intexasatthe moment

londonmix - I'm sure you're very capable of putting forward an argument that my objections are unreasonable without any further detail . I'm just expressing my views . Which are that I have reservations about Academies - for instance I'm not reassured by being told that the DfE will be assessing the curriculum when a sponsor opens a new primary school . The current political intervention in the curriculum by Gove seems uninformed by teachers and people with expertise in schools and education . He has appointed an education minister - John Nash - whose only qualification seems to be the fact he is a sponsor of an Academy .http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/jan/10/gove-appoints-john-nash-education-minister If you look at the link I posted earlier to the curriculum think tank you will get a flavour of Nash's ( or his wife 's ) thinking on curriculum . You may be completely in harmony with his approach but I am unhappy that the curriculum at an Academy ( Pimlico ) and the new primary he is opening is now shaped by his idea of a curriculum . It is obvious that the government shares his approach . I appreciate that I am referring to a different sponsor and a different Academy - but the point is that Academies do have this freedom .I feel that they are unaccountable and that as chains like Harris get bigger that their freedoms and power will increase . The alternative Academy preferred by the Roke primary is indicated in the link I posted as Riddlesdown Collegiate http://www.riddlesdown.org/ . I'm sorry I can't be more articulate than this - my excuse today is that I'm still recovering from being caught up in the Vauxhall nightmare this morning . But the truth is I'm pretty inarticulate at the best of times !

Seems odd that the DfE insisted on Harris as sponsors when Roke primary were wanting an alternative sponsor if they were forced to become an Academy . http://www.guardian.co.uk/education/2013/jan/14/parents-fury-academy-takeover?INTCMP=SRCH I'd say wrong rather than odd ,but that's because I believe parents and teachers should be listened to . And - not a criticism of Harris just flagging up the freedoms Academies DO have with curriculum - Pimlico Academy is developing it's own special curriculum . The sponsors wife has set up a curriculum think tank which favours a fact based /knowledge rich education - so for example it seems that instructing young children on primary and secondary colours is preferable to letting them loose on a paint box and making a mess . "If you were to give a young child a paint box, a brush, water and paper and ask them to paint a picture, what would they discover? That water makes the paint wet, that the brush can only hold so much paint and that you need to keep dipping it back into the paint box, that the paint box soon gets in a mess and that the paper is soon filled up with a muddy puddle. Compare and contrast this with teaching a child about primary and secondary colours and how to mix them, explaining the colour wheel and showing how the use of complementary colours can enliven a painting. How much more a child would discover and how much more harmonious the painting would be. " http://www.thecurriculumcentre.org/blog/ Perhaps Pimlico's sponsor and his wife have lots of educational experience and knowledge ,but I have been unable to discover what it is . And the sponsor has now been appointed by Gove as an education minister . My point is that Academies are not accountable and that they have a lot of power . I'm sure the response from many will be that Harris Academies are a different kettle of fish and that we need have no worries . I'm afraid that I do still worry .

As per JB's "As for Local Authorities. Under the Localiam act their is nothing to stop them applying to central government for the ability to create new schools" that's what I'd like . Does being a registered charity somehow confer kudos or legitimacy to an organisation ? Or even prevent that organisation from benefiting , financially or otherwise .

Well of course even qualified Health Visitors can be cr*p. And some Health Care Assistanys can be great . But doesn't change my basic belief that there is too much reliance on less costly .less trained ,and not adequately supervised Health Care Assistants .

I do think that a lot of the trouble is that actual trained Health Visitors and District Nurses are thin on the ground and the teams mainly consist of Health Care Assistants . Some Health Care Assistants are experienced and fantastic at what they do . But IME many are not and do not know when or what needs refering for another persons input .

Maybe it's standard practice to move staff around ,rotate them through different geographical areas ? My very elderly housebound mother is seen by members of a DNT to dress ulcers on her leg . It's ( apparently ) not possible to be visited by the same member of staff ( even the same 2 or 3 members of staff ) from week to week . Or to be given any more detail of the timing of the visits other than which day/s they are coming - I guess the thinking is that if you're housebound it doesn't matter . And in the summer we were told that the staff ( might only have been the health care assistants ) were being rotated to different areas . So any hint of continuity of care - which believe me is important if you're dealing with long standing wounds - is out the window .

I share the concerns expressed about loss of recreational space ,though I'm sure there'll be an argument about using the park below Sainsburys . There is an argument about a need for social housing . But will it be social housing ?

