Southwark Primary School Results 2010 Key Stage 2

[kateamin]

To those bigging-up Bessemer Grange - can you tell me more about what's good about it? I live very nearby and walk past it most days - it doesn't give me very positive vibes, but only just moved here so I haven't visited yet. I want to love it! Tell me how I can!

[Sqiggles]

kateamin

Go and visit the school and see what you think - I think you just call up the office and arrange a convenient time. The building work is now finished, so the whole school is on one site (the early years site over the road is a bit of a mess, but no one is in there anymore) and the new children centre is open. A new head started in September, and is making her mark (in a very postive way). The school had already been doing really well over the last couple of years (hence the SATS results) and that should continue - the school suffers a bit because of where it is, as it is out of the way and so lots of people don't know it is there. But it is definitely worth a look.

[James Barber]

Hi kateamin,

I've met all bar one of the local school head teachers and the Bessemer head particularly impressive when I met her. So definately worth taking a tour.

Hi Fuschia,

What is increment drift. Is that another way of saying pay rises during a pay freeze.

You've also suggested education budgets are going down. The cash given by the government for schools will remain the same at ?35.4bn pa next year + ?2.5Bn pa for pupil premuim from April.

Regards james.

[goosemum]

Hello to all Ivydale parents (and parents to be) from a Goose Green parent - when my first child started school, GG was right at the bottom of the table and heading into Special Measures - but I chose the school because I loved it when I went to look around. And now I couldn't be prouder of what the school has achieved. My advice, for what it is worth, is to get involved and love your school!

[Fuschia]

James Barber Wrote:

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>

> Hi Fuschia,

> What is increment drift. Is that another way of

> saying pay rises during a pay freeze.

Staff moving up the scale, has a huge effect on paybill esp in schools with stable staff

> You've also suggested education budgets are going

> down. The cash given by the government for schools

> will remain the same at ?35.4bn pa next year +

> ?2.5Bn pa for pupil premuim from April.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-11983026

With inflation running at more than 3% and increased pupil nos, many schools

are preparing for job losses. Councils like the one where I work are slashing education services to the bone.

[new mother]

Espelli, thanks. these various tables and results are bandied about and it is difficult to know (a) whether they mean anything "real" and (b) how easy it is to "fix" the results.

Finally, a plea - they are children not baby goats. ;-)

[nunheadmum]

Goosemum - my understanding is that Ivydale was in special measures and they got a new head teacher in, local parents got behind the school and it has become a much better school. Everyone who is at the school that I talk to loves it and I see lots of positive things whenever I'm around the school - between toddler group, singing, ballet, school fetes, school visits etc, I've seen quite a lot of the school. It's just that against that, the SATS result is a bit of a surprise. I'm quite clear that it's the kind of school that isn't all about high marks in academic subjects - I'm just a little surprised that it was as low as it is.

But the local parents are really involved and I'm sure I'll become one of them too. And hopefully it is just a small blip or there's a very good reason e.g. if they don't coach the kids for the exam - which I would totally support (unless there are long term downsides for the kids when up against other schoolkids who were coached).

Fingers crossed, we have made the right decision and our DD will blossom in all aspects at the school. And at the end of the day, I went to schools that I'm sure weren't the high flyers of the day and I did okay because I had good support at home so, hopefully, she'll be okay wherever. But I guess it's a parent's perogative to worry about everything!

[James Barber]

Hi Fuschia,

How can 3% inflation apply. 90%+ of school budgets is spent on wages. Public sector has joined the majority of the private sector in having a pay freeze. So schools shoudn't have any budget pressures from increasing salary bills.

You're suggesting public sector pay freeze will be side stepped via salary increments ie pay rises. That would seem very weak management practices.

[Fuschia]

James Barber Wrote:

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> Hi Fuschia,

> How can 3% inflation apply. 90%+ of school budgets

> is spent on wages. Public sector has joined the

> majority of the private sector in having a pay

> freeze. So schools shoudn't have any budget

> pressures from increasing salary bills.

> You're suggesting public sector pay freeze will be

> side stepped via salary increments ie pay rises.

> That would seem very weak management practices.

