Gaynes School, the Pupil Premium and Accountability

“It is for schools to decide how the Pupil Premium, allocated to schools per FSM* student, is spent… for the individual pupils within their responsibility.” Government statement (my emphasis)

“The challenge to establish a clear link between educational expenditure and pupils’ learning is harder than one would imagine. It may seem obvious that more money offers the possibilities for a better or higher quality educational experience, but the evidence suggests that it is not simply a question of spending more to get better results.”* Gaynes statement (my emphasis)

Gaynes School received £69,190 of Pupil Premium (PP) funding in 2020-21. PP funding demands acceptance of the government’s criteria of accountability. The government’s criteria are clear, unequivocal and entirely reasonable (Addendum one). Gaynes fails to be clear or precise in this important duty.

Gaynes response to disadvantaged children is providing,

“Additional Educational Resources for Looked After Children – allocated £1,800

Strategy: For 2019-20, each looked after child has a Personalised Educational Plan drawn up by our specialist worker in conjunction with the local authority to ensure that each student receives resources and support which would be appropriate for them as an individual.”

£1,800 is about £29 per disadvantaged child (2.6% of PP funding). The other £67,390 is invisible. (Addendum two) Gaynes says money doesn’t guarantee ‘better results’. Nonetheless PP funding should be analysed for effectiveness. PP funding is targeted and schools, “are best placed to assess what additional provision should be made for…individual pupils…” (my emphasis). With freedom comes responsibility.

Accountability isn’t a threat, it’s a diagnostic tool identifying successes and failures. PP funding is for the most vulnerable children in the country and the government is entitled to know that its ambitions are being fulfilled. Why doesn’t Gaynes meet its obligations?

Addendum one: Government guidance for publicising the Pupil Premium on school websites says it should include –

1) a summary of the main barriers to educational achievement faced by eligible pupils of the school

2) how the pupil premium allocation is to be spent to address those barriers and the reasons for that approach

3) how the school is to measure the impact and effect of its expenditure of the pupil premium allocation. What academies, free schools and colleges should publish online – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Addendum two: Statement of accounts for Pupil Premium

The Regional Schools Commission tell me that there is a full statement from Gaynes School. It’s in a side bar and is labelled ‘draft’. As a consequence I ignored it thinking that it wasn’t substantive. The link that I was provided with is this, Pupil-Premium-Reports-and-Strategy.pdf (gaynesschool.net)

Quite why the statement of accounts for Pupil Premium is separated into two sections with one labelled ‘draft’ is beyond me but nonetheless that’s as it is.

Notes

* Pupil Premium | Gaynes School All quotes are from this document.

** See Young carers (youngminds.org.uk)

Sources

Gaynes school PP statement Pupil Premium | Gaynes School

Loxford school PP statement Pupil Premium | Loxford

Havering Councillor: Osman Dervish (Pettits)

Twenty years ago Osman was in Andrew Rosindell’s ‘Brat Pack’, now he’s a forty(ish) councillor with cabinet responsibilities for Environment.

Assuming Osman is a full-time Accounts Manager, this raises an important issue.¹ His substantial salary as a cabinet member/councillor is £37,750.²^..For many Havering employees this is a full-time salary.

Zoom’s been kind to Osman. He reads pre-prepared statements fluently, unlike Damian White. Osman also looks the part. At the March 24^th^, 2021 Council meeting he read officer prepared answers. Osman’s answers were on dog ‘poo’, APCs, roads, parks, flooding (2) and pot holes (2).³

He reads pre-prepared answers and what else? Directing environmental policy means rising to challenges locally. Osman should exercise leadership. Major challenges are:

chemicals on roads and pavements,

the climate emergency,

air quality,

electric vehicles (the Council procurement policy?),

flooding.

Osman’s laissez-faire attitude ignores them all.

If Osman did develop policies they should be discussed with the Environment Overview and Scrutiny committee. He’s never attended that committee. He’s never faced probing questions with multiple follow-ups. He’s always been protected. Osman is a very expensive puppet.

His £37,750 is an insult to Havering’s employees. Many of his employees earn less than him for an actual full-time working week. Osman doesn’t do the job that he’s handsomely rewarded for.

