Forum Topic

Lampton School

Lampton has received an outstanding OFSTED report; not just outstanding but outstanding among outstanding.  I have never read such fulsome praise in an inspector's report.  The school was graded one (outstanding)in all four categories.  Of 38 inspection judgements 34 were graded one and four two (good).  The report is not yet on the OFSTED site (www.ofsted.gov.uk).  I recommend those interested in these matters to download it when it is.It is a pity that Hounslow does not seem to recognize the achievements of its schools.  In many authorities, such a report would have been a matter of congratulation and the issue of a proud press statement.  Lampton has not even received a letter of congratulation from the Leader (Peter Thompson), the Executive Member for Children's Services (Paul Lynch) or the Director of Children's Services.Come on Paul; I know that you are a warm and kindly man.  I am sure you will rectify this oversight immediately.

Michael Sterne ● 6258d21 Comments

EXCELLENT OFSTED REPORT FOR LAMPTON  as posted on http://www.twickenham-online.co.uk/

Steve Taylor ● 6229d

I see the school has applied for Foundation status. Freed from the dead hand of LEA interference this should allow even greater success in the future.

Mike Hardacre ● 6235d

and sometimes from Feltham...

Dave Hughes ● 6235d

As I said previously on this thread, I am hardly in contact with Labour members so had no influence on the debate at last night's Council meeting.  And as I said in another posting, there is nothing in the Government's National Challenge proposals to which any member of the Council could take exception.I would make the point that it has taken Sue John (the head teacher) ten years to turn Lampton into an outstanding school.  There are no quick fixes.  I would add that even in schools with the highest added value, the GCSE results depend very much on the nature of the intake.I wonder if Hounslow is prepared to be really courageous. For over 50 years, research has shown that the most important factor determining the success of pupils is the level of parental interest and commitment.  To improve the results in the three secondary schools, notwithstanding any improvements in the schools, Hounslow needs to: create a system of linked feeder primary schools to each of the secondary schools; appoint a home-school liaison teacher to each of the primary and the secondary schools; work with the parents as well as with the children; and learn what Lampton and other outstanding schools have done, then apply it to all schools.As I look back over 45 years since I obtained my first job in a local authority education office, I am astonished at how little the basic characteristics of an outstanding school have changed. The important ones, in no particular order are: caring for the children; respecting and listening to children and parents; knowing the children as well as possible; and caring for, training and developing the staff.  But children spend far more time out of school than in it.  You have to work with their parents.

Michael Sterne ● 6240d

"How much of this does John Connelly really believe Michael is orchestrating from the south coast?" I hope Cllr Lynch now appreciates the value of IT, the internet and Forums such as these to keep the public informed.  These issues can indeed be orchestrated from the south coast to the Outer Hebrides.  It is inspiring though to see another Lead Member contributing to this forum. I hope to see some contributions from other executive members in the future. Events can also be orchestrated from afar as leafy Chiswick! 

Steve Taylor ● 6241d

John Connelly is correct to say that for an easy life it is better to have Michael Sterne, a doughty campaigner, inside the tent than outside. Alas we cannot always opt for easy solutions.Had John actually been at the Council meeting he would have heard a formal announcement by me (as Lead Member) about Lampton, not a motion as he seems to think. It was unprecedented to bring an Ofsted report to Council in this way, and the school's achievement was, quite rightly, heartily applauded by all those members who were present. The motion was in support of Feltham, Longford and Hounslow Manor. Maybe Michael influenced the outcome as I asked, because the vote was unanimous. The Leader of the Council will now write to the Secretary of State pointing out the achievements and value of these schools, and this letter will form part of the formal response to DCFS on the recent Government Challenge. How much of this does John Connelly really believe Michael is orchestrating from the south coast?

Paul Lynch ● 6241d

Michael,  I don't think this thread is the place to take up a debate on the Council's school building priorities. I believe the Schools Forum, informed by the views of school governing bodies, is the correct place for a detailed debate on this  subject. "Accommodation needs" in itself is not a clear basis for prioritisation. Some of our schools have missed out completely on major projects in recent years. They may have capacity, but the quality of facilities is unacceptable. I don't think it would be fair to the schools in general if I were to offer my views on prioritisation.

John Connelly ● 6242d

Thank you John - I think that was complimentary.  I do like, however, to undertake these arguments with the facts on my side.In terms of the "Building Schools for the Future" programme (BSF), without boring users of this site with technical detail, can you really justify an order of priority for buildings on anything other than accommodation needs and don't you think it bizarre to reward failure and penalize success by weighting the priorities towards the schools that are doing least well?

