Category Archives: Education

Brent MP Sarah Teather: more two-year olds to get free early education

Posted on December 3, 2011 | Leave a comment

Reposted from: http://www.libdemvoice.org/sarah-teather-mp-writes-more-twoyear-olds-to-get-free-early-education-thanks-to-lib-dems-in-government-26032.html

In last year’s Comprehensive Spending Review Nick Clegg announced that the 20 per cent most disadvantaged families would be guaranteed 15 free hours of early education each week. The additional £650m announced in the Autumn Statement will extend that to 40  per cent of families. This will mean that the 260,000 most disadvantaged two year-olds will benefit by the end of this Parliament.

Sarah Teather MP reading a book with pupils

Brent Central MP Sarah Teather is implementing additional free childcare for disadvantaged children and high quality early years education

The facts are well known – children from the poorest backgrounds start primary school already behind in their development, in their speech and language ability, and in their capacity to make the most of their school years.

The evidence is well known too – high quality early years education, alongside support from parents and family, can really make a difference in giving a child from a disadvantaged background a good start in life.

The Liberal Democrat Manifesto for the 2010 Election set out an aspiration to move to 20 hours of free childcare for every child from the age of 18 months, as the nation’s finances allowed. We made a start last year, now we’re going further.

It’s not an easy time for anyone. But for the 260,000 children given a fair start in life because the Liberal Democrats are in government, we will have made a lasting difference.

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Posted in Education, Young People

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Willesden councillor Ann Hunter helps students get set for future careers

Posted on November 30, 2011 | Leave a comment

Willesden Liberal Democrat Councillor Ann Hunter has helped young people in Brent to consider their future careers and practice their interviewing skills.

She joined students at Capital City Academy last Tuesday (22 November) for a careers speed networking event, and on Thursday (24 November) took part in mock interviews with students at Crest Girls Academy.

Both events were organised by Brent and Harrow Education Business Service (HEBS). Around 190 young people met professionals from a wide variety of careers to discuss their working lives.

Councillor Ann Hunter with students at Capital City Academy

During the Careers Speed Networking adults from different career backgrounds, including a barrister, a doctor, PCSOs, journalists, a physicist and an IT specialist, worked with students in small groups, giving them a brief synopsis of their job and its day-to-day activities, and then answering questions from them. Every ten minutes the pupils moved on to the next person.

It’s a format that the pupils enjoy, and get a lot out of as they to find out about the range of careers available, practice their questioning skills and find out more about the world of work.

The mock interviews are an invaluable opportunity to practice, and get feedback, on being interviewed. This is a skill which can mean the difference between getting a job or not, or whether or not you get into the university of your choice.

Speaking about the events, Cllr Ann Hunter said:

These are both really useful opportunities for the youngsters. It helps give them confidence before entering the jobs market for real, and coaches them how best to present the skills they have.

I was really impressed by the students’ attention and the quality of their questions at the Capital City Academy. The interviewees at Crest were remarkable in how well they presented themselves and their clear desire to achieve and fulfil their potential.

I think the young people there found it reassuring that many of us who were talking to them had changed careers several times, so realised that they weren’t tied to just one career once they’d decided on it. Some youngsters had already decided what they wanted to be, whether surgeons, plumbers or teachers, but many hadn’t. I think they now realise that flexibility in the job market is life-long and nowadays retraining and change is part of life.

 
Councillor Ann Hunter discusses careers with students at Capital City academy in Brent
The Brent and Harrow Education Business Service (BHEBS) has been providing work-related activities for 14 to 19-year olds in West London for almost ten years. BHEBS works with schools and local employers to raise the profile, value and quality of business education.

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Posted in Education, Employment, Young People

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Labour in Brent still committed to cutting school crossing patrols – but by stealth

Posted on September 15, 2011 | Leave a comment

The shadow of the axe still hangs over Brent’s school crossing patrols, despite Labour’s decision to abandon their original proposals to cut 30 of Brent’s 47 lollipop men and women.
 
Brent Council announced last week that it plans to “puts the brakes on cutting school crossing patrols,” but the Executive report due to be considered by leading Labour Councillors on Monday (19 September) reveals that Labour may still be committed to cutting the service.
 