Notes

1 mgConvert2PDF.aspx (havering.gov.uk)

2 Havering Members Allowances 2018-19 summary For average wages in Havering see Average London Borough of Havering Salary in United Kingdom | PayScale And for nurses see Nurse Average Salary (UK 2021) | Jobted UK

3 (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Council, 24/03/2021 19:30 (havering.gov.uk) Item12. If you wish to watch Council questions go to Annotator Player (sonicfoundry.com) starting at 28 minutes in

The New Zealand Convalescent Hospital, Hornchurch, 1916-9

Grey Towers mansion. The patient is wearing the characteristic white lapel jacket

New Zealand soldiers were involved in the disastrous Gallipoli campaign. They were redeployed to France suffering mass casualties. Field hospitals ‘patched-up’ soldiers but the severely injured came to Britain. “The aim was to return soldiers to the Front within six months; if the prognosis was longer, it was considered economic to send them back to New Zealand.”¹(my emphasis)

Grey Towers was quickly expanded with many huts for patients. This one is a massage room

This hut was their gym where they built up their strength prior to returning to the frontline in France

New Zealand’s commitment was stupendous. By Armistice Day, “[there were]…..more than 16,000 New Zealanders dead and tens of thousands more wounded – over 5,300 soldiers died in 1918 alone.“²

Grey Towers, Hornchurch was their centre for convalescence from 1916, which expanded into a 2,500 bed hospital, “A well equipped physiotherapy department with the capability for treating 400 patients daily was set up. By the end of 1918 about 20,000 patients had been treated at Hornchurch.”³

The Grey Towers entrance gates with patients and guard

Hornchurch, an Essex village, saw the conversion of Grey Towers from a family home into a military hospital.

This had a huge impact. There was tremendous goodwill towards the New Zealanders. The hospital also provided many job opportunities.

Lydia Philpot, a local resident who worked in the mansion as a young women. This photo is from the early 1920s

Sadly some patients didn’t live to return to New Zealand and there are graves in St Andrew’s churchyard.

Notes

1 Lost_Hospitals_of_London (myzen.co.uk)

2 New Zealand in 1918 – Armistice Day | NZHistory, New Zealand history online Their population was 1,150,000 New Zealand at War 1914-1918 (presbyterian.org.nz)

3 NZANS History – 1915-1922

Photographs

All photographs are from Page 1 of 2 | Items | National Library of New Zealand | National Library of New Zealand (natlib.govt.nz) Except the photo of Lydia Philpot which is from a private collection

Andrew Rosindell, Boris Johnson and Gallows Corner, 2014-20

The Gallows Corner flyover is a notorious ‘temporary’ structure.¹It’s so old it could be listed as an architectural treasure for permanent preservation. Andrew Rosindell, MP for nineteen years, hasn’t solved the problem. He’s been thwarted by Boris Johnson.

Andrew said in 2018, “Gallows Corner is one of the most dangerous road junctions in Greater London, after having made representations for its improvement over many years, I am happy to see it shortlisted as one of first five improvement schemes in Government’s Major Road Network.”² (my emphasis) Chris Grayling made the promise, which proves central government holds the purse strings.³

Ever hopeful, Andrew used a 2020 PMQ to elicit Johnson’s intervention. Johnson said, “I can ensure my honourable friend that we are working with TfL to see what we can do to resolve the issue of Gallows Corner, and we will update him in due course.”⁴

Obviously Johnson’s 2014 prediction was forgotten. “[Johnson]….confirmed that work by TfL to improve the Gallows Corner junction will be completed in 18 months.”⁵ And Roger Evans, Conservative chair of Transport, got this from him, “Thank you very much, Roger. The issue is topmost in TfL. Thank you very much for raising it on behalf of your constituents….improvements should be completed by the spring of 2016.”⁶ (my emphasis)

Johnson has squandered £43 million on an unbuilt ‘Garden Bridge’. Johnson’s other fantasy project is the cable car link in Docklands at a cost to London of £23 million, which continually loses money.⁷ The Gallows Corner flyover improvement is costed at £50 million for thousands of users each year. Traffic jams are incredibly expensive and there’s a huge environmental cost.

Andrew didn’t go to Eton or Oxford and isn’t a Johnson crony. Need I say more?