Michael Sterne ● 6243d

Michael, I congratulate you for your continued efforts on behalf of Lampton School despite the fact that you are now living a long distance away on the south coast.For those who don't know you better, I will add that your single minded support for Lampton as a governor echoes your refusal, when Chair of Education, to willingly cut your departmental budget and your resistance, when a governor of Belmont primary, to cooperate with Council moves to vary the school's priority admission area.Paul Lynch has clearly congratulated Lampton on its achievement, and the school's performance is a boost to the Council. However, I doubt that a Council motion would have been generated without your intervention.I note you have upped your anti by demanding that Lampton be given higher priority in the Council's building programme. I don't necessarily share this opinion, however this again illustrates the single-minded manner in which you represent your school.To those who find your approach aggressive or overbearing, my suggestion is that they try to get you on board in any campaign they wish to promote.

John Connelly ● 6243d

To state the position accurately, an OFSTED report is published when the confirmed copy is sent to the school and the local authority.  The school and the authority may then distribute it as they wish.  It takes some time thereafter before the report appears on the OFSTED website.  My posting was after the report was received by the school and the authority – after the report was publishedWhen Tim Brighouse, First Commissioner and Chief Adviser for London Schools visited Lampton, he sent hand written notes to all those staff whose work had impressed him.  That level of courtesy goes some way to explaining why in that post and in his former posts as Director of Education for Oxfordshire and Birmingham, he was held in such high regard.  I'm not making any sort of political point, party or otherwise, here.  I am suggesting that the Hounslow Authority might look at its relationships with its schools.  That said, I very much welcome, as I wrote in my last posting, Councillor Lynch's intention to propose a congratulatory motion at the next meeting of the Council.

Michael Sterne ● 6244d

"Mr Sterne is a mischevious individual." Well, as the subject is all about education, may I suggest  mischevious =  mischievous

Steve Taylor ● 6244d

Mr Sterne is a mischevious individual. He says 'I would say only that my posting on this site was after the report was published to the authority and the school' The report was not formally published when he made his post. He acted unilaterally in order to make a cheap point against a committed LBH members and Senior Officer. I note no other Governor or member of the Senior staff from the school has yet endorsed his opinion.We are all thrilled with Lampton's spectacular OFSTED report. Well done Lampton! Great picture in the Hounslow chronicle.

John Todd ● 6244d

I am very glad to hear that Councillor Lynch will be making an announcement at the Council Meeting.  It's very important that schools feel supported by their local authority.  I would say only that my posting on this site was after the report was published to the authority and the school.As to the statement by Ed Balls, I do not believe that the performance of schools should be measured by GCSE results alone or that you can look at results independently of the abilities of the children taking the exams.  But I am no longer in contact with the Labour Councillors.Now that we have opened a dialogue, I should like to ask Paul a couple of questions.The first is, why has Lampton been placed 13th out of 14 in Hounslow's priority for building schools for the future?  Paul, you visited Lampton recently.  You know that the school has fourteen portakabins.  It's under the flight path and teaching has to stop in those classrooms every time a plane goes over.  You can be in no doubt that some schools higher in the list are better accommodated than Lampton.  Are we being punished for our success?The second, given our enthusiasm for working with the community, is why unlike most other Hounslow schools, we receive no funding for this work?  This is very inhibiting given that it is against the law to use for this purpose, money provided for pupils.

Michael Sterne ● 6244d

Readers can be sure that I was at Lampton School within days of their outstanding OFSTED report. It was a great privilege to be one of the first with the news. It is the sort of occasion that makes one feel inadequate, what can one say when the inspectors run out of superlatives? I did my best, and I felt that the Head, and the staff that I met, understood how proud I was personally, and on the Borough's behalf, of their achievement.The official congratulations followed later according to a process that was current, I think, when Michael Sterne was Chair of Education. Announcements are made after the publication of the report by Ofsted, which gives time for the school to respond to the report. It would not be appropriate for a Lead Member to go public in advance of all that. If a Governor, like Michael Sterne, publicises the result in advance of that date he really ought to have the agreement of the whole Governing Body. In this case one might take that as read, but if a report is contentious pronouncements should be agreed.However, I have taken the unusual step of arranging to make a formal announcement at the start of next Tuesday's Council meeting, so that Lampton School's excellent achievement can be applauded by the whole Council, and in that way by the whole Borough. It will be formally minuted. I am not aware that such a tribute has been paid to a school in this Borough before.While we are on the subject of School Improvement, it would be interesting to have Michael Sterne's views on the recent statement by Ed Balls, Secretary of State for Education, that three of the Borough's Schools are inadequate and should close down and be replaced. All those schools get good Ofsted reports, especially in respect of added-value, and while in a different league from Lampton, they should not be singled out for what seems like punishment. All three are improving, Feltham was, last year, the fifth most improved school in London. I am proud of their efforts and I have a motion before Council tomorrow asking Councillors to reaffirm the Council's faith in and support for the schools. I look to Michael Sterne to rally his many old friends on the Labour benches to my support. We cannot judge complex entities like schools by one single measure. Michael is nothing if not subtle, he should persuade a brash and callow young Secretary of State that the range of Performance Indicators that DCFS insists we produce should be consulted before sweeping and distressing statements are made. Michael is essentially a man of compassion, I feel sure that he will stress to Labour Councillors the effect on students who see their schools rubbished by a Cabinet Minister, while we celebrate the success of their friends at Lampton.

