Haberdashers' East Dulwich - 751 families supporting

[LondonMix]

How have I attacked Charter?

[Stateeducation]

LondonMix Wrote:

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> How have I attacked Charter?

Why is inclusion a problem for Charter. Unfounded accusation which goes against last OFSTED report

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2012/09/07/lord-adonis-private-school-_n_1864138.html

[LondonMix]

I said questions could be raised about it given the Charter had to be forced to enforce their own admissions policy. Ignoring a component of the safe walking distance that would increase the number of students admitted from social housing could be seen as a concern, particularly after the school granted successful appeals mounted by parents without then changing its policy overall. I don't know what Charter's motives were but these were concerns raised by the admissions watch dog, the Office of the School's Adjudicator.

The events mentioned above came to light AFTER the most recent OFSTED report in 2009.

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2012/feb/01/academy-school-catchment-council-estates

With that said, I do think the Charter is a great school as I already said. However, if the steering committee was specifically looking for a school with great inclusion policies (as reported in a previous post), clearly the events above regarding the Charter would have figured into their assessment of the ethos / governance at Charter vis-a-vis other potential operators as concerns inclusion.

By contrast, Haberdashers has a specialised inclusion team at each of its schools.

[Skegness]

I love this thread! I had to buy some popcorn to eat while I read it. Is it part of a secret strategy to create deliberate community tension and infighting between Charter and Haberdashers and drive exasperated East Dulwich parents to say "A plague o' both your houses!" and send their offspring to Peckham Academy? Great idea, if so and hats off to whoever came up with such a cunning plan.

[minder]

Well, we will have to wait until Tuesday 8th April for a decision!

[bornagain]

LondonMix said

However, if the steering committee was specifically looking for a school with great inclusion policies (as reported in a previous post), clearly the events above regarding the Charter would have figured into their assessment of the ethos / governance at Charter vis-a-vis other potential operators as concerns inclusion.

By contrast, Haberdashers has a specialised inclusion team at each of its schools.

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I think we are all agreed that inclusion is a key factor in the selection of the new school.

A part of the reason that Haberdashers is particularly hot on inclusion is because they were made to put their house in order about 5 or 6 years ago. It was criticised as being elitist with a pseudo-grammar intake. I think all potential students and their families were interviewed and the school population strangely did not reflect the surrounding area of the school. The school was far from inclusive and hence the fantastic exam results. Incidentally ED benefitted from this as many children got places although did not live that near the school.

Lewisham stepped in and forced the school to change their admissions policy. They abolished interviews and started to take students strictly by geography (except for the music scholars). The exam results are now less good but the school is more inclusive.

Part of this transformation was the annexing of a local failing primary school. I assume a large number of students come from there.

I hope that in a similar way, the Wanley incident has made Charter apply its admission policy with more rigour.

I think the moral of this tale is that schools change, they develop and hopefully each new incarnation is better than the previous.

[LondonMix]

I wasn't slagging off Charter. I repeatedly called it a terrific school. If you can't even honestly discuss the differences between the options what on earth is the point...

ETA: The above would have been clear if you quoted me fully.

[bornagain]

LondonMix, sorry I quoted you as the hook to discuss the relative inclusivity issues of the two schools, but the 'slagging off' reference is certainly not directed at you. You are always very clear and reasonable and full of informed discussion. I was referring to dadsarmy and others earlier in the thread. I will reword the post to make this clear.

Offending post edited. I think it reads better too.

[DuncanW]

All this bickering is quite unedifying.

We need a new secondary school and James and his steering group have grasped the initiative. I am sure most parents, like me, would be delighted with either a new Charter or HA school on the proposed site. They both have consecutive outstanding Ofsted reports and appear to be great schools.

The recent debate about inclusivity and admissions would simply not be an issue if we had a enough places at good/outstanding schools - and a new six-form entry school would address that.

James, his steering group and the hundreds of parents (inc myself) who have stated their support seem to have the march on this, but if Charter also want to bid, let them get on with it.

[sophiesofa]

DuncanW Wrote:

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> They both have consecutive

> outstanding Ofsted reports and appear to be great

> schools.

Haberdasher's is a federation - Knights in downham very recently got a 'requires improvement' ofsted report.

I think it's great both schools are biding. I personally would prefer it to be Charter who win but either way it's excellent that there'll be a new secondary school.