Notes

1 For a quick overview see Why is the ‘temporary’ Gallows Corner flyover in Romford still there after 50 years? | Romford Recorder

2 Andrew Rosindell’s Conservative party newsletter Fixing Gallows Corner | Andrew Rosindell

Keith Prince, GLA councillor, has Gallows corner issues too Gallows Corner Chaos-by Keith Prince. – The Havering Daily

3 For the source of funding he said, The programme allows councils to bid for improvements to local A-roads and it’s part of the biggest road investment since the 1970s as each of the shortlisted schemes will be eligible for up to £50m of funding.“ (my emphasis) In 2018 in Parliament Andrew identified the government as the solution but was brushed off by the minister A12: Gallows Corner Roundabout – Thursday 5 July 2018 – Hansard – UK Parliament

4 A PMQ question in November 2020 Personal plea to PM: Help Me Fix Gallows Corner! | Andrew Rosindell Andrew blamed Mayor Khan and the TfL for the problem, which is a bit rich considering his disappointments with Johnson as Mayor and Prime Minister.

5 Boris Johnson announces TfL Gallows Corner plans to be completed by 2016 | Romford Recorder Perhaps this was another Boris Johnson? Gallows Corner Junction | Mayor’s Question Time (london.gov.uk)

6 Roger Evans was the Conservative GLA member for Havering.

7 For the Garden Bridge see Garden Bridge – Wikipedia For the cable car see Emirates Air Line (cable car) – Wikipedia And the flyover is costing money paid by motorists see Annual cost of traffic jams ‘reaches £8 billion’ | ITV News

Flooding and Rainham Councillors

In theory councillors represent their local communities. Councillors should resolve local problems by mediating with the council administration. Political considerations sometimes intercede, such as when the allocation of resources has to be prioritised. Less honourably, personality clashes between councillors also matter. Some councillors are more capable than others at negotiating. Rainham councillors are a case in point.

Rainham has been a Residents’ Association (RA) stronghold since 2002. Jeff Tucker, the leader of Rainham RAs, has been a councillor for nineteen years. The 2018 election result showed the gap narrowing between the RAs and the rest.¹Why?

Jeff’s two RA colleagues aren’t impressive. Neither of them live in Rainham and aren’t part of the community. Tony Durdin had a 29% Council attendance record,²which is abysmal. David Durant is a let-down in a different way. At a recent council meeting his vaccine scepticism about Covid-19 was discussed. He persuaded Jeff to endorse an amendment. Jeff proposed it but it was so ridiculous he voted against.³This made him look ludicrous. More importantly, he lost credibility with officers and Conservative administration councillors.

Jeff’s colleagues are poor but how good is he? Rainham is beset with flooding.⁴Jeff fully understands this major problem but he doesn’t know how to negotiate. The Conservative administration sits on their hands. Flood prevention isn’t rocket science. It just needs investment and Jeff doesn’t know how to unlock the purse strings. Rainham RAs are a clique who no longer serve their community.

1 Local elections | Election results | The London Borough Of Havering

2 Attendance record – Councillor Tony Durdin | The London Borough Of Havering

3 Havering Council Meeting, 20th January, 2021 – Politics in Havering

4 See for 2014 flooding Flooding causes major problems for drivers in Rainham | Romford Recorder

See for flooding in 2019Rainham residents ‘desperate’ after knee-level floods and sandbags unavailable | Romford Recorder

See drone video of 2021 flooding Rainham Dovers corner floods 31/01/21 – YouTube

Havering and the Freedom Pass

Havering Council is consulting the public about the 2021-22 budget proposals.* Most people won’t respond because the majority of the Council’s budget is decided by the government. The consultation is marginal at best. Many big budget items are subject to inter-borough agreements, which can’t be altered because of contractual arrangements.

Havering’s Conservative party manifesto, 2018, said they’d oppose any attempt to curtail or restrict it. [Freedom Pass]” Two years later, the elderly can’t use the Freedom Pass before 9 a.m. This is because of the Covid-19 settlement between the GLA and the government. Naturally the Mayor blames the government and local Conservatives blame the Mayor. Both are ludicrous. The pandemic has changed everything and this is a minor irritation.**

The pandemic has reduced usage and the Council has benefited.

“The usage of freedom passes has understandably reduced dramatically in the current year. Future year settlements with TFL are negotiated with the previous year’s pass usage as one of the key factors. The reduced figures are therefore likely to result in an estimated £850k reduction in the cost of the freedom pass for 2021/22. The reduction is expected to continue through 2022/23 but it should be noted that costs are then forecast to rise significantly in 2023/24 as usage returns to normal.”*** (my emphasis)

Havering’s annual Freedom Pass budget is about £8 million. Dramatic savings could be achieved by negotiating with 32 boroughs and leaving the inter-borough travel concession. Havering has about 50,000 Freedom Pass holders who vote. I wouldn’t expect a saving to be made on this budget item. Would you?

