hand in hand around our little city centres, looking for little people to scythe down. Before the Government inventing counting things as a way of evaluating them, our reward was what we did every day for a living.
Instead of a thankyou we find we stand accused. "Schools are failing children in the inner-city." No. Inner-cities tend to be areas of deprivation, and you could say, but I wouldn't, that inner-cities are failing to get their schools onto the top table. It's not the schools, but the tables that should stand accused.
And enter into this troubled world, the Daily This and the Sunday That, in search of prey and an easy story. OMG what fun could be had with a reality statistic!
So, let's try and help the newspapers in their search for a story. If you really want to judge how well a school is doing with the number of GCSEs without or without English and or Maths, A to C or A to G, then you could, for example look at all the children who started high school in Yr 7 on the first day. At City of Leeds, the school I know best, for example, in any given Year 11 there would be 40% of the students who didn't start on Year 7 Day 1. I realise that the Roma children and the Afghans are percolating beyond the ringroad, but, on the whole, these outer-city schools are perceived as better. and are therefore full.
So, for a start, compare all the students who have done a full five years. You could refine the search further by removing from the comparison all those in both schools whose parents pay for extra private tuition. maybe look at children who have to share bedrooms and have nowhere to work privately at home.
All I'm trying to say here, is that we already have local innuendo and urban myths if we want to rubbish a school. League tables of GCSE results barely scratch the surface of a school's worth. As most parents aren't trained educationalists, they look to the media for impartial observations, but, instead they get served up tripe.
I think you would find that once you started comparing the comparable, then the schools so cavalierly dismissed by politicians [Ed Balls in his letters to Education Leeds and Vince Cable on Questiontime to name but two], then you find City of Leeds School dancing on the top of the League Tables, and simultaneously saying what's the point.
*Stress the 3rd syllable of both comparing words to discover what they should mean.
Showing posts with label City of Leeds. Show all posts
Showing posts with label City of Leeds. Show all posts
Sunday, 13 February 2011
Saturday, 27 November 2010
City of Leeds School: And Now A Time for Joy and Celebration
When City of Leeds School won its fight against closure, and that’s such a little phrase to describe so much emotional turmoil and hard work, it didn’t, as it always says in the papers “jump for joy!” In fact at the time, July 2010, Acting Headteacher, Gary Lovelace, said that he was delighted, but not surprised. He said the whole process had allowed people to see what a good job the school does, with the students and with the community.” Cllr Penny Ewens, a governor at the school said it was a victory for common sense.
The community in its hundreds and thousands had come out in support of this school; the Ofsted inspection passed clinched the deal.
But last night at the Celebration Event, the school did jump for joy. It played steel pans for joy; it played guitars for joy; it danced for joy; Sanna played his trumpet for joy; it sang for joy; they had juggling; free food, a barbecue in the Unity tent [lent to us for the evening by the Hyde Park Unity team]; they let off fireworks; the samba band marched for joy; the bunting stretched for miles across the hall ceiling.
They gave speeches; they gave flowers; and in particular Gary Lovelace told a packed school hall that this Celebration Event would never need to happen again. Liz Chillington told us that this was one of only two schools in the UK to overturn the decision to close a school after the first period of statutory objections.
A recent government survey and report declared that 50% of teaching in UK schools was dull. Judging by the vast numbers of enthusiastic students who came back last night, or who braved the icy temperatures to stay at school till 9pm last night, this would not seem to be the case here! This was never a school to threaten with closure, but always one to celebrate.
The community in its hundreds and thousands had come out in support of this school; the Ofsted inspection passed clinched the deal.
But last night at the Celebration Event, the school did jump for joy. It played steel pans for joy; it played guitars for joy; it danced for joy; Sanna played his trumpet for joy; it sang for joy; they had juggling; free food, a barbecue in the Unity tent [lent to us for the evening by the Hyde Park Unity team]; they let off fireworks; the samba band marched for joy; the bunting stretched for miles across the hall ceiling.
They gave speeches; they gave flowers; and in particular Gary Lovelace told a packed school hall that this Celebration Event would never need to happen again. Liz Chillington told us that this was one of only two schools in the UK to overturn the decision to close a school after the first period of statutory objections.
A recent government survey and report declared that 50% of teaching in UK schools was dull. Judging by the vast numbers of enthusiastic students who came back last night, or who braved the icy temperatures to stay at school till 9pm last night, this would not seem to be the case here! This was never a school to threaten with closure, but always one to celebrate.
