Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Free school for Harringay?
Primary school doesn't seem to be such an issue (apart from oversubscription).
What are people's views of secondary schools?
Is there a group of parents that would like to look into this?
http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/frees...
If anyone is interested in setting up a free school for their children then please add me as a connection and direct message me...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-21080809
A C Greyling is apparently trying to set one up in north London... Does anyone know more about this or where it's going to be?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Bethany on
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That person seems to have deleted their posts, anyway please do message me directly.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Can I suggest that you have a look at the work of Toby Blume (a different animal entirely from that Toadmeister) and consider whether the time and effort is worth it and what the aim of your school would be. Blume is not a professional troll like Toby Young but someone whose commitment to resilient communities is undeniable. Reading what is involved I'm not sure I'd want to give the amount of time required to do it, even supposing I had the inclination.
Local secondary schools are actually pretty successful so what would a free school be offering to parents other than spare places? I'm not saying don't do it but it's as well to examine the philosophy behind what you want to do, as Blume does. One argument could be, for example, is that governments are going to covertly privatise schools through the academies system, better to take control before Lord Harris does. Another is that schools are exam factories and you want a broader, less mechanical experience for your children. Whatever, your thinking, I think like Blume you'd need a bit of a vision. It's not easy running a school (20 years in education taught me that).
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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That's not Jedi Anne, but it's close.
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Thanks for that Anne, it'll be interesting to see what happens with this proposed school and where it'll be located should it be successful in its bid.
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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Maybe you could put your support behind the Oak School Bethany - they are hoping to setup locally in Crouch End after all.
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Thanks for that Liz. Your thoughts are very interesting, what did you do in education for twenty years? Are you still doing it?
It's really not my vision though, I really would only consider being part of setting up a free school if there was genuine support in the local community. If parents aren't happy with the current provision I'd like to know why and what they'd like instead.
Maybe I don't know enough about current provision. Perhaps local parents could enlighten me...
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Secondary School teacher and no I don't do it anymore. I became a full-time mum and then went in another direction. I have two children, one of whom is 9. I have yet to look in depth at any local sec schools but parents who actually have kids at them don't seem that unhappy. Perhaps some parents of teenagers will join the debate and give their views.
As to support, isn't it chicken and egg? How do you inspire parents to want to use your school. A free school in Beccles got just 37 applications. Perhaps because they didn't work on the vision thing. Maybe because it was too much of a risk when local schools were good. Might be worth looking at that story too.
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I don't want to call it my vision or my school...like I said setting up a free school could only work if there was a genuine need and support from local parents. The vision would have to have some kind of consensus or I doubt it would work.
I don't know about the Beccles school. From the reading I've done it seems there needs to be local support perhaps in the form of a petition, although it doesn't say how many names you need to take I forward. I would expect more than 37!
Yes, some input from parents would be much appreciated as would the views of those children (I'm sure they wouldn't like being called children) that are currently at secondary school now.
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Permalink Reply by Alison P on
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I think part of the issue is how inadequate petitions are as a way of measuring demand. I've come across a couple of petitions where it seemed really to be a case of "sign our petition we need xxxxx names" and I'm sure loads of people sign who couldn't (don't have child in that age range) or wouldn't actually send their child. That might explain the examples others have mentioned where the intake has been very low.
I read the article by the other Toby that Liz linked to and found it really interesting. His descriptions of the amount of time and effort required are really thought provoking, and the point he makes about this steering them more towards organised groups (eg religious ones) and more middle class areas. Personally I'm really hacked off by the number of religious schools that are opening under the initiative. We need more NON faith based schools in my view.
I'm not at the stage where I'm worrying about secondary schools yet but am following some of the local schools with interest, like Park View. So like others am interested to hear what those with direct experience think.
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Yes, that's a good point Alison, petitions do seem a strange way of proving interest.
I'm not at that stage either, it's a good 10 years away but considering how long it would take to establish I thought I'd start a discussion and see where it went, if anywhere.
I'm worried about Gove's plans for the future of our schools and therefore our children and like you think the amount of faith schools being set up under this scheme is a concern.
I wonder what choice there'll be in 10years time if parents don't act now.
I agree it would be good to hear about local schools but I wonder how Gove's policy's will change these schools in the future.
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Alison, did you pick up on the recent Demos report calling for more involvement of faith based groups on community life?
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"don't seem that unhappy" - damning with faint praise there I'm afraid.
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