Haberdashers' East Dulwich - 751 families supporting

[parentsteeringgroup]

Morning everyone

The summary slides from the Haberdashers? consultation evening on 10th July are attached here. Thanks for your patience in waiting for these. Hopefully they are a useful reminder for those of you who were there and give an idea of what was discussed for those who couldn?t make it.

The feedback forms so far are telling us that most of you are worried about the admissions policy and the fact that the hospital site (where we hope the school will be located ? the only site that?s big enough locally) is not where we really need the school to be, since most of the families who need a new co-ed secondary school live to the East of Lordship Lane. We know that there are secondary school ?black holes? (many of the parent steering group members live in one of these) and many of you are keen to make sure that the proposed new school allows those families to be in catchment.

So that the steering group can support Habs to resolve the issues around catchment please can as many of you as possible fill out the feedback form here:

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

It doesn?t matter how many times you fill out the feedback form ? Habs will pick out any duplicate names and group the feedback under areas of concern. Under the admissions section can we ask you to consider:

? Do you live in an admissions ?black hole? for a co-ed secondary school? If so where is it? Where are the other parts of ED which are not served by a local co-ed secondary?

? Do you support the idea of a nodal point that would allow distance to be measured (for admissions purposes) from a location other than the school?

If you have any questions or concerns please post them here (constructive posts are appreciated) or you can email Haberdashers directly at [email protected]

Thanks again, we appreciate your support and input.

[uncleglen]

I know it's the DM but

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2699331/Nigerian-accountants-4million-fraud-academies-Gove-hailed-Staff-member-said-spent-cash-extravagant-lifestyle.html

[Vik]

It was also on BBC news last week.

Shocking that they seemingly tried to keep it quiet.

Just out of interest, I noticed on the leaflet that came through our door that the planned new school is being referred to as 'Hatcham East Dulwich', no sign of 'Haberdashers' or 'Askes'.

Is there a reason for this?

[James Barber]

Hi Vik,

Not really. The Police told them to not make it public and don't talk about it for fear of scuppering the Police investigations. I can't imagine anyone thinking the Police would take over two years and still no court case.

I hope that all the publicity won't get in the way of real prosecutions.

With respect to the name I/we requested a shorter name after consulting a couple of months ago with supporters. It was being talked about as Haberdashers' Aske's East Dulwich College or Academy or Hospital School. Hatcham East Dulwich is much easier. Hence moving towards the name. Which makes me realise I've not correct this thread title and will do that now. Useful prod. Thank you.

I just wish we could get the Harris people to be this flexible. Harris Girls East Dulwich Academy, etc. is too much.

[Otta]

Yeah I thought the press were scraping the barrel a bit trying to suggest there was an effort to cover something up. It was sinsible to ask parents to keep it quiet whilst investigations were ongoing.

Pretty crazy that the guy was able to do what he's done though, and is still a free man.

[James Barber]

Hi Otta,

I couldn't agree more. Even though it was a lot of money the offences were caught over two years ago.

I'm still hopeful whoever committed the crime will be prosecuted successfully. It is reported to have been found with the change of systems brought in by the federation with a new CEO and new team. So the current team found it. The improvement in systems and procedures is such that Haberdashers' are now viewed as role models by EFA and DfE.

Civil proceedings have found for the federation and they're in the process of recovering as much money as possible. I'm hopeful some of that recovered money can be used for our new secondary school build.

[TE44]

http://www.reeves.co/academies-news-updates/

The problem with keeping it quiet, it is then hard to see how big the problem is.

Link above, scroll down to 23rd June. Are you reporting all incidents of fraud? Is your internet

security software up to date.

It seems fraud is a concern for the EFA amongst the academy sector.

[TE44]

James Can you tell me if it was the EFA that tried to recover this money, as in the case of the special needs

school, earlier this year. Where again people were asked not to comment.

http://m.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/crime/police-bail-the-three-people-arrested-in-fraud-probe-at-east-durham-school-1-6538900

[Otta]

Please tell me that "Hatcham East Dulwich" is just a silly mistake. That makes no more sense than "Canning Town East Dulwich".

[James Barber]

Hi TE44,

Habs are damned if they do and damned if they don't. If they keep things quiet as directed by the Police others say why did you keep it quiet. If they'd publicised it and risked scuppering a court case we'd all damn them for being irresponsible.

But I can assure you the risk of fraud is a huge concern for all responsible public sector organisations and their leadership. I sit on Southwark Council Audit & Governance committee - since it was first started in 2007 - we've seen huge strides in detecting fraud - http://jamesbarber.mycouncillor.org.uk/2014/07/20/southwark-council-fraud/

One of my key actions has been to push to invite directors of departments to attend committee meetings if they didnt ensure audit actions were completed in a timely. This appears to have helped give this the focus required with audits actions now being regularly completed on time.

The EFA highligting risks is perfectly normal activity that responsible councils will also be doing to their schools. It's just the EFA does it more publicly.

My understanding is that the Habs Federation have been trying to recover its money. Fingers crossed they succeed and that sufficient assets such as houses make this possible.

The Durham School story you've linked to the school management appears to have been the culprits and hence why EFA pursuing them. Totally different context.

Ironic that whichever provider open our new secondary school will be strongly encouraged by the EFA to adopt Habs Federation financial management practices - which after being beefed up are considered best practice..

[James Barber]

Hi Otta,

Yes, this point has been made but it is certainly more manageable name than Haberdashers' Aske's East Dulwich College/Acamedy School.

But I'm open to suggestions...

Hospital school was cosndiered but have real schools in local hospitals for sick children so I don't like that despite it picking up on using the hospital site.

[samstopit]

Haberdashers East Dulwich would be a better name in my view.

[James Barber]

Would we need an apostrophe with that?

[Otta]

"Hospital School" is awful!

Personally I like "Aske's East Dulwich" Or "Haberdashers' Aske's Dulwich" (HAD)

But please please please don't call it "Hatcham, East Dulwich". Even people that live in Hatcham don't use Hatcham.

[James Barber]

I'm keen to keep East Dulwich in the name as that's where it will be.

Do others prefer Haberdashers' East Dulwich College?

[samstopit]

Do we have to have College at the end?

[James Barber]

I've had a PM suggesting Haberdashers' East Dulwich Secondary School which people would shorten to Haberdashers' East Dulwich.

Thoughts and views?

[Vik]

I'll stick with Charter East Dulwich ;-)

[njc97]

I think the Federation refer to the Telegraph Hill school as "Hatcham college" (because it's "close" to Hatcham), so if the new school was part of the bit of the Federation they'd want to keep Hatcham to differentiate from Knights Academy etc. See the snappily named "Hatcham Temple Grove Free Schoo, Haberdasher Askes Hatcham College"

[James Barber]

Thanks Vik. I think we're all agreed we hope one of the bids wins through.

Hi njc97,

It's the lack of snappy names that I'm interested in solving.

Ideas?

Do you like Haberdashers' East Dulwich?

[samstopit]

Haberdashers Easy Dulwich could be quite problematic :)

[James Barber]

Very good. Me and my rubbish typing.

[dontpanic]

Haberdashers' Aske's Dulwich School

HADS

Doesn't need an 'East' the Hospital never did...

If JAGS is ok and used as an official acronym then why not?

[Cora]

I like Hatcham East Dulwich, it's the easiest to say.....

[katgod]

but doesn't HADS end up to similar to HAED which is what we don't want at all?! So Charter would be a lot less confusing.

Where is Hatcham anyway? What about Aske's School ED. This whole 'Academy' thing will probably be a flash in the pan so we might as well stick with the long established English norms of either 'School' or 'College'.