I think you should speak to the Team Leader to ask why this happened in the first place and what the protocols are to avoid it happening again - to your relative or to someone else . The DNT is no doubt under pressure ( so all the more need to have procedures in place ) and I don't feel entirely comfortable criticising them ....but this kind of experience is far from rare and vulnerable people are put at risk by what IME is a system that often breaks down . Poor communications between DNT and patients and surgeries ,lack of continuity of care ,Health Care assistants who are not properly supported or used in complex cases where greater knowledge/training is needed . I have made formal complaints in the past and to a limited extent have found that things have improved .

Just came across this on Southwark Carers Newsletter and thought it might be of interest . " Wed 16th Jan, 11am Join our new ADDitude Carers Group for carers of people with Autistic Spectrum Disorder, Aspergers, Attention Deficit Disorder and other behavioural problems. In recent months we've come into contact with an increasing number of carers looking after people, each facing common problems of stress, isolation, and difficulties finding appropriate activities, schools, as well as just ways of relaxing. This new group will be a safe space to talk about experiences and take time out If you'd like to reserve a place or find out more, call us on 020 7708 4497 or dan.taylor@southwarkcarers.org.uk. "

Muddles with notes seem fairly common . I was recently refused a repeat prescriptio at Forest Hill Rd surgery and was told I'd seen GP 4 days earlier . When I persued this it turned out patient with same name ( I promise mine is not common ) and told " Well you'd better watch out for that then ." How about them watching out for it /using birthdates . Poor you nylonmeals,surely if HV doing their jobs they should have tried to be more discreet ,avoiding putting parents backs up if they really did need support . And showing you another persons notes ? Were they HV or health care assistants ?

Congratulations Ramble ( and everyone else ! ) have been watching for news of your little ones's arrival !

Elmington Estate http://directobjective.blogspot.co.uk/2011/12/elmington-estate-revisited.html

or for putting special ops dogs off the scent ...

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Another vote for MIU at St Thomas - you can phone them first to check if they think you should come in ,if that reassures you . http://www.selondon.nhs.uk/your_local_nhs/lambeth/your_local_services/minor_injuries_unit

Also I've heard that the Lister walk in at New Cross has shorter waiting times .

Won't it need to be Xrayed ? And require a visit to Kings ?

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I know my mother's world has shrunk as she's got older ,not that she ( or her generation ) socialised in anything like the way people seem to these days . There are lots of activities for older people in London ,Duilwich Helpline as you know run several .But a joint elderly parents + carers weekend event as you say doesn't exist . My mum wouldn't go for that - she likes to be the centre of attention and if I'm there it would be me she wants to talk to . She'd be annoyed if I took her out and then I spent time talking to others and not her .

Southwark Carers http://www.southwarkcarers.org.uk/for-carers/ offer support for carers .

Shame nobody worked within the system when Southwark were going down the Academy route and giving away all their secondary schools . And who'll remember now what your take on that was ?

Just a few facts about sponsorship funding - Since 2009 no funding has been required . Since 2007 a "comparable professional commitment " was acceptable instead of a financial one . Prior to this ,discounts were available and taken advantage of for sponsors with more than 3 Academies . With tax relief and sponsorship taking the form of endowment funds the actual cost of funding which as said was UP to ?2 million is reduced . Two more points since 2007 the government has given Academies ?288 million in start up funding . This is money over and above amounts paid to ordinary state schools . It is no longer given but certainly gave sponsors a head start to establish their reputation . As at March 2010 of Academies pledging endowment fund sponsorship , only 11% had paid what was pledged ,58% had paid nothing . All figures from National Audit Office http://dera.ioe.ac.uk/11410/1/1011288.pdf I am not suggesting that Harris hasn't paid what it pledged but illustrating why I dislike and distrust sponsorship . And of course there is my main concern - why should our children's education be dependent on cash sponsorship from private individuals ? To me it smacks of a return to Victorian philanthropy .

James - can't the LA sponsor a school ?

James - why can't the LA sponsor/set up a new primary school ?

Well put Fuschia and thank you for taking the time posting and providing figures behind the spin . I find the profilation of original Academies ,new Academies ,Free Schools confusing and I completely understand thats many are so busy getting through life that their main concern is a place for their primary school child . I think the current set up is wrong - I don't want a fragmented education system in the hands of a number of individuals with much power ,many freedoms ,little control ,opaque motivations and varying degrees of success. And who I've not voted for . And the fact that I don't know what the answer is and can't come up with alternatives ,doesn't mean that what we have now in Southwark is ok .