Twenty sites are set to lose their lollipop patrol if the Labour Executive backs the proposals but this will be done over time through “natural wastage” (i.e. not replacing crossing patrol staff if they resign, retire or die) rather than in one fell swoop.
 
If a member of staff leaves a so-called “high-priority” site a replacement lollipop patrol will be poached from a “low-priority” site – leaving the school children to make their own way across the road.
 
Liberal Democrat road safety spokesperson Daniel Brown said:

Labour’s revised proposals plunge schools and parents into a new round of uncertainty. Schools which Labour says are ‘low-priority’ face having their crossing patrol suddenly disappear with no replacement.
 
It also places unfair pressure on the school crossing patrol staff, who know that children will be left without someone to see them safely across the road if they leave their job.
 
Some of the so-called ‘low-priority’ sites are in fact busy roads where children will be at risk.

According to the report Labour is trying to persuade schools to cover the cost of the patrols, despite the fact that schools are legally prohibited from using their main budget to subsidise the service.

The twenty sites which are still on Labour’s hit list are:

  • Aylestone Avenue – Malorees Infants & Junior
  • Brentfield Road – Swaminaryan School
  • Brondesbury Park– Malorees Infants & Junior
  • Canterbury Road – St Mary’s RC Primary
  • Chamberlyne Road – Kensal Rise Primary
  • Church Lane – Fryent Primary
  • Dollis Hill Lane – Our Lady of Grace Juniors
  • Dollis Hill Lane – Our Lady of Grace Infants
  • Harrow Road, Sudbury – Sudbury Primary
  • Hillside – Stonebridge & Our Lady of Lourdes
  • Manor Park Road – John Keeble Primary
  • Mapesbury Road – NW London Jewish School
  • Milman Road – Salusbury Primary
  • Mount Pleasant, Wembley – Lyon Park Infant & Junior
  • Neasden Lane North (2 sites) – Wykeham Primary
  • Oakington Manor Drive, Wembley – Oakington Manor Primary
  • Park Avenue – Convent of Jesus and Mary
  • Princes Road – Roe Green Infant and Junior
  • Salusbury Road – Salusbury Primary

 The report says:

Reductions in the number of SCP [School Crossing Patrol] sites can be expected in future years through staff natural wastage at lower priority sites and as improvements to priority sites, such as the installation of controlled crossings, result in those sites being reclassified as lower priority sites (page 90).

Savings of around £18,000 could be anticipated from 2012/13 onwards until such time as the service is reduced to the minimum acceptable level (page 107).

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Posted in Campaigns, Community Safety, Education, Young People

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Labour’s U-turn on Brent School Crossing Patrols is victory for people power

Posted on September 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

Liberal Democrat campaigners and councillors have welcomed indications that Labour councillors have scrapped their plan to axe 30 of Brent’s 47 school crossing patrols.

Brent Council has announced that the Labour-controlled Executive on Monday 13 September will decide “whether to accept the recommendation not to proceed with the proposed withdrawal of School Crossing Patrol officers at this time.”

Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Paul Lorber said:

This is a victory for people power. People were outraged that Labour could put children’s safety at risk in this way and at the flawed nature of the consultation. Hundreds of parents and residents signed the Liberal Democrat petition to save the Lollipop patrols or lobbied the council.
 
However it is important that we all keep up the pressure until the decision is made. I will reserve full judgement until examining the Executive report carefully. We need to be sure Labour will not bring back the proposals once the current controversy has died down.

Councillor Ann Hunter collecting Save Our Lollipop Patrols petition signatures

Councillor Ann Hunter collecting Save Our Lollipop Patrols petition signatures

Councillor Ann Hunter, Liberal Democrat councillor for Willesden Green who took a leading role collecting petition signatures, added:

I have spoken to hundreds of parents in Willesden Green about Labour’s plan to remove the High Road and Park Avenue crossing patrols. Almost all of them were concerned about the implications for local children if this vital road safety measure waswithdrawn. It’s great that everyone’s hard work has paid off.

Labour council leader Ann John is due to make a a statement on the change of policy at this evening’s full council meeting.

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Town Hall site could help solve Brent school places crisis

Posted on August 25, 2011 | Leave a comment

Brent Liberal Democrat councillors have called on the Labour administration to investigate whether a new school on the Town Hall site could help solve the borough’s school places crisis.