[DuncanW]

sophiesofa Wrote:

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>

> Haberdasher's is a federation - Knights in downham

> very recently got a 'requires improvement' ofsted

> report.

>

> I think it's great both schools are biding. I

> personally would prefer it to be Charter who win

> but either way it's excellent that there'll be a

> new secondary school.

Wasn't aware of Knights in Downham. Thanks for highlighting.

I grew up near there, and Malory - as was - was always a problematic school.

[????]

Get involved? Probably not, because State education is an embittered coward who is hiding behind a made up name on a forum whilst bringing up personal details of someone else would be my guess......wouldn't want someone like that involved in deciding anything on my kids' education

[Stateeducation]

Thank you for calling me an embittered coward . I am sure moderators/admin will do little about that personal attack .

The only personal info I have brought up is the school the champion of the new HA free state school has sent his own kids to. WhY? Because it is very relevant

http://m.huffpost.com/uk/entry/1864138/

[Belle]

That's not true Stateeducation - you've also made sweeping judgements about the steering group. Talking about Cllr Barber's children is very personal and, in my book, totally out of order.

[Otta]

And completely irrelevent even if one peer has said it, it's no more than an opinion.

[James Barber]

I've added to the first post on this thread the logic and thinking behind choosing Haberdashers' Aske's over The Charter School.

Any question about it please email me direct.

[Otta]

http://www.haaf.org.uk/New-East-Dulwich-Secondary-School

"The Haberdashers? Aske?s Federation has been asked to set up a brand new secondary school in East Dulwich by a local parent campaign group and by Southwark Council. We are working with them to assess and develop the proposal for a new school, including establishing the level of demand for a school and whether the site is available and suitable. The proposal is for an 11-18 school on the Dulwich Community Hospital site, which would open in September 2016. All the main local political parties in Southwark have given their support to the idea. A final decision on whether to apply to the Government to open a new school will be taken later this year."

Interesting.

[James Barber]

Hi Otta,

You don't get to be a charity since 1369 (from memory) without being cautious.

The Worshipful Company will make a final go/no-go decision late June. This is the final project decision gate for them to apply in November to open our free school. We're 99% certain they will proceed. The 1% is if they hadn't spotted something crucial. It's also to ensure that by late june Knight's Academy has made the progress required.

We could have achieved 100% certainty by going with Harris last Autumn but that wasn't what people told us they wanted. And with two Harris secondary schools we concurred.

[Otta]

James I wasn't having a go, I just assumed that Haberdashers were already fully on board.

"You don't get to be a charity since 1369 (from memory) without being cautious."

Have you been to The Worshipful Company's "clubhouse" (for want of a better word - it's a very grand hall)? I remember going there mid 90s to sing a recital for loads of old posh blokes. We had an awesome carvery and they kept giving us loads of wine (much to the displeasure of our music teacher, beng as none of us were 18).

That is my kind of charity.

[James Barber]

Hi Otta,

I didn't think you were. I wanted to answer so others had as much context and transparency as possible.

I've never been or seen their 'clubhouse'. Head boys and girls are apparently invited to become haberdashers'. The company also have sponsorship for those going to Russell Group universities, etc. Apparently they insist that pupils in their state schools have the same opportunities as their pupils in their private schools.

[James Barber]

Haberdashers' now have a page on their site about this project:

http://www.haaf.org.uk/New-East-Dulwich-Secondary-School-1

[BeccaL]

Hi James

Thanks for this - is it necessary to register on the Haberdashers' site if one has already registered with the New Secondary School campaign website?

Becca

[James Barber]

Hi BeccaL,

No need to register again on the Haberdashers' Aske's website. We have all the details.

Late June the final stage in Haberdashers' Aske's Federation governance process to be 100% committed to apply for a new East Duwlcih free school. Between now and then they are undertaking lots of due diligence on need, how they'd do it, etc.

So until late June when we and they expect to go from 99% to 100% we would still prefer families to show their support via www.newschool.org.uk as we then have the ability to take this support to another provider in extremis. Hope that makes sense.

[intexasatthe moment]

Can anyone point me to a document where Haberdashers explain their banding system ?

[samstopit]

Haberdashers currently have a distance based admissions policy I believe.

Unless I'm mistaken, the plan is for the proposed new school to have a fairer admissions process based on banding and distance.