Friday, 24 September 2010
Mr Gove has a good musical idea, but based on a weird premise
Well, I will pause briefly, in having a go at Mr Gove and his bizarre ideas about calling schools academies and letting in the racketeer/profiteers. Because he has said this:
It’s a sad fact that too many children in state schools are denied the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. Evidence suggests that learning an instrument can improve numeracy, literacy and behaviour. But more than that, it is simply unfair that the joy of musical discovery should be the preserve of those whose parents can afford it.”
What opportunities are being denied? I am puzzled.
I think it is appropriate here to sing the praises of Leeds, Leeds ArtForms:Music Service, the schools of Leeds and City of Leeds School in particular. And the picture above is of the award-winning Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows taken at Leeds Town Hall on February 12 this year, two days after some of them had played at the consultation evening which outlined the proposals to close their school and put an end to the band. The event was the Leeds Schools Prom, run by Leeds ArtForms Music Service; it was a celebration of the some of the best central Leeds ensembles, and they played to as many Leeds primary schools as would fit in Leeds Town Hall.
And now rewinding to February 10, when some of the darkest clouds started to blow over the Hyde Park area of Leeds and over my life, my family's life, my neighbours' lives, and the lives of the newly-arriving immigrants to Leeds looking for sanctuary. The day of the public consultation to close down City of Leeds School.
It was actually also my partner's birthday, but while he was gazing forlornly and alone on the birthday dinner that we had to abandon, the "kids" and I were at school welcoming 400 parents, councillors, staff, community activists, members of the press and the dark forces of evil [as one might describe the would-be closers]. We were doing this by playing some tunes on the ArtForms' steel pans, housed at City of Leeds School; we were the leaders and players of Leeds Silver Steel Sparrows, winners of the Music For Youth World Music Award 2009, just played the Albert Hall.
And you know, Michael, you're right, playing music can improve literacy, numeracy and behaviour. And all but two of the Sparrows of university age are actually at college or university. [The two who aren't are my own children, but that's another story].
The Sparrows have always known that playing music would improve their literacy etc, and I would wave this theory at them and at their parents whenever they tired of the rehearsals, and dreamed, in the winter months, of getting the bus back early to Beeston, or Holbeck or Burley and snuggling up in front of the tele. And yet was it only last week that one of them forewent playing a gig on a Saturday because she had so much homework? Yes, it was.
At City of Leeds School, in the Music Department we have four acoustic and one digital drum-kit/s, three cellos, about 8 violins, 15 small glockenspiels, a samba set, about 15 keyboards, 2 upright pianos, about 8 brass insturments, 3 flutes, 3 clarinets, 3 dohls, 10 acoustic guitars, 3 electric guitars and 2 bass guitars, 16 steel pans [including 3 sets of basspans] and boxes of new good quality hand percussion, and anything I have forgotten. We have peripatetic teachers from Leeds ArtForms for brass, keyboards, vocals, steelpan, drum-kit, woodwind, higher strings, lower strings. Children come out of lessons to see the peris and can practise breaks and after school whenever they want. We charge £10 a term for lessons, and, if parents or carers can't afford that [and some can't] they don't need to pay.
Between the two of us Music teachers we play most of the instruments and sing. GCSE Music classes are full and popular; and there are also the BTEC Performing Arts classes etc.
But because one cohort, one year, ie the year before [60% plus not there even in Year 7, and not even English as a fluent second language], overall academically did badly, it was enough for Ed Balls and Ed Leeds to conspire between them to shut us down altogether. And to achieve this end, spokespeople for Ed Leeds were hardly ever off the airways and out of the papers, giving us a good rubbishing. Worse, Ed Balls offered in his letter to call a snap Ofsted. Disgraceful! [But, as the snap Ofsted completely backfired . . . Yo!]
That was an unashamed plug for our Music Department, for the Leeds ArtForms Music Service and for Leeds itself [Mr Gove, if you're ever in Leeds . . . . ]. And I am saying, yes, in this school serving the poorer neighbourhoods, we especially value Music, and the other Arts, and work hard to get pupils involved [eg big project coming up with Opera North]. And yes, there's always the odd skirmish with the Core Subjects about leaving Maths or Science for a quick scrape with the peri on the violin.
So what I am asking you, Mr Gove, what do you mean, when you say:
It’s a sad fact that too many children in state schools are denied the opportunity to learn to play a musical instrument. ?
