January 2011

A very Happy New Year to all of our CAPP partners.

Education Bill 2011

(an overview)

This is my first blog of 2011 and I want to start this brand spanking-new year on a positive note.  So here's my dilemma ... I really want to be my usual upbeat, positive, passionate, cheerful self about the future, but as you can imagine I am experiencing slight despair as I watch the tide going out on extended services.  As Paddy O'Dea (Online Learning Exchange Manager) stated in his blog recently...

"As the end of March approaches, it’s still really difficult to see how the cookie will crumble as far as continued support for extended services goes in local authorities and schools. Now and then comes the sound of deck chairs shuffling about on decks, and now and then a loud splash as a whole bunch slide into the water…" 

Rather than Paddy's Titanic analogy, I am more likely to compare extended services to a building that is sturdy in construction (because we designed and built it with our partnership's special coordination & communication sustainability cement) but if you chip out the stuff between the bricks, then the whole construction looks rather precarious.  The walls are still effective, but please don't lean against them too heavily.  So perhaps we should hope and pray that we don't experience another storm the ferocity of the one in 1987 (see the link below if you are fortunate enough to be too young to remember the 'Storm that Shook the South East')

In true British 'Keep Calm and Carry On' tradition - I slept right through this storm!

But surely there must a little light on the horizon for extended services in the form of the Big Society and the Pupil Premium?   Ok, when you've stopped laughing, I'll have a quick peek and see what these factors might mean to extended services.  

Firstly, let's have a look at the Pupil Premium.  I'm sure you are all now aware that the Coalition Government has opted for simplicity when it comes to the Pupil Premium.  Since we first heard about the exciting news about millions to support disadvantaged children in spring last year, we've since discovered that in real financial terms it may lead to cuts at some of our schools (Has the pupil premium lost its gloss?)  Schools will receive a figure based upon the (ineffective) poverty indicator of children in receipt of Free School Meals and Looked After Children....but this does not include special schools.  Now we are very aware from distributing the LEAP funding since June 2010 that not only do many of our most vulnerable children fit outside this simple poverty index; but many of our families in Fareham are incredibly proud.  Even if eligible for free meals, families do not necessarily want to apply.  Having worked both in Rowner and in Fareham, I have experienced a tangible difference in the attitude and acceptance towards benefit claimants.  So a problem arises for Fareham schools with the current crude measures, as it has the potential to grossly underestimate the number of vulnerable children living in the borough. 

Some schools in the UK have taken their concerns into their own hands and are appealing to eligible parents to apply for Free School Meals - whether they decide to claim and eat the free lunch or not!  For instance the following message was posted on the front page of a school web site (school name withheld):

Other schools are appealing to parents directly by sending target letters.  Below is a sample letter from a school in Dorset:

Example Letter to parents re: Pupil Premium

However our CAPP schools approach to parents and carers will be very different from one organisation from another, and certainly not one that I wish to be prescriptive about.  Although I would strongly recommend that CAPP schools research the number of children who are from a service family as soon as possible, as we certainly have a high percentage of Naval Service families living in the area eligible for the service family funding.  For example, the following was published by a school in Portsmouth:

But we also need to be aware that with the loss of county funding for Parent Support Advisers, schools' capacity for home visits and access to practical parenting programmes in our area has been severely compromised.  It cannot be denied that the Parent Support Advisers offered a key link to parents who would normally not engage with the school; therefore this could have an effect upon the ability of our schools to deliver a holistic approach to pastoral care.  And please bear in mind that however much we may like dislike ring-fenced funding, surely parents should be a wee bit concerned that the Coalition Government failed to put in any safeguards to ensure that funding arising from the Pupil Premium benefits the pupils for whom it is intended:  This money will not be ring-fenced at school level as we believe that schools are in the best position to decide how the premium should be used to support their pupils - From "The Importance of Teaching: Schools White Paper: Introduction of Pupil Premium" 6th Dec 2010.  So how will the Pupil Premium be used for the purpose of raising attainment and achievement at your school - what measures have you put in place to ensure that ALL pupils achieve to the best of their abilities?  I shall leave you, your parents and governors to think over those questions as I squeeze myself over to the The BIG Society.

Ok here's another question: like me, have you been scratching your head in a slightly bemused manner about the The Big Society?  Apparently we are not alone!  I'm beginning to disseminate from my background reading that The Big Society is part of the Coalition Government’s plans to create a 5,000-strong ‘neighbourhood army’ of professional community organisers.  This army will then identify local community leaders and work with communities to help them to start 'helping themselves'.  This slightly scary 'community army' concept is based on the ideas of radical thinker and community organiser Saul Alinsky (1909-1972), whose movement trained many community organisers, including Barack Obama.  Now perhaps it is just me that feels slightly uneasy about this Big Society idea (isn't it touching on Marxist Socialist theories), however fond I am of the idea of empowering neighbourhoods and encouraging volunteers.  But it's all very well to have the bright idea of locals running their own bus routes, libraries and youth services - but the trouble is that running such services is a professional job, not one for a group of local enthusiasts.   How long will it be before enthusiasm wanes and the services fold in a wave of apathy?  How long before a long, complicated and expensive legal case reaches the headlines; or the safe-guarding of vulnerable groups is compromised? 