Paul Lynch ● 6244d

Thanks for posting the link. A brief quote :Lampton is, 'a fun and respectful institution. A fantastic team of staff have great aspirationsto bring out the best in students.' This parental comment, typical of many more, encapsulatesthe ethos and spirit that exists in this outstanding school. At the heart of its success is anunrelenting drive and determination by everyone in the school community to do the best forall the students regardless of ethnicity, ability, or talent. This results in the students makingoutstanding progress both in their academic and personal development. By the time they leavethey are very well prepared for the next stage of their lives. Underpinning an excellent capacityto make further improvement is an inspirational headteacher who systematically searches forand implements strategies to develop people, eliminate underperformance and in her ownwords, 'do the best for the students'.

Tim Henderson ● 6245d

The OFSTED report is now available at http://www.ofsted.gov.uk/reports/pdf/?inspectionNumber=308045&providerCategoryID=8192&fileName=\\school\\102\\s5rti_102538_20080613.pdf.Still no congratulations from the local authority, though.

Michael Sterne ● 6245d

John I take your point and have to accept your comments regarding the timing etc of the Ofsted report.  I did however take umbrage to your 'advice' that Mr Stern may have picked the wrong Forum site to contact Cllrs Lynch and Thompson. My point being that if Cllrs are elected to serve the community in 'higher office' beyond just the ward for which they were elected, they have a responsibility to the community as a whole. Your posting indeed reminded me that Peter Thompson promised to engage more with the community and I have posted previously, both here and on Chiswick, that I would like to see (some) input from all executive members and not only Paul Fisher and Phil Andrews.I cannot therefore concede that my comments in that respect were unfair but I welcome (or if I may be so bold as to invite) ALL  Lead Members to contribute to postings on this Forum which may not only affect Brentford, but the Hounslow Borough as a whole, especially if the subject matter pertains to the Lead Member's portfolio.We had so many years of silence and apathy from Labour and I would had to see the new administration drift the same way especially, as I said previously, when the coalition partners are trying so hard to engage with the public right across the Borough.  This community expects more from the new administration - not the same (or less) than offered by New Labour.

Steve Taylor ● 6258d

John, you are correct that I am a governor of Lampton and very proud to be so. My criticisms were more about the way in which Hounslow behaves in relation to its schools than of the three individuals but surely with the privilege of office in an organisation comes taking responsibility for the organisation's omissions.While the report has not been published on the net, the school and the authority were supplied with copies last week.  There has been plenty of time for the authority to respond.

Michael Sterne ● 6258d

Steve,I'm a Chiswick Councillor too and I like other colleagues check the Brentford  Forum and others too, hence my response to this post. We do keep fully conversant with matters occurring outside our respective Wards and do as you say 'embrace the whole community' Mr Sterne, who I believe may be a Governor of Lampton School, publicly  criticises two senior Cllrs and a LBH Lead Officer about their failure to  allegedly respond to an as yet  unpublished Ofsted report.  The schools website makes no mention of this 2008 report but does mention and provides a link to one dated 2005. I cannot comment further about a report not yet seen or published, but assume for reasons currently unknown, there may be some dated embargo on  its publication. It would be difficult in my view therefore for LBH  to issue a  'proud' Press Release at this time  as Mr Sterne suggests, without  the report being readily available.I, like others associated with the school, would like to see the new Ofsted report and endorse the Inspector's praise. Perhaps you'll now concede that  your  comments are a bit unfair.

John Todd ● 6258d

"As you know, both Paul (Lynch) and Peter  (Thompson) are Chiswick Councillors so you may have picked the wrong Forum site to contact them"Sorry no excuse -  as a Leader of the Council and as Executive Member for Children's Services  these gents need to think beyond their leafy Chiswick.If they are to lead they should be fully up to date with the whole Borough's events  and the feelings and opinions of all the residents they represent and what better place to start than check all forums?!Paul Fisher and Phil Andrews keep themselves fully up to date with what is going on in other Wards so that they can fulfil their executive responsibilities to the very best of their ability - others should follow their lead. Some contribution from other Executive Members to these forums would also go a long way to embracing the whole community.

Steve Taylor ● 6258d

Topic: Lampton School   Message: Michael,Hounslow does and is proud of the achievements of its schools.  I'm sure the Councillors/Officer mentioned will readily join all of us in congratulating Lampton School's staff and Pupils. In my view, in the absence of any evidence to the contrary,  a  somewhat premature conclusion on your part.As you know, both Paul and Peter are Chiswick Councillors so you may have picked the wrong Forum site to contact themAs a School Governor, I await the publication of the Ofsted report with interest.

John Todd ● 6258d