Brent Town Hall

The Brent Town Hall site could help meet the demand for more school places in Brent (picture Steve Cadman)

A report discussed by the council’s Labour Executive last week (Wednesday 17 August) revealed that 388 children in Brent did not have school places at the end of the school year in July – the equivalent of twelve classes. The number of infant school-aged children without places exceeded the number of spaces physically available in Brent’s schools.

The number is expected to rise this September because of what the council report describes as a “surge in demand for school places”. By 2014-15 the report forecasts that spaces for 105 extra classes will be required

Councillors agreed to consider radical steps to increase the number of school places over the next few years including potentially making use of vacant libraries (if Labour’s plan to close six of Brent libraries goes ahead) and encouraging home tuition.

Liberal Democrat leader Paul Lorber has asked council officers to investigate the feasibility of creating a new school on the Town Hall site in Wembley once council staff vacate the Town Hall for the new Civic Centre in 2013.

Cllr Lorber said:

Using the Town Hall site – which is already owned by Brent Council and therefore will not cost anything to buy – would be better than building on precious playing fields and other green space. It would also be better than cramming ever more pupils into already cramped existing school sites.

Council staff are already scheduled to leave the site in 2013. Conceivably a new Town Hall school could start taking pupils in Autumn 2013, providing extra capacity when this year’s Yr 1 and Yr 2 pupils move into the Junior age-group. I think it is important that the council evaluates the idea seriously.

 It will be particularly important to find new sites if the council loses the libraries court case and does not close the six libraries under threat, as these premises will then no longer be available.

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Brent residents call on culture secretary to probe library closures

Posted on August 24, 2011 | Leave a comment

Neasden residents have flocked to sign letters and petitions calling on Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to order an investigation into Labour-run Brent Council’s decision to close half of Brent’s Libraries. Over 160 signatures were collected in a very short time last Saturday morning outside Neasden Library.

The attached photograph shows library campaigners Bob Wharton, Alison Hopkins and Councillor Javaid Ashraf collect petition signatures with young library users

Library campaigners Bob Wharton, Alison Hopkins and Councillor Javaid Ashraf collect petition signatures with young library users

According to the 1964 Libraries Act every council has a duty to provide a “comprehensive and efficient” library service. The Secretary of State is responsible for ensuring that this duty is carried out. In 2009 the then Secretary of State ordered an investigation into Wirral Council because of concerns about the council’s library closure programme. The investigation concluded that the council’s hugely unpopular plan to close 11 of the 24 libraries in the Borough would have broken the law.
 
Now Brent library campaigners say that Jeremy Hunt should use his powers to investigate Brent Council’s drastic programme of library cuts.
 
Dollis Hill Liberal Democrat Councillor Javaid Ashraf, who helped to organise the petition and letters said:

“Despite the wet weather on Saturday, scores of people took the time to express their concern about Labour’s determination to close Neasden, Cricklewood, Barham Park, Kensal Rise, Preston and Tokyngton libraries. Many people said how much they and their children value the services that the libraries provide. For their sake I hope Jeremy Hunt listens and orders an inquiry.

Over half of the active users of Brent Libraries are under 19. It is bizarre that Labour councillors want to close six local libraries in Brent and destroy a service so important to Brent’s young people.

Library campaigners raise funds for legal challenge

Local people campaigning to save Preston Library and the other five Libraries under threat of closure from Labour-run Brent Council spent all day last Friday (19 August) collecting money outside Sainsbury’s in Kenton for the community court challenge to Brent Council.

With the generous support of Sainsbury’s customers over £300 was raised for the Brent Save our Six Libraries campaign.

Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Paul Lorber who helped with the collection said:

Over 400 children from Preston Park Primary school wrote to the Labour Councillors urging them to keep Preston Library open.

Councillor Ann John and the Labour leadership in Brent should be ashamed of ignoring the views of our young people who have shown how important local libraries are to their education and development.

The High Court took three days in July to hear the case brought by local library campaigners against Brent Council to stop the closures. The judgement is expected in October but Brent SOS Libraries continue to raise funds to support their action.

On 18 September Cllr Lorber will take part in the Fryent Country Park 5km run in support of the campaign. Anyone wishing to sponsor Paul and help the Library campaign can download a sponsorship form from www.BrentSOSLibraries.org.uk which also provides details of other events.

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Posted in Campaigns, Education, Libraries

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