Notes

* Council asks for residents’ views on proposed budget | The London Borough Of Havering

** Freedom Pass | | The Havering Daily A woman complaining she had to pay her fare to go to work.

*** (Public Pack)Agenda Document for Cabinet, 25/11/2020 19:30 (havering.gov.uk) para4:4 p14

Sources

For checks about entitlement in Havering see Freedom pass deadline | The London Borough Of Havering

For a discussion about the Freedom Pass see Freedom Pass funding under threat › Transport for all › Accessible Transport in London

The Crime and Disorder Overview and Scrutiny Committee, 29th September, 2020

If this committee was a sick animal the kindest thing to do would be to put it out of its misery. Havering’s Overview and Scrutiny chairs receive lucrative rewards. In Sally Miller’s case it’s for defecting from the Residents’ Association. She’s hopelessly out of her depth.

“Ah!” you might say, “This fellow is a political opponent and is cruel, heartless and unfair.”

An unexpected consequence of the horrors of Covid-19 has been a strengthening of democracy in Havering. How so? The committee has a webcast. This means you can watch the proceedings and ‘enjoy’ the sight of councillors floundering as they try to make sense of complex issues. I viewed the entire meeting, hoping there’d be evidence that councillors understood the concept ‘scrutiny’. Or, at least, show signs that they’d read officers’ reports. Alas and alack, that hope died a horrible death.

‘Probing’ Questions Not Asked

The police spokesman was proud of the ‘Stop and Search’ of 279 people. Who were these people? Was ‘Stop and Search’ targeted? What gender were those who were stopped? What age? Where? Why? What race? Perhaps the police spokesman could have been asked more about the actuality of ‘Stop and Search’ and demand a report which was more analytical.

This is the report detail,

Stop and Search

“As a unit the Havering Joint Task Force currently stops and searches more people and vehicles than any other in Havering. Since its formation, the Task Force has conducted 279 stop and searches, accounting for 20% of the boroughs total number of 1,365 stop and searches.”*

This ‘Virtual’ meeting had half the councillors missing, which is surprising as the meeting was streamed from living rooms. The committee is important and deserved to be treated seriously by councillors discussing major issues associated with public safety. A dispiriting meeting demonstrated none of the councillors are up to the job**. Comments were trivial, inconsequential and immature. The people of Havering deserve better.

Notes

* https://democracy.havering.gov.uk/documents/g6682/Public%20reports%20pack%2029th-Sep-2020%2019.00%20Crime%20Disorder%20Sub-%20Committee.pdf?T=10 para 3:5 p62

** The substitute member actually made a greater and more positive contribution than the three actual members put together.

Sources

For the Virtual meeting webcast see https://aisapps.sonicfoundry.com/AuditelScheduler/Player/Index/?id=e904ff45-2cc7-410c-9cae-9f87d54b9120&presID=66c6a2a05f864989add5b8c026e44a341d

For the agenda see https://democracy.havering.gov.uk/documents/g6682/Public%20reports%20pack%2029th-Sep-2020%2019.00%20Crime%20Disorder%20Sub-%20Committee.pdf?T=10 pp59-66

Relevant blogs from the archive

On the use of patronage in appointing councillors to posts of Special responsibility see https://havering.blog/2020/02/29/haverings-conservatives-defy-the-governments-guidance-on-overview-and-scrutiny-committees/

On the government’s view of how Overview and Scrutiny committees should operate see https://havering.blog/2020/01/11/haverings-overview-and-scrutiny-chairs-damian-whites-cronies-cash-in/

On the use of Havering’s council tax to buy-in five police officers see https://havering.blog/2019/05/19/damian-white-and-viddy-persauds-rent-a-cop-scheme/

Havering Councillor: Timothy Ryan (Brooklands)

Timothy isn’t a well known councillor but is Damian White’s crony. He may be talentless but he’s grateful for crumbs that come his way. So when an embarrassing job needed to be done, Timothy agreed immediately.

Damian’s policy is to use council allowances to cement his position as Leader. In Timothy’s case this means being vice chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. For this Timothy gets £150 a week. He probably appreciates this when we look at his Register of Members’ Interests statement.*

So what favour did Damian request? Earlier this year, 2020, Damian boasted about his control of the Chief Executive and the borough’s boundary submission on reconfigured wards. Damian thought he was amongst friends. He was mistaken. A recording was taken which went viral. This in turn led to an external adjudicator declaring Damian had a case to answer.

