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Kath Pinnock
Liberal Democrat Councillor for Cleckheaton Ward and member of the House of Lords. Learn more
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Kirklees Local Plan sent to Planning Inspector
Kirklees Council Budget 2017
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All local head teachers say “no free school here please”
by Kath Pinnock on 26 October, 2010
Every head teacher of a school in the Whitcliffe Mount pyramid has signed a letter to the Secretary of State for Education, Michael Gove to express their grave concerns at the prospect of a “free” school at Birkenshaw.
The letter says: “A free school in Birkenshaw may satisfy a tiny minority of parents but is widely regarded as damaging to the prospects of a majority of children and a potential barrier to the improvement of standards”.
The letter goes on to ask Michael Gove to meet with local head teachers and to listen to their concerns and to take them into account before making a decision. The letter ends: ” .. a free school at Birkenshaw, which has no support amongst the majority of parents and teachers”.
The 16 head teachers are from the following schools: Birkenshaw First, Birkenshaw Middle, East Bierley First, Gomersal St Mary’s, Gomersal First, Gomersal Middle, Heaton Avenue First, Hightown First, HighBank First, Howard Park Community, Moorend First, Scholes First, St Lukes First, West End Middle, Whitcliffe Mount High, Whitechapel Middle.
3 Comments
Dear Mrs Pinnock,
How can you possibly state that a new school at Birkenshaw has no support ??!!!! In your dreams maybe, as we all know that YOUR’E dead set against it ? The new school will NOT be damaging to anyones prospects or be a barrier to the improvement of standards, there is HUGE support for the new school and you know it, i really don’t understand how you can publish a letter like this. No wait, i suppose i can understand, you’re hell bent on opposing the idea, you’re very narrow minded and stuck in the past, we’re trying to move with the times and improve standards and propects for our children and the community, maybe it’s time you moved on ?
Marie Russell
Who supports the proposal for a new school at Birkenshaw, along with everyone else i know !!! I’ve not spoken to anyone yet who opposes it !!!
I am totally appalled by the comments made in this letter as they seem to be founded upon your own opinion rather than fact. My understanding (and please correct me if I am wrong) was that consultations were made by the council (both former and current) to find out what the majority of parents wanted and that both times the consultation came back with the majority wanting a local school in Birkenshaw to serve the local areas. It was the current council and BSF panel that decided that Birkenshaw was not a suitable site for the school, not the parents.
I would also be interested to hear how you know that the majority of teachers do not support the free school. Was a survey undertaken or is it again a sweeping statement.
You also mention that a free school (in Birkenshaw)’is “widely regarded” as damaging to the prospects of a majority of children and a potential barrier to the improvement of standards’. Could you explain how this has been evidenced and who widely regards it as damaging. It concerns me that when evidence was given of large schools – over 1500 pupils was cited as being damaging to pupils and standards this was ignored by the BSF panel, yet I am not aware of any study of free schools having taken place in this country.
I look forward to hearing your response to the above questions.
Dear Mrs Pinnock:
RE: The Letter To Michael Gove
I am rather confused by this article. My children attend Gomersal Middle School and I have been given to understand that there is in fact considerable support for choice in education in this area. How therefore can the letter have been sent with the statement “..which has no support amongst the majority of parents and teachers”. Has there been an opinion poll taken that I am unaware of? Perhaps you would be good enough to forward the results of this to me.
I have not made my mind up whether it is a good thing or not yet for the free school to go ahead. But two things I am certain of; the opinion of the Headteachers above is an irrelevance as it is tainted by the spectre of naked self interest; secondly, as things currently stand, my children will have to go to Whitcliffe Mount, as there is no alternative. (I assume you support the notion of no choice in education- if not please advise).
Whitcliffe Mount has had an extremely checkered history over the last 30 years and even now can only muster a “satisfactory” level at Ofsted. I know many ex-pupils and indeed a member of the Board of Governors and the message is always the same – nothing much has changed. Moreover, when its own pupils vote with their feet to the extent that the school cannot even support a Sixth form this paints an unfortunate portrait of the prevailing standards at the school.
I want my children to have the best possible education they can have – they have just one go at this and frankly, given Whitcliffe’s past performance, I have massive misgivings about them attending there as I am not confident they will receive the quality of education they deserve.
My concern, Mrs Pinnock, is that your judgement is been skewed by your position as a Governor of the school and by a dogmatic attachment to perceived equality. I am afraid that I do not get any sense that you are overly concerned with educational standards however.
One final comment. A Free school will, if nothing else, take the school out of LEA control. This is the same LEA which is currently trying to close down all the Middle Schools on the basis that after nearly 40 years this is not the best way of educating our children – that is a 40 year experiment gone wrong!! Perhaps a free school may well be of use therefore. The LEA may buck up its ideas and Whitcliffe Mount with a bit of competition down the road may do as well.
I look forward to your response especially regarding the opinion poll on support for the school.
Yours sincerely.
Jonathan Lister
98a Cliffe Lane, Gomersal
07775 507099