In my school our salaries are less than 80% of our budget.

3.3% inflation on the remaining ?1m odd is ?33k.

There is also no funding in the system for the increase in pupil numbers. Cuts in grants that equate to several hundred thousand pounds over the next few years.

And the LA is now charging us for services previously "free" - to the tune of approx ?600k over 4 years I estimate.

Please don't fall for the hype... schools nationwide are gearing up to slash spending.

Re incremental drift, it's contractual...

http://www.mikebakereducation.co.uk/blog/299/spending-review-what-it-really-means/

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:W6byBoap4BcJ:www.teachernet.gov.uk/_doc/13573/Supplementary%2520Pay%2520Evidence%2520130509%2520final.doc+teacher+pay+review+body+incremental+drift&hl=en&gl=uk

Teachers are paid on a 6 pt scale (plus 3 upper pts) and progress each year until the maximum is reached.

[The Nappy Lady]

Thanks goosemum, I totally agree. :))

[The Nappy Lady]

nunheadmum - if you are really worrying, I would urge you to speak to Helen Ingham (new Head at Ivydale). She is very approachable and I honestly believe her strategy will see an improvement in future stats - in both the short term and the longer term.

PM me if you would like Helen's email address, or call the school and ask for a meeting....

[EDmummy]

I see that most of the schools in the top 15 are church schools. It is shame that state money goes on education that is not open to all.

[nunheadmum]

No, not really worrying that much. She's due to start in Jan and we don't really have any other options so it will be a case of getting behind the school and making the most of what we find. The proof of the pudding and all that....

[James Barber]

Hi EDmummy,

The CoE church schools generally accept 50:50 religious entry and community entry.

So not as drastic as it first appears.

Don't forget that any selectivity will result in keen parents more often having kids attend. Many parents will ensure they appear on church attendance registers etc. Self fulfilling that schools that require this do better on average for test results.

[EDmummy]

James, 50% is still 50% that is coming from money that should be used for the whole population. I know plenty of religious schools that get additional church moneys to pay for extra in school and out of school activities that even the best state schools around here cannot provide with the money they get.

I really don't want to open a debate about public funding of church schools but this does not happen in most democratic, developed countries (in fact, struggling to think of any country where it does happen other than UK).

Right, got that off my chest - now to battle with the elements.

[prdarling]

Slightly off piste but newmother i can't believe you are concerned about people calling children kids. It's been considered an acceptable diminutuve for the word children since the '60's. Nobody is in any way comparing them to baby goats.

Do you seriously walk around the park saying 'come along children' like a Norland Nanny?

Do tell, am fascinated

[new mother]

PrD, Mmmm, good point. I wldn't say "come along children", no, I agree with you on that. However, I refer to my ch as "children" and it wouldn't occur to me to use the word "kid".

Some of my friends address their nanny as, well, "nanny" which even I consider old fashioned but, yes, I do have traditional ideas on the whole.

[h1981]

nunheadmum Wrote:

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> Goosemum - my understanding is that Ivydale was in

> special measures and they got a new head teacher

> in, local parents got behind the school and it has

> become a much better school.

Hello all. As far as I'm aware Ivydale hasn't been special measures. In 2010 and 2008 it was a "satisfactory school". In 2003 (before the arrival of "new" head teacher Ray O'Neill) it was "sound and improving". In 2001 it was "designated as having serious weaknesses"...perhaps the latter was an equivalent of special measures ten years ago, I don't know! Ray O'Neill arrived, I'm pretty sure, in 2005. He was a fantastic head teacher. The school has felt like it's been moving in the right direction for a number of years and I guess all were disappointed that this didn't seem to be reflected in the ofsted report.

[toast]

Sorry could not let this pass. Even in the unlikely event that it is 50:50 the sibling intake is taken out of the non religious quota leaving very little if anything left for non religious local kids. I have nothing against church schools but i do think it wrong that so much of the primary school places extra funding went to a selective (religious) school and did not impact on the very local problem as the places would not go to local children.

James Barber Wrote:

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> Hi EDmummy,

> The CoE church schools generally accept 50:50

> religious entry and community entry.