A committee was formed to hear evidence.** Timothy and Conservative councillor Matt Sutton sat alongside councillor Linda van den Hende. Timothy announced, at the beginning of the meeting, that he’d excuse himself as he’d been a participant when Damian was boasting. Obviously Damian planned this. They both knew Timothy was unable to serve on the committee. Although quorate, the chair, Matt Sutton, postponed the meeting. Exactly to plan.

Damian’s ploy wasted time and money but Timothy felt he’d done well. Like all Zoom meetings, it’s interesting to see participants’ composure when provoked. Timothy’s action pleased him, pleased Damian and hacked everyone else off. I hope Damian’s boasting isn’t subsequently white-washed.

Damian White’s cronies are undermining democracy in Havering.

* https://democracy.havering.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=1346&T=6

** https://aisapps.sonicfoundry.com/AuditelScheduler/Player/Index/?id=b1d0e822-0795-4c82-958c-0e9cc0af01ce&presID=77236848e6084cce976cdaadd45b8cf31d

The Bizarre World of Hornchurch and Upminster Politics

This constituency is a safe Conservative parliamentary seat. But it’s also a no-go area for them in local politics. Indeed Conservative candidates have to brand themselves as Resident Association (RAs)to have any chance of success in council elections. The RAs are splintered and don’t have critical mass when it comes to power and influence. As a consequence, the minority Conservative administration has an easy time of it.

Veteran RA councillor, John Mylod, ‘became’ a Conservative prior to the 2018 election after a spat with fellow councillors in St Andrews ward. This ward is an RA stronghold but he still won with a personal vote. Or, maybe, voters didn’t appreciate he’d jumped ship. Harold Wood’s three RA councillors created a working majority for the Conservatives. They were always crypto-Conservatives but being offered lucrative allowances helped them make the crucial decision.

Two wards return Labour councillors. In their heartlands they won five of six seats. The sixth seat went to an Independent novice. The only reliable Conservative ward is Emerson Park, which isn’t rock solid. They lost a seat in 2014 to a UKIP candidate. Then post-2018, Bob Perry found Romford’s councillors too arrogant and he’s now an Independent.

So Julia Lopez MP has a majority of 23,000 in a constituency with only three Conservative councillors. Her seat may not be as solid as it looks. Local politics shows there is dissatisfaction with the Conservatives. Local elections demonstrate that voters are quite prepared to abandon them.

Havering Council Meeting, 9th September 2020

Zoom Council meetings are unforgiving. The elderly Mayor, John Mylod, failed utterly from the very beginning.* After ten minutes or so he was still bumbling along, testing the patience of councillors. Several gripped their heads in disbelief, others openly laughed. This was the very public outcome of Damian White’s policy of using jobs to maintain his power, regardless of operational efficiency. It has brought the council into disrepute.

The meeting ended with a long** debate about Havering’s academy schools. Surprisingly, the Conservatives fielded four cabinet members including the Leader,*** deputy Leader and former Leader. The Conservative chair of the Children and Learning committee didn’t speak. This is shocking as her committee will scrutinise Havering academies’ under-achievement. Robert Benham, chair of education, read a script where each word seemed unexpected. Is it possible he didn’t write it? Councillor Ford didn’t develop her good debating points fully. Councillor Darvill opened and closed the debate with considerable authority. There was empty political point scoring by the Conservatives, which fell flat.

The Council meeting was ruined once again by poor chairmanship. This illustrates the negative impact of Damian’s croneyism, which extends to every Overview and Scrutiny committee, none of which are independent of the executive.

* First ten minutes https://aisapps.sonicfoundry.com/AuditelScheduler/Player/Index/?id=980fc1ad-8bc8-4ed9-a60c-548e1f6c560b&presID=52e9140a88324a8fa193e7954f87df451d All times refer to this webcast site

** See 1 hour 33 minutes to the conclusion. The councillors in speaking order, Councillors Darvill, Benham, Mugglestone, Ford, Durant, White D, Ramsey, Tucker, Persaud, Nunn and McGeary

*** Damian said he was uneducated because of Havering LEA. This is implausible. More likely causes are poor teaching and a lack of diligence.