Sandwell Education

Despite Sandwell officials annually saying our schools are improving, our schools continue to languish in the bottom of the countries league tables for achievement.

But a change is coming which will send a shiver through Labour, it’s called “success” and will give our kids the same start as kids in other boroughs and set the path for achievement levels to rise for students in Sandwell.

The Government has announced the “Education Bill” in this failing schools will have government intervention, taking them outside council control, it is also looking at placing  disruptive students on special courses at new venues which will specialise in discipline.

To help teachers the Government is giving back more teacher powers taken away by Labour.

Sandwell Tory said

“ For far too long Labour have allowed schools in Sandwell to fail, some for almost 10 years, while Labour sit in their ivory towers.

 Disruptive aggressive kids have known their rights but not known their class work.

This “I can do what I want attitude”  has held back other students from learning and getting good qualifications.

I feel Labours approach to education as totally failed, giving us NEET’s all over our borough, what a waste of potentially good kids “

Once again Labour hang your heads in Shame

NEET’s     Not in Education, Employment or Training

See also

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1351229/Problem-pupils-enrolled-boot-camps-run-soldiers-says-Education-Secretary.html

Sandwell Children’s Services

What is going on in Sandwell’s Children’s services?

Following a damning Ofsted report on 13^th January 2010, we had a quick scan through the press cuttings, which shows

4 new heads of service

£2Million in temporary staff wages

10 staff suspended

100’s redundant

all this and 11 months later and what have we got

A further Ofsted report dated 9^th December 2010 which reinforces the original findings

Appalling, totally appalling

Labours legacy

A simple look at finance 2000 to 2010

When Labour took over our country it was drifting into Surplus, simplistically we had more money in Tax than we were spending (A few bob in the bank) this was from exports, banking and Tax.

Sadly over the last 10 years Labour allowed our manufacturing sector to shrink. Remember: Rover cars, LDV,HP, GEC, Metro Cammell, all producing export cash even Jaguar came under threat.

Consequently the revenue (tax) from this sector also shrank, a secondary knock on effect was as these companies closed, money was removed from the local areas, Shops, News agents etc compounding the problems to come.

One of the last areas of private business left was the Banking sector, this still generated considerable revenue (tax) for the government based on its foreign trade.

Britain Banks trade all over the world, the money they make in interest we tax and spend here in the UK.

During the last Government (Our financial Policemen), people like Brown & Balls were advocates of a “Light touch“ approach to the banks, allowing them to grow and grow they did producing lots of revenue (tax) this allowed the government to increase the size of the public sector, transferring private sector jobs to the public sector.

But a big problem was looming, the banking sectors economy grew to be 4.5 times bigger than the real economy, but Labour were still happy because the revenue (tax) continued going up hiding from the people structural problems within our economy, so we all carried on spending.

Then “bang” what started as a crisis with a loan company in the USA started the dominoes falling. Bank money dried up. , Revenue (tax) from the banks collapsed;

we were now spending more than we earn (Big Style).

Labours answer, called quantitive easing another name for  “Let’s print some money”  was very risky simply put “The more money in circulation the lower its value on the international markets” were we buy our food & fuel, hence inflation.  

What have we inherited?

Massive costs (With the biggest Public sector this countries ever had)

Little income (Private sector weak or gone)

Inflation

Local shop closures over the last 4 years, with cardboard fronts pasted over windows.

To those of you old enough to remember this is not déjà vu but almost a re-run of 1978

when almost the same thing happened the last time they was in power.

You can take a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink !!!

Oh’ and I forgot to mention, they say it’s all our fault

CARE IN THE COMMUNITY

They call it Protecting Front Line Services!

Sandwell Labour have found a new way to protect frontline services in our borough, by looking at closing a home for respite care.

The main problem with this latest casualty with Labour’s cuts, centres around the Warstone Centre, this specialist care facility gives respite care for individuals with serious medical and physical issues who have very aged parents as their carers.

Some parent/carers are 70 to 90 years old and still looking after their children , who they love to bits.

Sandwell Tory said

Words totally fail me, they have now put Warstone up for a consultation programme.

It reminds me of a letter sent to the Councils leader from Eric Pickles stating that

"Front line services  MUST BE PROTECTED”

We have increased the funding for respite care from £178 Million to £200Million across the country so where’s the money going, I expect they will try to blame it on the Coalition.

Read a bit more 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1349102/We-ARE-helping-parents-disabled-PM-pledges-respite-mother-accuses-betrayal.html

Appeal to Mom’s & Dad’s

We are appealing to all of Sandwell’s Mom’s or Dad’s, to consider their kids future.

New figures have confirmed that the UK's performance in education plummeted during Labour's time in Government.   The OECD's Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) shows a marked decline in science, reading and maths between 2000 and 2009. When compared with other OECD countries, UK secondary school pupils fell from fourth to sixteenth in Science, from seventh to 25th in Reading and from eighth to 28th in Maths

Sandwell Tory said today
The world is changing our kids need and deserve the very best help they can get, so they can get good jobs, but our kids are also in competition with kids from Dudley, Walsall and Birmingham.