Dave Prentis, General Secretary of UNISON suggests that “The Government is simply washing its hands of providing decent public services and using volunteers as a cut-price alternative.  Public services must be based on the certainty that they are there when you need them, not when a volunteer can be found to help you.”  

To help partners wade through The Big Society, I've popped a collection of articles and comments about the Big Society below.  Please feel free to make your own decisions about the effectiveness it will have in our locality: 

Big Society - Prime Minister David Cameron's Speech 19th July 2010

The Learning Exchange Big Society Library (links to various Big Society articles)

Big Society: the message that won't sell and the conversation that won't stop

And a slightly more positive article (that supports online networking): Neighbourhoods online are more sociable

As a child I spent many happy hours hiding in the local library with my nose in dog-eared Paddington Bear books; it was one of my favourite childhood places.  In fact my own children cut most of their teeth on picture library books (i-pads aren't quite as effective as teething aids) and my weekly library visit continued for many years after they started school.  So I was particularly drawn to the following article by the author Philip Pullman (published on 25th January 2011):

This is the Big Society, you see. It must be big, to contain so many volunteers!

Schools can be seen as an prime example of how volunteers have been well utilised for years to support children's reading, running school clubs, libraries and of course in the essential role of school governors - but could you imagine if essential personnel such as your Bursar or Receptionist was replaced with a volunteer?  It makes you shudder to think how the fabric of the school could be maintained doesn't it.  Although this is simply a hypothetical question to get your neural cells firing - this is happening with other public services.  The impact upon schools will be the ripple effect upon support services available for children, young people and their families.  It could also have a more direct effect on the partnership work that has been happening in our schools as some partners disappear into the ether and other focus upon core delivery.  And the news is already reaching the press about some of the first wave of job losses in Hampshire and threat to our Children's Centres: Sure Start centres helping vulnerable families to be shut in shake-up.  I predict that we are facing a couple of rather lean years ahead so the cement needs to be strong to withstand the oncoming storm. 

With all of these proposed spending cuts, a stagnant housing market, rising unemployment and a nation struggling to get back on our feet after a hard winter of snow and swine flu, you might think it is not the best time to ask people how happy they are. Yet this is exactly what David Cameron proposes to do.  Starting in April 2011 the Office for National Statistics (ONS) will be rolling out a new measure of well-being for the nation.  Read more at: (http://www.ons.gov.uk/about/consultations/measuring-national-well-being/).

Whatever my thoughts about the Big Society, increasing happiness as a policy stance is a pretty good place to start I guess.  If effective then it has the potential to create a virtuous circle of increased giving, compassion and engagement, which increases happiness, etc. etc. etc.  It doesn't take a rocket scientist to work out the classic cycle of community engagement.  If you are interested in finding out more then I would suggest reading about the psychological tactics that are being used to 'nudge' our miserable nation into happiness (said in a slight tongue in cheek manner, whilst waiting for the redundancy axe to fall) at: Nudge, nudge, wink wink... How the Government wants to change the way we think (The Independent, 3rd Jan 2011).  For a bank of fantastic research documents around child well-being and happiness please visit the ONS Child Well-Being Knowledge Bank at:

http://www.ons.gov.uk/well-being/wellbeing/child-wellbeing/index.html

So in answer to my previous question, what does The Pupil Premium and the Big Society mean to extended services - well I could either be a miserable old goat and say "Not a bloody lot", or remain positive and put my faith in our fantastically proactive schools and children's centres; and also remind myself how engaged you are with the local community.  So if we maintain that collective passion, enthusiasm and willingness to make a difference to children's lives, then anything is possible.  Extended services has simply given you a few useful tools and partners to keep that building standing strong; but it will still require everyone to be pulling and pushing in the right direction to strengthen the cement.  

On that happy note, I have a few job vacancy sites to sift through so I shall end here.  But as my regular blog readers are aware, I like to end my monthly blog on a 'funny' note.  It's like leaving a meeting with a smile.  This month I shall leave you with a couple of bits and bobs I found on this crazy thing called the Internet.  Firstly, I couldn't help chuckling at this letter I stumbled upon last week during my job hunt and I couldn't resist sharing it with you all.  It is very hard to believe, but this job application letter is real and unedited:

To who it may concern,

My name is XXX XXXXXXX and I have just failed my first year at the University of XXXXXXXX.

I am interested in applying for the position as, charity is bery important thing to me.

I am not very hard working, but smart.

I have a strong determination to do anything and everything, and have the ability to get away with this approach.

I'm not particularly good in a team and prefer working alone.

I am very knoweldgeable, with accurracy and speed. (!!!!)

I feel I would fit well into your organisation as I have experience of door to door work raising awareness for charity.

I also have an inviting smile and an ability to address the audience.

I am really keen for a korea in charity! 

I have attached my CV above.

I think I shall take that as a perfect example of how NOT to apply for a job (and adore his reference to accuracy - but couldn't spell it!)   But like this young man, I hope I shall eventually find a new KOREA that is just as fulfilling as my present ESCO role. 

Now for the grand January finale.  I have found a wonderful short news article to leave you with that proves that on occasions it really does take a rocket scientist....

Rocket Science

and remember...