Not the case at City of Leeds School, not the case at Primrose, or Parklands, or Carr Manor, or Lawnswood, or South Leeds or any other high school in Leeds that I visit as part of my ArtForms job.
Music just needs bigger status, and for that, Michael, thanks for the interest, but whatever you do please don't start trying to measure anything. And I will be back to the usual hostilities tomorrow.
Friday, 28 May 2010
Ignorance in Education
Listening to Any Questions this evening, I was struck, not for the first time, by how little people who are "in charge" know about schooling and education. My favourite, this time was trotted out by someone called Toby Young. He gave us the old: children from poor neighbourhoods are being failed by poor local schools, and don't do well academically at them, and so are doubly disadvantaged routine.
Luckily I don't suffer from high pressure, so offered the possibility of applying my head to a marble fireplace [there no brick walls near to hand], I decided instead, and also not for the first time to explain to this person, whose opinion, the BBC has seemed to like this week, and to anyone else of the same ludicrous persuasion, how ridiculous this statement is.
Poor children do less well because they are poor, not because the school they attend is failing them. Their lack of money may mean lack of material comforts, refreshing holidays, spacious houses, up to date equipment. Their parents do not buy them extra tuition; they tend not to have so many books etc at home; they may abuse their children [more likely in poorer neighbourhoods]; they may not put their faith in schooling; they may be inadequate parents in dysfunctional families. These children's parents may be in jail. They may have no parents.
When they arrive at their local school, poor children's experience of adults may well not be one of automatic respect. And offered the past tense of the etre verbs in French [agree or not agree], or an insight into phototropism in plants, or whatever [and here you will see I am looking at remote subjects which I myself adored as a child] there will some children who are dreading going home either to be raped themselves or have to listen to one parent hitting or verbally abusing another.
Teachers in schools in poor neighbourhoods have a difficult job, and I think the most rewarding teaching job in the world. They have to educate in all the conventional academic subjects. The children they/we have in our charge need to be able to hack it in the big world outside. However, our charges are not always in a state or a position to do justice to their academic potential. Some of them live in such cramped and stressful circumstances that they arrive in school, not just not fed properly, but without enough sleep. Often their parents have no idea how to be just that: parents.
It is our responsibility to offer stability, continuity, affection, understanding, patience, besides the academic subjects that we studied at university. And while it was very distressing all those years ago, when J. [in my GCSE class] sobbed her way through lesson after lesson, it was in the end a great relief that she chose my lessons to cry in, and an even greater relief to see her step-father jailed some time later.
Added to to the problems that the UK invented for itself, we now have children in our schools who are fleeing unimaginable persecution in other countries, yet face problems when they try to settle here. See this week's Guardian for two of our children's story http://www.guardian.co.uk/society, There were members of staff at City of Leeds School who added to their day job to support Wells's family in its fight against deportation.
And here's a nice little number: boys whose misogyny [from country of origin]complicates the relationship with female teachers.It took me a year to get Yr 9 boy, A. from East Africa to sit up straight in my Music lessons and stop calling me "man", whereas, by contrast, H. from Zambia is over-respectful with his "mam".
So, when I see people on the Vince and Toby Shows [aka Questiontime and Any Questions] saying, "We've got to try something different", my heart sinks. That is when when our poorer children are doubly disadvantaged.
Luckily I don't suffer from high pressure, so offered the possibility of applying my head to a marble fireplace [there no brick walls near to hand], I decided instead, and also not for the first time to explain to this person, whose opinion, the BBC has seemed to like this week, and to anyone else of the same ludicrous persuasion, how ridiculous this statement is.
Poor children do less well because they are poor, not because the school they attend is failing them. Their lack of money may mean lack of material comforts, refreshing holidays, spacious houses, up to date equipment. Their parents do not buy them extra tuition; they tend not to have so many books etc at home; they may abuse their children [more likely in poorer neighbourhoods]; they may not put their faith in schooling; they may be inadequate parents in dysfunctional families. These children's parents may be in jail. They may have no parents.
When they arrive at their local school, poor children's experience of adults may well not be one of automatic respect. And offered the past tense of the etre verbs in French [agree or not agree], or an insight into phototropism in plants, or whatever [and here you will see I am looking at remote subjects which I myself adored as a child] there will some children who are dreading going home either to be raped themselves or have to listen to one parent hitting or verbally abusing another.