For over 10 years our schools have languished at the very bottom of the National school league tables, reports also show our Children’s Services Department has for the second year running got the lowest grade possible from Ofsted.

Put it simply our schools have improved but we are still in the bottom group of Authorities for education results.

Unless this changes and changes quickly another generation will be trapped  with low qualifications.

What have we done?

Simply this,

Our team worked to get 3 more schools approved for new build, on top of the ones already approved.

Our teamed worked to get the new LEP’s up and running so our people can get new job’s

Our team is working to turn our schools into Free Schools and new Academies to give our kids every bit of help they can get.

And the best part of it all !   

Not one bit of spin, just the truth

think about our kids.   

Labours “shining example” PFI School.

Sadly, for all of us and especially our kids, we will be reeling with the "pain of Labour"

(yes I did get it right) for years to come, that pains in our pockets and our kids education.

If you recall Labour pushed ahead with the BSF school replacement project

We stopped it because it was wasting money and used PFI.

Now yet another “Labour Flagship school” has bit the dust, Christ the King in Huyton, Merseyside which cost £24million to build.

Only months ago former education secretary Ed Balls stated it as a “shining example” of what the defeated government had done for pupils.

There is one tiny little problem he may have missed, the school should have 900 pupils but has been half-empty since it opened because local parents want their children educated at a full faith school and are prepared to send them up to four miles away for their education.

£Millions spent in planning and I hear you ask “did they consult with the parents”?

Apparently the Labour consultation process needs a little bit more work, problem is under Labour’s PFI a private company built the school and its private sector builder and owner will be paid millions for the next 25 years.

Sandwell Tory said

This country just can’t afford more of these “shining examples”  from Labour, this is what helped our country to go broke. 

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1347213/Labours-24m-showpiece-school-closes-2-years.html#ixzz1B89nxVcP

Sandwell School Results Shock

Our schools' are measured by achievements

The achievement of an authority is based on the number of students in their schools achieving the Level 2 (L2) threshold.

L2 threshold is equivalent to at least five GCSEs at grades A*-C  this includes English & Math’s.

They are also measured on the points given to student from their A-As (L3) and also included are any half day student absences Abs

Sandwell Tory said

Someone should hang their head in shame, every year for nearly 10 years our Labour Council shouted “Our schools are improving”, yet ever year they seem to be at the bottom of the country ranking, Sandwell came 147 out of 152.

Once again our kids are being let down, our kids deserve better they will get better with “Free Schools” , Free from this Council.  

Our very best congratulations go to Wood Green High School,  for consistently excellent results

See 2010 results
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/education/school_tables/secondary/10/html/333.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/8439650.stm

See 2002 results

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/bsp/hi/education/02/league_tables/england_secondary/leas/lea_333/by_name/html/by_name_1.stm

St Georges day Holiday

Conservative MP calls for St Georges day Holiday

Conservative MP Nadhim Zahawi as said he had been "saddened" in recent years to see

"the symbols of our patriotism being hijacked by the fringe right wing of our country".

Introducing a Bill to Parliament he went on to say   

"Today in this House we can go a long way towards reclaiming them. We can ensure that all who live in Britain, whatever their background, are able to join together and celebrate all the things that make Britain great," he added.

Sandwell Tory said

"We Conservatives back Nadhim fully we want to see a parade and party for all people to enjoy, in the Past Sandwell Council has withdrawn all the funding and local industrialists and business people had to put up the money"

See the Video at the bottom of the blog

Red Ed gets it

Following Red Ed’s problems with the “squeezed middle” last year, giving 4 versions of the “squeezed middle” he’s been at it again, this time on Radio 2.

After attacking Coalition VAT rises, due impart to the financial mess left by Labour, he was interviewed on the Radio 2 Jeremy Vine programme, this allows people to phone in with their comments, some comments Red Ed did not wish to hear.

He was questioned by callers for "shafting" his brother David, one caller who told him he had been prepared to "tread all over your brother to get to the top"

Another caller criticised him for not marrying his partner, Justine, and registering as the father after the birth of their first child, a further caller said he lacked the "passion and fire in the belly"

He was also quoted as saying "I know that as a politician, as a person, I have a journey to go on”

Sandwell Tory said

Yes we know the farther the journey the better!

Read more at

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/unmarried-disloyal-and-cold-miliband-feels-listeners-wrath-2178136.html

Sandwell Manufacturing takes off

After years of gloom under Labour, Sandwell's Manufacturing sector was given a boost today,

when the monthly PMIs figures were released

The PMI is the Purchasing Manager Index it measure the manufacturing sectors

production output, the orders companies are having, raw material orders and employment.

A score below 50 is classed as contraction

A score of 50 is considered flat

A score above 50 is classed as expansion

The UK’s index last month was 58.3, showing that the manufacturing sector grew last month at the highest rate since 1994.

