Category Archives: Prendergast

Prendergast Federation Stories

The Academy Legacy or an April Fool?

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If it weren’t so serious it would be laughable that the Governors (released on their website on April 1) a letter offering,  as a benefit of conversion, the grand sum of £70,000 for Vale, £70,000 for Ladywell and £50,000 for Hilly Fields.

This is a Federation that in 2014 had a combined income of £17 million, and made in what must surely be a co-incidence  (??)  the same amount, (£190,000) from facilities and services.

As a public service (since most communications from the school don’t actually reach parents) we reproduce them below.

And we would ask the question – where is this money coming from?

Ladywell Vale Hilly Fields
£70,000 £70,000 £50,000
A full time counsellor (supporting well-being for students);

 

 A full time counsellor (supporting well-being for students);

 
Curriculum developments such as Latin or Mandarin in the curriculum Curriculum developments such as Latin or Mandarin in the curriculum Curriculum developments such as Japanese or Mandarin in the curriculum
Introduction of numeracy support classes in year 7

 

 Introduction of numeracy and literacy support classes in year 7

 

 Protection of small group subjects in the 6th Form
Gifted and talented maths groups in the Primary Phase

 
The Headteacher and his team would be able to vary the curriculum 11 -16 to meet pupil needs more effectively The Headteacher and his team would be able to vary the curriculum 3 -16 to meet pupil needs more effectively The Headteacher and her team would be able to vary the curriculum 11 -16 to meet pupil needs more effectively.
It would give the freedom at Key Stage 2 and 3 for subject experts to decide their own curriculum and prepare more effectively for Key Stage 4 and 5, than the proposed arrangements under the National Curriculum would

 

 It would give the freedom at Key Stage 2 and 3 for subject experts to decide their own curriculum and prepare more effectively for Key Stage 4 and 5, than the proposed arrangements under the National Curriculum would

 

 Academy conversion gives the freedom at Key Stage 3 for departments to decide their own curriculum and prepare more effectively for Key Stage 4 and 5 than the proposed arrangements under the National Curriculum would

Meet the Governors (and tell them what you think!)

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You might be forgiven for missing the announcement at the end of last term that the Governors will be available to “make representations in person”. Details are:

  • Hilly Fields School – Monday 13 April (7pm)
  • Ladywell School – Tuesday 14 April (7pm)
  • Vale School – Thursday 16 April (7pm)

This will be an ideal opportunity to see whether they have actually come up with ANY arguments in favour of their proposals.

The detailed response by the campaign to the proposals if you want some bedtime reading before the meeting is available at SAIL response to the WP.

Hope to see as many of you as possible.

Round-up of the March 5th strike

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An incredibly powerful turnout across all three Prendergast schools and Sedgehill, for the strike against academisation, included teachers from both (NUT and NASUWT), support staff (GMB), parents and students.

strike_sedgehill

A large contingent then went up to the Leatherseller’s offices in the City of London to demonstrate and hand in a letter of opposition.

demo_leathersellers

A massive thank you to everyone who participated and those of you couldn’t be there but  supported online.

 

Students show us how it’s done

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On the lunchtime of Wednesday 4th March, students from Prendergast Hillyfields, organised a highly effective and peaceful one hour strike and demonstration opposing the academisation of Prendergast schools.

Some enterprising Year 8’s also took everyone by surprise sporting home made tee-shirts with what is surely becoming the favourite student slogan “We are not Sheppard’s Sheep”.

Hilly Fields students have also produced a massively inspiring video “We say No to Academies because ..”. Go watch it.

school_strike

Support the strike – tell the headteacher!

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If you could email the school before the end of Wednesday supporting the Strike, it would be much appreciated: Here’s some suggested text.

Dear [Headteacher]

I am a parent of a child in Year [ ]  at Prendergast [    ], Lewisham. I am aware that staff at the school will be taking strike action this week in relation to the recent application for an Academy Order by the Board of Governors of the Leathersellers’ Federation.

I believe that the staff at the school do an excellent job in often challenging situations. I regret that they have been put in the position where strike action is necessary to voice their concerns about the proposal to convert to Academy status.

I wish to register my support for the staff at the school and call for a full staff ballot on the issue of Academy conversion for all staff across the Federation, so that further strike action can be avoided.

Yours sincerely,

It can be emailed to:

Demand a ballot of parents – model letters

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We have provided some model letters to get the consultation the LeatherSellers have so far refused us.

Feel free to add, amend or write your own – the most important thing is to WRITE

Letter to Prendergast Governors (current parents) – send to:

cc in the appropriate school

Letter to Lewisham Mayor – send to

Letter to Executive Director for Children and Young People – send to

Letter to Prendergast Governors (Prospective Parents) – send to:

Write to your Councillor

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The Prendergast page has a list of local councillors in the wards surrounding the schools.

Especially if you live in the wards surrounding the school, it is important that you write objecting. If you don’t know which ward you live in, you can look it up at: http://councilmeetings.lewisham.gov.uk/mgFindMember.aspx? and this will tell you who your councillor is.

There is also a list of Councillors on the Who to Write to page

Even if you live outside of these wards, please still write, pressure from ALL councillors will help.

The model letter can be found on the Documents section of the site, in word (new and old formats).

Feel free to add, amend or write your own – the most important thing is to WRITE.

If you get a response, please let us know, either through the contact form or at stopacademiesinlewisham@gmail.com.

 

 

 

 

Action points from Public Meeting

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At the end of Wednesday’s packed SAiL meeting at the St.Mary’s Centre, we read out a summary of suggested actions. Here they are:

  1. To encourage each school to develop its own campaigning group of parents/staff/students – and for a rep from each group to meet together as the SAiL commitee to plan the overall campaign.
  2. Students from across the schools are planning their own activities and are building links across the 3 Federation schools.
  3. Volunteers are needed to leaflet on school gates so that we can reach parents and answer the misinformation from the Federation.
  4. Volunteers are also needed for leafleting stations to get our message out about the wider threat to education in Lewisham too.
  5. We will also run street stalls targeted to meet parents – e.g on the Honor Oak estate.
  6. We’ll be turning the longer reply to the Working Party into shorter snappier leaflets to explain our arguments.
  7. A poster for home and shop windows is being produced so that we can show the strength of  opposition across the community.
  8. Similarly, campaign badges to wear.
  9. Parents will be lobbying councillors to insist that they back the call for a parental ballot – like Brighton Council did over Hove Park.
  10. We will launch an online petition, also asking for a full parental ballot over whether or not to support the academy plans.
  11. We will be setting up a SAiL campaign website to go alongside the facebook page as a source of information.
  12. We are looking for volunteeers who can help put together a campaign video for the website, youtube, social media.
  13. Thursday 5th March , ask SAiL supporters to stand with NUT/NASUWT/GMB staff on the picket lines from 7.30 am – and bring your own banners and placards to add to union ones.
  14. After the planned cafe breakfast meetings, join a delegation to go up to Mansion House for a photo-shoot and protest outside the Leathersellers Comapny headquarters in the City of London.
  15. If the Council/Governors refuse to support a parental ballot, consider if there are ways of organising one ourselves.
  16. Make plans for a march to defend education – just as the community did to defend the NHS in Lewisham.
  17. IF YOU CAN HELP, PLEASE GET IN TOUCH – USING THE CONTACT US FORM