Teachers in schools in poor neighbourhoods have a difficult job, and I think the most rewarding teaching job in the world. They have to educate in all the conventional academic subjects. The children they/we have in our charge need to be able to hack it in the big world outside. However, our charges are not always in a state or a position to do justice to their academic potential. Some of them live in such cramped and stressful circumstances that they arrive in school, not just not fed properly, but without enough sleep. Often their parents have no idea how to be just that: parents.
It is our responsibility to offer stability, continuity, affection, understanding, patience, besides the academic subjects that we studied at university. And while it was very distressing all those years ago, when J. [in my GCSE class] sobbed her way through lesson after lesson, it was in the end a great relief that she chose my lessons to cry in, and an even greater relief to see her step-father jailed some time later.
Added to to the problems that the UK invented for itself, we now have children in our schools who are fleeing unimaginable persecution in other countries, yet face problems when they try to settle here. See this week's Guardian for two of our children's story http://www.guardian.co.uk/society, There were members of staff at City of Leeds School who added to their day job to support Wells's family in its fight against deportation.
And here's a nice little number: boys whose misogyny [from country of origin]complicates the relationship with female teachers.It took me a year to get Yr 9 boy, A. from East Africa to sit up straight in my Music lessons and stop calling me "man", whereas, by contrast, H. from Zambia is over-respectful with his "mam".
So, when I see people on the Vince and Toby Shows [aka Questiontime and Any Questions] saying, "We've got to try something different", my heart sinks. That is when when our poorer children are doubly disadvantaged.
Thursday, 15 April 2010
Four Funerals and no Wedding
I naively assumed that we voted in councillors and members of Parliament to represent and support us. My belief in democracy is teetering on a precipice.
At the last local by-election for Hyde Park and Woodhouse, two thousand plus electors voted for candidates all of whom made an election commitment to keep City of Leeds School open. Our two local MPS [Greg and Hilary, thanks, boys] have publicly backed the school.
Then, at a local ward forum last week, one councillor desribed City of Leeds as a poor school: the worst in the city. Naturally, I challenged this publicly, then engaged him in converstation afterwards. I opined that twelve successful inspections in fourteen years was hardly a failing school. He admitted that he didn't know much about education, and left that to the party spokesperson.
Well, there's my faith teetering again. This political group, en masse, as a party is taking a line about something so crucial as the stability in the lives of all these inner-city and immigrant children, and leaving it to one person. And this person, who was a teacher in a previous life, and a teacher at our school [!], should know better, and actually I think he does, but his new philosophy of education seems entirely governed by how much money central government will give Leeds to give to builders to build rubbish new buildings.
Well, obviously he doesn't deliberately set out to set up rubbish buildings, but he needs to know that they are. Rubbish. Leeds is careering down a path described last year by the National Association of Architects as "an opportunity lost". They even move children and staff into these schools before they are finished. Car park for Swallow Hill [that's West Leeds and Wortley to several hundred unhappy children, especially those two year groups who they didn't build enough rooms for]! Carpark! Who needs a carpark? Well, Science teachers bringing in equipment, music teachers bringing the steel pans after gigs, English teachers with bags full of marking, well everybody.
I digress.
And this spokesperson is guided by a already discredited private so-called education company and this is the line. If we do what Ed Balls says ie make academies and trusts, and judge schools by crude measurements, he will give Leeds 11 million pounds; if we don't behave ourselves we'll only get 9 million. I say let's behave badly, if only for the stability of our communities and their mental health.
Chris Crozier, Jos Lockridge, Michael Lorimer, and my own drummer, David Wright were all ex-Foxwood students, and why are they mentioned here? Well the clue's in the title. Take the heart out of the community in the ruthless pursuit of such a nebulous concept as a standard. What's the point? I thought that education was bigger than that.
At the last local by-election for Hyde Park and Woodhouse, two thousand plus electors voted for candidates all of whom made an election commitment to keep City of Leeds School open. Our two local MPS [Greg and Hilary, thanks, boys] have publicly backed the school.
Then, at a local ward forum last week, one councillor desribed City of Leeds as a poor school: the worst in the city. Naturally, I challenged this publicly, then engaged him in converstation afterwards. I opined that twelve successful inspections in fourteen years was hardly a failing school. He admitted that he didn't know much about education, and left that to the party spokesperson.
