Free milk

Amazing to see no.10 react so quickly when the Health Minister Anne Milton suggested reviewing stopping the free 189ml milk for nursery kids every school day. Apparently this would save £50m. Free milk is also given to private schools.

It seems entirely sensible to review whether this policy is getting the best results for kids.

Is full fat milk the best idea we can can come up with for £50m per annum for the health and development of our children?

Is their a soya milk alternative for kids who don’t like or are allergic to cow’s milk. Is this policy as much or more to do with ensuring custom for the milk industry.

Apparently in Finland they rapidly went from the highest heart issues and cholesterol to some of the lowest in Europe. They stopped having full fat milk – adults and children stopped. They have skimmed milk.

Do you think free milk for kids is the best way to help them? Has this policy been developed with nutrionists views or the politics of keeping farmers happy and folksy science?

Pupil Premium

This week the Government announcemed a key Liberal Democrat policy of the Pupil Premium next September. This will make a big difference for many children in our area. It will mean that funds will be provided for local schools to allow children from disadvantaged backgrounds to receive the extra support they deserve, allowing them to have an equal chance for a good education, no matter which school they go to in our area and across the country.

In Southwark we’ve seen an incredibly rapid rise in pupil achievement over the last seven years while Lib Dems ran the council, but there has still been a gap between the highest achieving schools and the lowest in our area and across the country. It will take some time for our children and schools to all be good or outstanding. By providing extra money to schools that have pupils who need extra help, the Pupil Premium is a major step forward which I hope will enable even greater improvements in the future. It also means such children with extrsa support wont hold others back. a real win win for every kid in our area.

Its been a rough few weeks since the elections. Its been hard at times to keep faith with the national coalition. But with things like the Pupil Premium, political reform, greater tax allowances for the poorest coming through I’m feeling relieved and vindicated.

Charter School

I’ve been asked to sign a petition about the Charter School taking more time to consult about becoming a new style Academy. Unfortunately the petition doesn’t seem focused on this point about a proper consultation so didn’t feel I could sign it although sympathise hugely with the consultation point. Hopefully I can get a joint letter with local councillors asking the school to consult locally before taking any such decision.

From the Dept of Education website Charter School is listed along with several other schools in the Southwark Councl area as being an outstanding school expressing an interest. No other schools in Southwark that are not outstnaidng have expressed an interest. Last I heard 30 schools are proceeding out of the 1,500 schools expressing any interest.

IF a school decides to become an Academy they can do so at any point in the school year. I suspect this is allowed because so few schools have expressed an interest and even less so far are taking up this interest yet and the tory minister needs progress before September 2011.

books vs internet

Fascinating comment piece in The New York Times.

It states that University of Tennessee researchers found that after three years of letting students choose 12 books to take home from school for the long summer break that their reading scores did suffer the ‘summer slide’. Apparently this slide in reading skills especially affects kids from lower income families. That kids from families with over 500 books in the home do better.

They also talk about research showing in North Carolina that the spread of home computers and internet access has seen significant drop in maths and reading scores.

Separately I’ve read about the Dolly Parton book challenge where kids are given recommended reading books and those kids do much better.

for the moment it appears the books win.

What do you think?

Goose Green school – new children’s centre

I’ve been examining the plans and sketchs for the new Goose Green school entrance and children’s centre. They will be a great addition to East Dulwich.

The plans look good. Really good.

These plans have been under development for some time so chuffed that we’ve finally reached planning application stage. So new entrance, kitchens, boys and girls toilets. New children’s centre where classrooms used to be. Quite a ground floor reconfiguration.

I just wish we could find ways to increase the playground size.

Goose Green school – open days

Goose Green primary (and nursery school) host an open day on the first Monday of every month for parents to have a good look around. This school has been rapidly transforming itself with a newly envigorated Parent Teachers Association, head over the last year.
The next open day is on Monday 5th July and is the last one of the school year. No need to book, just go along to the school entrance on Tintagel Crescent close to Elsie Road (behind Goose Green rounabout) at about 9.15 and the office will buzz you through. The headteacher Sharron Marland, will then conduct a tour of the whole school from nursery to year 6 so you can see the school “in action” – a real opportunity to ask lots of questions. Afterwards there will be an opportunity to join the PTA’s monthly coffee morning and chat to parents with children already at this lovely, vibrant school.
If you have kids who’ll need a local school place next year do go along and take a look. I’d be interested to hear your feedback.

Ofsted states 1/3rd Southwark schools outstanding

Great news that 6/18 Ofsted inspections stated Southwark schools outsanding.

This is a great testiment to all the hard works of pupils, parents, teachers, governors, head, council officers and the political leadership of Lib Dems for the last 7 years. 

Of Southwark’s 89 schools – 24 rated oustanding, 33 as good, 29 satisfactory and 3 as inadequate.

We’ve come a long way since the Tony Blair’s Labour government took local education away from Labour run Southwark Council. They handed it to Lib Dem Southwark Council and my colleagues worked tirelesly leading it transformation – most recently by Cllr Nick Stanton. Schools are still on an upward trajectory. Please god don’t let the new Labour run Southwark Council mess it up.

A key election pledge was and remains that Libs Dems will work to ensure all our schools become good or outstanding. 

School meals

Just been reading about a charity www.schoolfoodtrust.org.uk who have a process they take schools through where tiny small changes can dramatically increase the proportion of school kids choosing to eat school meals. This clearly also makes free school meals more attractive.

One change was allowing key stage 2 pupils to have self-service recognising their increasing desire for independence and also reducing waste.

Another school introduced grab-bags so pupils taking school meals could grab a bag with a good school meal in it and sit with friends who brough lunches in.

This month the School Food Trust is arranging free training for local education authorities on how to promote school free meals.

Southwark Labour party are planning to introduce free school meals. Without following the School Food Trust type changes these meals will miss the mark with many Southwark school kids. Equally with such changes offering free school meals is an over reaction.

Dulwich Walking & Cycling Network

The Dulwich Society Traffic & Transport Group have initiated the idea of a new walking & cycling network. This concept has been endorsed by the Dulwich Safe Route to School group – local schools coming together to discuss common problems that get in the way of pupils, teachers and parents walking and cycling to local schools.

To help formulate where to concentrate on starting this network they’ve created a travel survey.

If you take kids to school locally please do fill it in:

http://dulwichsaferoutes.wordpress.com

or email Dulwichsaferoutesinfo@gmail.com

I think its a great idea which the Dulwich Estates have so far indicated they’d like to support.

Important concept that many don’t walk or cycle as its not pleasant. But making it pleasant will increase numbers walking and cycling reducing car use, making it more etc etc.

Ofsted

Amazing how random Ofsted inspections can be…..

Head teachers have to complete self assessments. Last Ofsted for a Southwark school head told by the inspectors not to complete the self assessment until the next inspection. At the next inspection by different inspectors the school downgraded for the head not completing the self assessment before the inspectors arrived.