Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
New Schools Champion for Haringey
Press Release from Haringey Council:
Haringey’s first ever Schools Champion, Christine Gilbert (CBE) has been announced by the Leader of Haringey Council Claire Kober.
The former Head of Ofsted will help drive improvements in school performance and pupil attainment across the borough.
The appointment of a Schools Champion was one of the highlights of a number of recommendations published earlier this year by the independent education commission, Outstanding for All.
Ms Gilbert brings a wealth of experience to the role of Schools Champion, both from her five years with Ofsted and her former roles as a teacher, headteacher and director of education. She has steered major transformation in education in Harrow and Tower Hamlets. Her appointment forms part of a package of improvements announced by Cllr Kober.
She said: “I’m delighted to welcome Christine as our official Schools Champion and look forward to working with her to accelerate the pace of improvement, and deliver on the Commission’s ambitious recommendations.
“Making education outstanding for all of Haringey’s children is a priority for the council, and Christine’s appointment marks another important step in our journey to transform school standards.
“Together with our schools, teachers and governors, I am determined that all children in Haringey will have access to the highest quality teaching and support to give them the very best opportunities in life.”
Cllr Kober has also unveiled further details of the Outstanding for All Delivery, including:
- A £250,000 Education Innovation Fund to allow schools to pilot innovative ways of delivering outstanding results
- Working with Headteachers and Governors to improve support services for schools
- A consultation on improvements to governance to ensure all schools have high calibre governors who are well trained and well supported by the council
- A pilot Pupil Passport scheme to better support children when they move between schools
- A Best of Haringey event to promote and celebrate school achievements
- Better sharing of schools data so that parents can easily access the information they need
- A Family Ambitions advocacy service
- More work to build bridges between Haringey schools and leading universities
Newly appointed Schools Champion, Christine Gilbert, said: “I am looking forward to being at the heart of developing a new and improved Outstanding for All culture that the entire borough can be proud of.”
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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Gosh, Clive, I didn't realise you were an expert on educational standards as well as all your other fine qualities.
But plainly, you haven't come across the First Law of Holes.
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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New Schools Champion
will help drive improvements
She has steered major transformation
accelerate the pace
another important step in our journey
will have access to
Outstanding for All Delivery
schools to pilot innovative ways
innovative ways of delivering
A pilot Pupil Passport
easily access the information
to build bridges between
Seems they're going places and simultaneously building the infrastructure.
No mention of a brake or reverse gear to restore the status quo ante when they've made a complete koberballs of the system.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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All active action words Eddie, a sure sign of Communications attention.
I'm not convinced it was written in one go by a human, I think the PR boys & girls may press a button to re-shuffle doing and excitement words.
highlights; outstanding; wealth; major; transformation; package; improvements; delighted; ambitious; together; determined; highest; quality; unveiled
– there's not a great deal of content here
There once was a time when New Schools Champion for Haringey would have meant that Joseph Bloggins had won an inter-Borough secondary schools 100m final. Sadly, now it is used as council propaganda, propagated through the big Communications Department and successfully slipped through to appear at the top of the web page you're viewing now.
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"reshuffle doing and excitement words". Nice, Clive. One of your more insightful posts.
Glad you took my advice and climbed out of the hole.
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Permalink Reply by Edel B on
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Give. Me. Strength.
Beyond the power verbs, what is her actual remit? How much control, if any, does she have over academies or free schools? What is her role if a school and the local authority are in conflict? Or if there's a conflict between parents and governors, or parents and school management? Or if parents, governors and management find themselves being railroaded into a forcible conversion to academy status? Who is she a champion FOR?
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Here's Christine Gilbert in Wikipedia.
And there's a website for her own company Christine Gilbert Associates which includes not only Ms Gilbert but her associates.
"who are hand-picked experts in education and children’s services with an unrivalled depth of knowledge, expertise and experience. They have experience as Ofsted inspectors, as HMI, as headteachers and include specialists in a range of issues such as special educational needs. They are all passionate about making a difference for children, young people and adult learners and know that good and outstanding services raise standards and improve lives. They are committed to sharing their expertise as widely as possible and aim to leave every organisation or service stronger as a result of their visit. All associates have an enhanced CRB disclosure.
The breadth of knowledge, expertise and experience amongst our associates means we can help you find practical solutions to the most complex challenges."
Although I don't remember reading about the hiring process, I am certain that it carefully followed the procurement rules, including equal opportunities considerations. With, of course, a clearly set-out job description and measurable outcomes and levels of attainment.
So I won't hear of any suggestion that Christine Gilbert was hand-picked by the Dear Maximum Leader who simply announced her appointment.
Or maybe I've got it completely wrong and Christine is giving her services for free?
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Ah, that's a shame. Seems that Christine is not a volunteer after all.
(Thanks to Mike Baker in Save Gladstone Park School website.)
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Thanks for the link Alan.
Whatever Ms Gilbert's qualities (and one shouldn't pre-judge them) it does appear that she may not be able to devote a great deal of time to the new role of Champion. One would have thought that the role of interim chief executive at a (neighbouring) London Borough is time-consuming and even demanding.
I hope there is more to this announcement than its announcing.
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Clive, a couple of times you've been frank about your lack of knowledge of educational matters. So can I please suggest that the journalist Warwick Mansell is someone you might like to read. I find his pieces fair, balanced, and extremely well-informed.
You might especially like his new article published today (13 June) on the website of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT). It's called:
A system which serves politicians, not schools.
Warwick Mansell begins with a conversation with Sir Ron Dearing who told him that if there was one thing he could change in Education it would be that "some of the politics could be taken out of it.”
It's a wish which may be echoed by heads and teachers, by parents and carers, and even by school students themselves. Everyone except perhaps those politicians who fancy themselves education experts.
It's a longish piece, but thoughtful and informative. You or anyone else seriously interested in the issues may find it useful.
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Thank you Alan I have now read the article and it is as you describe (well packed, and promptly delivered, good communication!).
The lack of knowledge of educational matters that you mention is not quite accurate. As you might expect, I have opinions about the matter but I hesitate to comment mainly because the system is quite foreign to me. I would probably feel more comfortable discussing education north of the border, as the system in which I was educated is based on the Scottish.
One doesn't have to be an expert to education to be aware of the (well set out) report of the Haringey Education Commission (here).
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I've never suggested you lack opinions, Clive.
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Permalink Reply by pamish on
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Appointing a Champion must mean that there is a mass movement in Haringey that thinks education is a bad idea and should be avoided, so a high-intensity counter-propaganda attack is needed. Obviously thousands of people in Haringey have no belief in Education as a Good Thing. They must be found and converted forthwith.
Actually Champion to me means 5.30 on a Saturday night in front of our neighbour's b+w TV (we didn't have one), with Robin Hood to follow.
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