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Letter claming Southampton schools were among worst was sent in error (From Hampshire Chronicle)
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Letter claming Southampton schools were among worst was sent in error
12:04pm Monday 8th February 2010
RED-face Government education chiefs have admitted they were wrong after labelling Southampton one of the worst places for learning in the country.
Minister Ed Balls threatened to take drastic action if city education chiefs didn’t dramatically improve standards after the city was named one of the ‘Dirty Dozen’ persistently worst performing authorities.
City Council bosses were given just weeks to create an emergency action plan showing how they will improve levels, which has just been completed.
But now it has been revealed civil servants blundered and sent their threatening letter to Southampton City Council by mistake.
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Your Say YourHampshire
Paramjit Bahia, Southampton says...
12:16pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Some heads ought to be knocked off over this one. And that work should start with the man on the top, NuLabour’s Ed Balls. If he wants to take the credit for something which his department may have accidently done right, then he should also take the blame for this one.
MrGMan, Shirley says...
12:22pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Laughing, southampton says...
12:28pm Mon 8 Feb 10
I have never received a correct document first time round in 21 years.
Pay peanuts and you get monkeys xx
Jammy Donut, Brook says...
12:31pm Mon 8 Feb 10
"The most abysmal schools in the World"
Condor Man, Southampton says...
12:56pm Mon 8 Feb 10
colinpickford1, southampton says...
1:37pm Mon 8 Feb 10
MrGMan, Shirley says...
1:52pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Then John Denham jumped on the bandwagon.
A disgrace.
freemantlegirl2, Southampton says...
3:59pm Mon 8 Feb 10
MrGMan wrote:No our schools are STILL bad!! an emergency action plan still ought to be done - the state of schools in the area is abysmal bar one or two! that is shown clearly by the results they're getting, although there have been improvements some ARE among the worst in the country!
Basically this government told parents and children and teachers their schools were rubbish in error.
Then John Denham jumped on the bandwagon.
A disgrace.
I would expect ANY MP to say that was a shambles. Echo is only reporting what seemed to be the case, they don't have flipping crystal balls to know it was a mistake as none of us do. That doesn't mean though that there aren't grounds for a huge shake up in the city's schools which is long overdue (with the exception of a few).
Clive Webster has a spin doctor, someone asked why he'd be quiet. He's very good at saying 'nothing'! He should be accountable and give statements and not hide behind publicity spinners.
The Wickham Man, Fareham says...
4:05pm Mon 8 Feb 10
steekeemcglue, Hedge End says...
5:31pm Mon 8 Feb 10
personally I would abolish state education full stop....then we can stop pretending that a large % of the population are going to be anything other that a parasitic drain on the rest of us for most of their lives.
Lone Ranger, Southampton says...
5:32pm Mon 8 Feb 10
freemantlegirl2 wrote:You are quite right freemantlegirl2 some of our schools are still bad as have been discussed on this forum. The results dont lie.
MrGMan wrote: Basically this government told parents and children and teachers their schools were rubbish in error. Then John Denham jumped on the bandwagon. A disgrace.No our schools are STILL bad!! an emergency action plan still ought to be done - the state of schools in the area is abysmal bar one or two! that is shown clearly by the results they're getting, although there have been improvements some ARE among the worst in the country! I would expect ANY MP to say that was a shambles. Echo is only reporting what seemed to be the case, they don't have flipping crystal balls to know it was a mistake as none of us do. That doesn't mean though that there aren't grounds for a huge shake up in the city's schools which is long overdue (with the exception of a few). Clive Webster has a spin doctor, someone asked why he'd be quiet. He's very good at saying 'nothing'! He should be accountable and give statements and not hide behind publicity spinners.
.
There has been an action plan carried out by Southampton CC prior to the letter error being brought to light and this is being put into action. So with everyones effort the poor results etc could be a thing of the past!!
Condor Man, Southampton says...
7:58pm Mon 8 Feb 10
The Wickham Man wrote:The fundemental difference between Portillo and Balls is that the former just reflected the times he was in power. He tried to take on John Major, Major stood up to him and others, and he faded away. He's good foil on TV and wisely chose that career after politics. Balls, like Harriet Harman, is hell-bent on destroying our society because he wants to standardise everything to a low level. He had all the trappings of privilidge but wants to deny that to others.
Paramjit I agree entirely. Ed Balls is an odious smug politician who revels in the exercise of power and never hesitates to blame others but ensure that credit always goes to him. These are the kind of politicians of whatver hue that we needto remove in the next parliament. Note how the electorate gave Michael Portillo a lesson in humility and got him out of politics and how he has actually become quite a nice chap since. I long for the day when Ed Balls can become "quite a nice chap" too.
As for poor schools, tell that to the heads of Highfield, Portswood, Bitterne CofE, Shirley, Kanes Hill, Townhill.......
Stupideditor, says...
8:23am Tue 9 Feb 10
Condor Man wrote:He is clearly a coward and hides behind his lawyers when ever I complained to him telling him that he is responsible for the c@ck up that is the introduction of Oasis.
Does Clive Webster still work for SCC? since this adminstation came in he's remained silent when any problems have arisen. I think Paramjit's right, there is a government agenda against this Tory council. As for Balls, heaven help us if he succeeds Brown as leader
freemantlegirl2, Southampton says...
9:52am Tue 9 Feb 10
MrGMan wrote:If anyone's jumping on bandwagon's its you... as I've said before seems to be your only MO on these columns.... you never seem to form any independent opinions of your own.. how are things in Highfield Lane btw?
Basically this government told parents and children and teachers their schools were rubbish in error.
Then John Denham jumped on the bandwagon.
A disgrace.
MasterPuppet, South says...
12:09pm Tue 9 Feb 10
The problem with schools is the sewer slime children that go to them. Shame for the kids that want to learn.
Solution: 2 tier classes:
tier 1, for those that want to learn, get a job, a career and do well;
tier 2: for those that don't give a toss to generally mess about in.
Tier 2 kids will also find when they become adults that they're lack of learning interest as a child means when they cannot get a job, they don't qualify for benefits until they pass at least the major GCSE's, and have to go back to school with children to get them - none of this adult night school carp for these people.
A generation or two like that and the country will be on the road to perfection!
Par_Dieu, Southampton says...
8:18pm Tue 9 Feb 10
But it wasn't him was it? Wasn't it the Tories? I was there at the public meeting where the decision was made and had followed the whole thing quite closely. This wasn't a decision a paid officer was allowed to take, it had to be political because it was such a big decision.
As I remember it it was down to Oasis or the Universities, with the Unis being the favoured out of the two with the public.
The the Tories got in power about two days before the decision had to be made by the Council Leader and Cabinet Member and they went for Oasis for, one assumes, ideological reasons. And listening to Lab and Con accuse each other for the preceding year of being "ideological" that was pretty amusing in a 'oh-dear-this-is-goi
ng-to-end-badly" gallows humour kind of way.
Yes the Council can c@ck things up but we do tend to jump up and down on the officers and blame them for EVERYTHING when usually it seems the decisions are made by the councillors and the officers just have to do what they're told and aren't he ones making up the rules they have to work with. Look at the taxi thing, loads of people saying the officers on the licensing committee should be fired, seemingly unaware that the licensing committee is made up of councillors too.
Ye gads, sounded like an apologist! Must remember to be this calm next time I have to speak to that blooming call centre...
Minister Ed Balls
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freefinker, southampton says...
12:12pm Mon 8 Feb 10