(guess who was in Government then ??? you guessed it Conservatives)

Germany Purchasing Managers’ Index measuring 60.7  beat ours but countries like Greece went down     to 43.1

Sandwell Tory said
This is excellent news showing our policies are starting to work and bring jobs back to the Black Country the traditional home of industry.
I now await Labour to come out with the only Policy they like “moaning oh wow oh wow”,       
and while they are moaning we will continue repairing their mess out and get our country working again”   

see some more good news at 

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/economics/8238555/Record-manufacturing-data-lifts-UK-recovery-hopes.html

Sandwell Given Help to lift Small Business Tax

More help to Sandwell's small business’s as been given approval by

Eric Pickles

We have already doubled the rate discount small businesses get, but we want to see as many small business ratepayers as possible to claim their tax cuts so we will change the rules so councils can administer the scheme without being caught up in unnecessary Government red tape.

The Government will also amend secondary legislation to ensure that all eligible businesses automatically have their discounted bills calculated using the small business multiplier. Other measures to support business in the upcoming Localism Bill will include increased powers for businesses to hold a ballot on Business Rate Supplements. This will allow liable businesses to vote for and in effect approve the planned economic development project that they will be funding.

Sandwell Tory said

Finally after 10 years of waiting we have a plan to help businesses in Sandwell; we have doubled the Rate Relief for small businesses, now we need to concentrate on our 6 towns within our borough, so they may become healthy and vibrant, with links to the new LEP’s

Taxing them to death under the old Labour plans just leads to closures and more card board pictures on the front windows of our shops and don’t forget Labour’s 10 years of promises

I await the first Ballot on the West Bromwich town centre project

Can you please tell any one with a small business to contact us for more details

http://www.communities.gov.uk/news/newsroom/1778439

Sandwell Car Parking

The coalition has announced that the last Labour Governments stealth tax on your shopping trip in the car is to be scrapped.

Labour proposals under their Sustainable Communities Act were to tax Supermarkets based on the number of their Car parking Spaces and You would pay.

Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, said:

“With the price of groceries rising, it would be wrong to introduce a new parking stealth tax on hard-working households. As someone who was brought up in a corner shop, I know how every penny makes a difference when families pay for their weekly shop.

“Accessible parking is vital to the lifeblood of the local firms. Hiking parking charges and turning motorists into a cash cow is a false economy – as it drives shoppers away.

“Instead, we should be looking at local tax cuts. We have already increased small business rate relief to help small shops, and will give councils new powers to reduce business rates on shops which sell local produce and support the local economy.

“Our plans to allow councils to retain their business rate income will also mean councils start having a stake in growing their local economy and support all types of shop, big and small.”

The Localism Bill now allows Councils to remove parking charges if they wish

Sandwell Tory said

“Labour controlled Sandwell are considering putting up Parking Charges not lower them

I wonder how long it will take SMBC to realise the small shop keepers can call for a referendum, I have a feeling there will be lots of referendums in Sandwell ”.  

Sandwell Free school meals

Sandwell Council seem to have taken up the Coalition’s pupil premium with a vengeance

Sandwell Conservatives are so pleased orders have gone out to enlist all the customers for school meals they can find.

The money Sandwell School’s get from direct grant funding will be increased by approximately  £430 for each student that gets free school meals

The coalition’s flagship Pupil Premium will see schools get extra money to spend on their books next year, in Sandwell approximately 10,000 children are likely to benefit, with Sandwell schools getting a possible extra £4.3 Million.

This is on top of Michael Gove finding the money for 3 new school projects

Sandwell Tory said
This is an excellent policy for our schools, but we will have to keep our eyes  open to ensure the money goes to ours kids and not more bureaucrats”.

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/info/4/free_school_meals/992/free_school_meals

See more at the E&S

Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/uk/uk-news/2010/12/11/extra-school-cash-for-poorer-pupils/#ixzz19uRCANZC

West Bromwich Development Controversy

What’s going on in Sandwell? do we have infighting amongst the Labour party ?

An article in a major national news paper concerning West Bromwich’s 10 year old Labour development plans, seems to have started a internal Labour row. these plans in which most
of the towns facilities disappeared, including the:

King Cinema

Gala Baths

Major big name retailers

But has given residents closed up shops with card board pictures on the front and a Green floor at the £70 Million Public arts Building.

It now appears that the “New Police Station” opened in approximately 1975 to replace the old police station in the high street and as some of you may remember was built on the Flask public house ( I had a miss spent youth ) is to be replaced by a new Police Station 600yards down the road, by Tesco      

Apparently Labour MP for Huddersfield Barry Sheerman was quoted as saying in the newspaper:
‘I cannot see the difference between this and a bribe”.

But Sandwell’s Regeneration chief, has jumped to the attack on the councils web site.

http://www.sandwell.gov.uk/news/article/621/regeneration_chiefs_disappointment_at_report

Regeneration chief’s “disappointment” at report

Cllr Jones has written to the Mail on Sunday to voice his disappointment at the paper's report.

We have to ask, “why as he written to the newspaper? Why not ring up his own Labour party member?”

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1341537/Tesco-builds-7m-police-station--return-new-giant-superstore.html#ixzz19sS5W5m8

You can see more about our Ghost Town in the Express and Star article below

Read more: http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2010/11/15/west-bromwich-ghost-town-fear/#ixzz19sOKWGju