Well, there's my faith teetering again. This political group, en masse, as a party is taking a line about something so crucial as the stability in the lives of all these inner-city and immigrant children, and leaving it to one person. And this person, who was a teacher in a previous life, and a teacher at our school [!], should know better, and actually I think he does, but his new philosophy of education seems entirely governed by how much money central government will give Leeds to give to builders to build rubbish new buildings.
Well, obviously he doesn't deliberately set out to set up rubbish buildings, but he needs to know that they are. Rubbish. Leeds is careering down a path described last year by the National Association of Architects as "an opportunity lost". They even move children and staff into these schools before they are finished. Car park for Swallow Hill [that's West Leeds and Wortley to several hundred unhappy children, especially those two year groups who they didn't build enough rooms for]! Carpark! Who needs a carpark? Well, Science teachers bringing in equipment, music teachers bringing the steel pans after gigs, English teachers with bags full of marking, well everybody.
I digress.
And this spokesperson is guided by a already discredited private so-called education company and this is the line. If we do what Ed Balls says ie make academies and trusts, and judge schools by crude measurements, he will give Leeds 11 million pounds; if we don't behave ourselves we'll only get 9 million. I say let's behave badly, if only for the stability of our communities and their mental health.
Chris Crozier, Jos Lockridge, Michael Lorimer, and my own drummer, David Wright were all ex-Foxwood students, and why are they mentioned here? Well the clue's in the title. Take the heart out of the community in the ruthless pursuit of such a nebulous concept as a standard. What's the point? I thought that education was bigger than that.
Friday, 19 February 2010
Counting at the Town Hall
In early January 2010 Adele Beeson, Independent candidate for Hyde Park and Woodhouse, inner-city Leeds, officially confirmed that she was standing for Council. On February 18 2010, out of a count of 2200 voters she got 150 votes. Labour won with 1054 votes, and with rather more than five weeks experience and campaigning behind them. All the candidates declared their support for City of Leeds School, so we can also declare that 2,200 people, in fact 100% of voters, voted for City of Leeds School to stay open. Of course, this is just a way of spinning it, but I think it makes sense. And, for those who like to count things, something of a result, I would say, which They need to take heed of.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
The Thomas a Becket of Schools and the Mother of All Parliaments
Just rereading the billets doux between our local education firm and comedy duo, Ed and Vern from the DCSF. Ed "thanks" them for their "dedicated support", and Vern is "grateful" for their plans to "accelerate the delivery of long term solutions." He goes on to note their "intention to close City of Leeds School" , and then welcomes "the immediate support that you propose for all the schools . . "
There's no support being offered here.it sounds more like the final solution to me! It's more like: Who will rid me of this turbulent school? And They've lost touch with reality. Interpreting facts to suit whatever.
In September Ed writes that he "particlularly pleased to see Parklands rise above the floor, " so well done there, Leeds. Oh no, it's January and Vern is happy to see Parklands become an academy. Looks like they're exceeding orders here, but it's going down well.
Back in September, having spotted that Intake has heroically achieved the magic percentage, Ed has to describe this as providing "a good platform for the new Academy", but really I don't think it needed this tragic turn of events - change and loss of teachers, change of uniform, loss of one of the most famous names in Leeds schools' history, living in a building site for the next couple of years, excluded from the central services.
So why, from a government, once so revered and respected, are two men sitting in an office, sending out letters, trying to make sure that they and their department are covered in glory, with their "ambitious programme to transform secondary school standards . . "?
And City of Leeds School stands in their way.
There's no support being offered here.it sounds more like the final solution to me! It's more like: Who will rid me of this turbulent school? And They've lost touch with reality. Interpreting facts to suit whatever.
In September Ed writes that he "particlularly pleased to see Parklands rise above the floor, " so well done there, Leeds. Oh no, it's January and Vern is happy to see Parklands become an academy. Looks like they're exceeding orders here, but it's going down well.
Back in September, having spotted that Intake has heroically achieved the magic percentage, Ed has to describe this as providing "a good platform for the new Academy", but really I don't think it needed this tragic turn of events - change and loss of teachers, change of uniform, loss of one of the most famous names in Leeds schools' history, living in a building site for the next couple of years, excluded from the central services.
So why, from a government, once so revered and respected, are two men sitting in an office, sending out letters, trying to make sure that they and their department are covered in glory, with their "ambitious programme to transform secondary school standards . . "?
And City of Leeds School stands in their way.
