Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Help Save Pendarren House
Pendarren House Outdoor Centre is owned and maintained by Haringey council. It has been providing residential outdoor education courses since 1972. It is used by the majority of Haringey schools, both primary and secondary.
Haringey would like to cut the £220,000 subsidy which means that the Centre can offer subsidised places to Haringey children. Without the subsidy, the centre would be making a loss which mean Haringey would get rid of it, leasing to a private provider (or even selling off the building). This means costs would rise, making it prohibitive for a lot of children in the borough. As a teacher, and a parent, I have seen the positive impact it has had on children. The centre provides very wide range of experiences that have such positive impact on self esteem, confidence and achievement. I have spoken to parents and even grandparents who attended Pendarren as children and have heard how much it has meant to them. It would be a shame to lose such an wonderful facility that has been part of education in Haringey for over forty years.
The consultation period ends on Sunday.
This is the link that details the cuts Hareingey would like to make:
http://www.minutes.haringey.gov.uk/Published/C00000118/M00007188/AI00040179/P1Savings031214.pdf
This is the link to give the Council feedback on the proposed cuts:
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/index/council/strategiesandpolicies/strongerharingey/have-your-say-2014.htm
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by HarringayBirder on
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Doing it tonight.
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Same here. Thought it was my phone. But Haringey simply cannot be allowed to do this and take away disadvantaged children's memories to pay for fat cat consultants.
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I have managed to wade through the first 35 pages of the Council's 76-page three-year plan. I have never read such an insulting mixture of spin, bizarre corporate jargon ("positive outcomes will be achieved for vulnerable residents who are subject of safeguarding interventions", wishful thinking and waffle. To take one strand of wool they are trying to pull over our eyes: they claim they will promote cycling and make it safer by increasing cycle lanes. But where is there room for new lanes? Not in Harringay, with its amazing growing pavements.
And besides, white vans and the like park daily in cycle lanes unhindered by the attentions of the council's parking attendants. So what's the point of more cycle lanes?
I think I might have to go and read the Mail now to calm down..
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Permalink Reply by Sharon on
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All my kids, (now aged between 20 and 13) had the Pendarren experience but we're fortunate enough to experience other enrichment activities too. One of them in PGL (parents get lost) and two of them to the Farms For City Kids in Tregennis. Those experiences were wonderful and life changing for them compared to Pendarren which didn't provide as much value for money. The students and teachers remarked that the staff were grumpy and the activities were dull. Primary schools in Haringey have more choice to invest in a better and more enriching experience for Haringey kids. They deserve that. Pendarren got lazy and complacent. This is the result.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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My daughter went this year - she and her friends had the time of their lives and she never mentioned problems either with grumpy staff or boring activities - in fact a lot of them seemed positively terrifying to an old codger like me. Maybe they've upped their game in the last couple of years. Also the price of it compared with many activity holidays offered by schools is affordable for families, even more so when subsidised.
For the children of Haringey, memories of Pendarren seem to be part of the collective consciousness - mention to most of them and they all go a bit misty eyed. First trip away from parents with friends, the experience of managing for themselves, in some cases first trip out of the city to see another bit of Britain.
I'm afraid Haringey is getting its spending priorities wrong, paying consultants and chasing union officials through the courts while seeking to cut children's centres, youth services and school enrichment - it's all part of a bigger pattern that means that those that can pay will be able to get what they need for their kids and young people, but those that can't will get nothing. If we believe in equality of opportunity, then we can't let them remove the means by which children can develop and blossom which doesn't stop when the school bell rings.
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We have a collective nostalgia for Pendarren but the truth is that there are far better enrichment activities available for that important year 6 adventure for all children and many Haringey schools are choosing other venues for their kids for that opportunity.
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All fine, no one is asking you to defend this if you believe the council are right but if you care about any services in Haringey that are under threat, can I suggest you complete the survey any way - there's a tsunami of cuts coming, at least let them know that you care about it
http://www.haringey.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/policies-and-strat...
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My comments are really about the poor quality of the Pendarren experience compared to others which are available based on my experience of it through my own kids and two Haringey Schools which I'm closely linked to. Of course I care about cuts to services in Haringey and have signed. :-)
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Permalink Reply by Angela on
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My eldest child has been to Pendarren twice. On the first trip she said the staff were grumpy but on the second visit it was a much better experience. My youngest is going later this year.
I agree with Liz re the affordability aspect of Pendarren compared to other schemes.
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