[Malcolm Armsteen]

Well I never...

The Athena MAT (Multi Academy Trust) which consists of nine schools in Devon and Cornwall is to be broken up and the schools passed on to other MATs, rather as one would pass on unwanted ballgowns to the servants...

This is of interest because Athena has links to Burblesinge through one Joe Kirby who helped to set up the Michaela Community School with her, noted for her strict, some would say draconian and obsessive, discipline policies.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/gener ... e=hs_email

And it is these policies which have caused many complaints.

The decision follows months of pressure from parents and local politicians over Athena’s approach to behaviour, and concerns about support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Families at several of the trust’s secondary schools previously raised concerns with the media about restrictions on students’ toilet use, children being removed from lessons for having the wrong stationery, and additional needs not being properly supported.

Firstly, it seems that outside of a fairly narrow demographic people don't want their kids punished for wanting a pee and secondly rather than change to an ethos that everywhere else finds suitable they just kick the ball into touch and walk off the pitch.

Quite incredible. Education in the far west has long been a concern and this compounds the issues.

[Boiler]

Well I never...

The Athena MAT (Multi Academy Trust) which consists of nine schools in Devon and Cornwall is to be broken up and the schools passed on to other MATs, rather as one would pass on unwanted ballgowns to the servants...

This is of interest because Athena has links to Burblesinge through one Joe Kirby who helped to set up the Michaela Community School with her, noted for her strict, some would say draconian and obsessive, discipline policies.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/gener ... e=hs_email

And it is these policies which have caused many complaints.

The decision follows months of pressure from parents and local politicians over Athena’s approach to behaviour, and concerns about support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Families at several of the trust’s secondary schools previously raised concerns with the media about restrictions on students’ toilet use, children being removed from lessons for having the wrong stationery, and additional needs not being properly supported.

Firstly, it seems that outside of a fairly narrow demographic people don't want their kids punished for wanting a pee and secondly rather than change to an ethos that everywhere else finds suitable they just kick the ball into touch and walk off the pitch.

Quite incredible. Education in the far west has long been a concern and this compounds the issues.

As covered here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002ybc5 a couple of weeks ago, Malc.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Looking at where the schools were:

Cornwall:
Altarnun Primary School
Egloskerry Primary School
Launceston Primary School
Camborne Science and International Academy
Launceston College
Pool Academy
Devon:
Atlantic Academy
Bideford College
The Ilfracombe Academy

Camborne, Ilfracombe and Bideford have lots of deprivation, and Launceston a fair bit. And you can't do the London thing of having a very wide catchment area, so I imagine you can't achieve what's called a "comprehensive plus" intake as easily. I'm going on google here only, Matt will know a lot more.

Would be quite the irony, given who Birbalbollocks hangs out with, if their new found faves "the white working class" were less receptive to this style of schooling than the brown people who they demonize?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Well I never...

The Athena MAT (Multi Academy Trust) which consists of nine schools in Devon and Cornwall is to be broken up and the schools passed on to other MATs, rather as one would pass on unwanted ballgowns to the servants...

This is of interest because Athena has links to Burblesinge through one Joe Kirby who helped to set up the Michaela Community School with her, noted for her strict, some would say draconian and obsessive, discipline policies.

https://www.tes.com/magazine/news/gener ... e=hs_email

And it is these policies which have caused many complaints.

The decision follows months of pressure from parents and local politicians over Athena’s approach to behaviour, and concerns about support for pupils with special educational needs and disabilities.

Families at several of the trust’s secondary schools previously raised concerns with the media about restrictions on students’ toilet use, children being removed from lessons for having the wrong stationery, and additional needs not being properly supported.

Firstly, it seems that outside of a fairly narrow demographic people don't want their kids punished for wanting a pee and secondly rather than change to an ethos that everywhere else finds suitable they just kick the ball into touch and walk off the pitch.

Quite incredible. Education in the far west has long been a concern and this compounds the issues.

As covered here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/m002ybc5 a couple of weeks ago, Malc.

We've known about the strict discipline and the negative response for some time. The news is that the MAT is dissolving itself - and as usual the local authority picks up the pieces.

[mattomac]

Camborne and Pool could probably be served by others and the area does have a fair amount of settlements that are relatively close by. Also they are reasonably well connected due to the colleges and bus routes around that central west area are decent. Pool has also bloomed as an area in recent years, I would say the disruption could be contained there. Malcolm is right having worked in the DWP (Job Centre Plus) down there, the education provision down here has been lacking for years.

Launceston however is in the middle of nowhere, not sure about its bus coverage but its closest big settlements are quite some distance.

On the back of this I have noticed Exeter University are making major cuts and that usually means arts and humanities that would be their Falmouth courses.

[Boiler]

We've known about the strict discipline and the negative response for some time. The news is that the MAT is dissolving itself - and as usual the local authority picks up the pieces.

Ah, I understand now.

I first heard of this via that radio programme - I wasn't aware of it being a long-standing thing,

I found it appalling.

[Bones McCoy]

I observe:

Inner London has a lot off other schools and facilities.
They quietly absorb the students broken on the wheel of Birbalsinghdom.

Out in the sticks, it's a major expedition to the next school.
Treating so many children like expendables is going to get noticed faster.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Is this the nearest anyone's come to replicating Birbalbollocks elsewhere? She hasn't even launched a second school, or a feeder primary, which Toby Young's pals did.

All this fuss for one school?