Monday, 15 February 2010
Leafletting
We have been leafletting again. If it's not dark or raining this is by no means an unpleasant experience. I have developed a dog-in-house-fingers-out-fast-response, taking no chances with barks and bites. Most people are either receptive or polite about our campaign. There's still the entrenched "No way would I send my child to City!", and they seem to be supported by the Education Leeds spokesperson who said as much on the Radio Leeds breakfast Show last Wednesday [10 February].
I must say I had heard the rumours, then I went in to City as a peri, changed my mind overnight and sent both my younger children there. This doesn't mean to say it was perfect, but it was more than good enough, and better than the school that I had sent my two older children to.
When I worked at Foxwood, I asked head teacher, Bob Spooner why local parents made such an effort to bus their their kids out to John Smeaton, Boston Spa and the like. He said they don't want their children to mix with the rough sons and daughters of the criminals classes. I would say to say to these anxious Woodhouse and Hyde Park parents something sanctimonious like the "sins of the father" and so on. But the fact is that our school is full of the children of aspirational African and Eastern European parents. We have an A* English=as=an=Addtional-Language Department to help them without their problems impacting on the education of the native English speakers. and children of supportive parents are more likely to come out with 9 A-Cs than a drug habit. And they'll save enough money on busfares to go on more holidays.
However, if the truth is too inconvenient, I would say to those who don't want to have their minds changed: If City of Leeds is closed, the truancy and crime rate in the local area will increase, as will calls on mental health services.
I must say I had heard the rumours, then I went in to City as a peri, changed my mind overnight and sent both my younger children there. This doesn't mean to say it was perfect, but it was more than good enough, and better than the school that I had sent my two older children to.
When I worked at Foxwood, I asked head teacher, Bob Spooner why local parents made such an effort to bus their their kids out to John Smeaton, Boston Spa and the like. He said they don't want their children to mix with the rough sons and daughters of the criminals classes. I would say to say to these anxious Woodhouse and Hyde Park parents something sanctimonious like the "sins of the father" and so on. But the fact is that our school is full of the children of aspirational African and Eastern European parents. We have an A* English=as=an=Addtional-Language Department to help them without their problems impacting on the education of the native English speakers. and children of supportive parents are more likely to come out with 9 A-Cs than a drug habit. And they'll save enough money on busfares to go on more holidays.
However, if the truth is too inconvenient, I would say to those who don't want to have their minds changed: If City of Leeds is closed, the truancy and crime rate in the local area will increase, as will calls on mental health services.
Thursday, 21 January 2010
City of Leeds School
This blog has been set up to provide accurate information about the campaign to keep City of Leeds School open, successful, still at the heart of its community and including as it does, children bussing themselves over from all over Leeds and flying in from all over Africa and Europe.
My background is that I worked for 16 happy years at Foxwood School, Leeds [led by Bob Spooner:heateacher of genuine vision and genius], and only left because they closed that amazing place. The despair that I shared with other staff, and with parents and children from Secroft and Gipton was almost unimaginable.
Next I sent my youngest children to Royal Park School [led by Rita Samuel, renowned throughout Leeds for innovation and high standards], and even became a governor and after-school teacher there. I only stopped working there when it was closed. Years of despair followed, bumping into ex-pupils all round Headingley, Burley and Kirkstall, who couldn't understand why they had been separated from their friends and favourite teachers, and why they had to go so far to school now.
My personal interest is that these same two children of mine went on to City of Leeds, and left, both with 8 or 9 A-C GCSEs, including several As and Bs. Living in the area, I had heard the rumours about the school, but a when I started to do the odd music lesson there, I realised it was Foxwood all over again: great school, terrible reputation.
My background is that I worked for 16 happy years at Foxwood School, Leeds [led by Bob Spooner:heateacher of genuine vision and genius], and only left because they closed that amazing place. The despair that I shared with other staff, and with parents and children from Secroft and Gipton was almost unimaginable.
Next I sent my youngest children to Royal Park School [led by Rita Samuel, renowned throughout Leeds for innovation and high standards], and even became a governor and after-school teacher there. I only stopped working there when it was closed. Years of despair followed, bumping into ex-pupils all round Headingley, Burley and Kirkstall, who couldn't understand why they had been separated from their friends and favourite teachers, and why they had to go so far to school now.
My personal interest is that these same two children of mine went on to City of Leeds, and left, both with 8 or 9 A-C GCSEs, including several As and Bs. Living in the area, I had heard the rumours about the school, but a when I started to do the odd music lesson there, I realised it was Foxwood all over again: great school, terrible reputation.
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