I thought you should all know the present situation regarding the official complaint lodged at the DFES last month:
This was lodged within sufficient time for a response to be received back (in theory) by Christmas Eve. In the event, the DFES were able to push back their deadline to 30 December, because of a delay in the post – despite the package being sent by Special Delivery! News of the current situation only reached me yesterday, and I have spoken on the telephone today to one of the team members processing the complaint.
The response is pretty much as I expected – they consider the complexity of the complaint to be of such a level that it will need to be examined in detail over a period of time (as yet unspecified). The complaint covers three areas: school workforce, governance and local authority. One team will therefore examine all the points raised, calling on representatives of the other two areas for advice and consideration. I have a named contact, phone number and e-mail address, and I expect to be in touch for clarification purposes over the next few weeks.
Most of the complaints received by DFES relate to isolated incidents, and the evidence lodged consists of only a couple of pages of text. Our complaint covers a wide range of related incidents, and three areas that affect each other. It is to be expected that time will be needed to give our presentation proper consideration. They may have further questions, not just to put to me, but also to Mrs Coupe, Mr Lund and Mr Turner. Let us take some satisfaction then that an independent body of authority has at last recognised that we need to be listened to. Each of the above-named have, in turn, condemned us as “trouble-makers”, “a vindictive minority” and running “a four month campaign of vitriol”.
Now is the time that we can all be judged for what we are.
Alan Veale
All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
Edmund Burke
Irish orator, philosopher, & politician (1729 - 1797)
mary
that's good news
Thanks Alan, for keeping us up to date on the complaint.
I haven't posted for a while, but I have been following events very closely, and know a lot of what has gone on, and is still going on.
I have had dealings with the DFES complaints department before, and know that, although a time limit is specified, if cases are complex, as this one undoubtedly is, then obviously things are going to take longer. What we want is a fair and just investigation, and that's what we will now get, with independent investigators.
Please keep us informed - and let's hope justice is soon done.
KATIE
gazette
It was a little bit late for David Lund the Director of Childrens services to start warning off suspected Paedophiles from Blackpool.
When he knew there had been complaints made about a male infant teacher at Marton (already documented on this site).
He was quite happy to turn a blind eye to the safety of our children and allow a weirdo to leave the school without questioning.
How dare he cover up this scandelous behaviour. I hope the council investigate him!
Alan Veale
Ongoing Investigations
The following message and my reply may be of wider interest to people reading this forum:
Hi Alan
Just a quick line to see if you had heard anything from the DFES, I noticed the website has gone a lot livelily over the past couple of days. On one of the postings someone has mentioned about the grievance against the headteacher and if it had started but I noticed no one has replied to it, do you know anything.
Look forward to hearing from you
Regards
Freda (sent 10/2/2006)
Freda - as ever, you are on the ball!
Yes - there are several more people contributing to the debate now - which is inevitable, given the length of time that has passed, and the fact that the "Holy Trinity" have not found the opposition falling away. That would be more usual in cases like this, but (if anything) the opposite is true. In my position as a "co-ordinator", I am privilege to knowing a lot more than I can make public, for various reasons, including legal restrictions and personal confidentiality. I am therefore restricted from what I can tell you, but the following would not breach any of the above:
DFES are still looking at our complaint and examining every point in minute detail. They are also aware of Jon Bamborough's intervention, and the reaction of teaching staff to Mike Turner's meeting with them last week.
So far as Bev's grievance is concerned - this WAS to have started this week, but I think it is safe to assume that something went wrong, as Coupe should have been off all week, but returned to school Wednesday morning. We are therefore no further forward on this issue, 8 months after the suspension. Depending on the reasons for the grievance not going ahead, it would also be safe to assume that we are about to see some new developments in that area, but time will tell!
I do realise how frustrating it must be, having such an interest in this campaign, but only getting snippets of information. We are all frustrated by the way things appear to be (or not to be) progressing. The best I can tell you is that the support to see things improve at Marton School is DEFINITELY growing, that Coupe, Lund and Turner continue to make mistakes that WILL continue to cost them their respective positions, and that there are events going on behind the scenes that WILL ensure a satisfactory outcome for the school itself.
