Investing?

Alan Veale · Investing?

I reproduce the following letter for your information:

Dear Mr Veale

Many thanks for your email and attachments of 17 May and your earlier email of 2 May. We did contact the school to ensure that the requirements of the formal "derecognition letter" which had been sent in November 2005 have now been complied with.

We believe that the school's stationery and any printed publicity material now no longer carries the "Investor in People" registered trade mark logo: this was the main focus of the requirements of the "derecognition letter". The "Investor in People" stickers in the school office/reception areas you reported last week have now been removed, and we accept this may have been an oversight on the school's part. We also gather that the school's website has been temporarily taken down so that the "Investor in People" logo can be removed.

We hope that this now sees an end to the matter, although we'd prefer that the school - having once achieved our Standard -would feel inclined to work towards achieving its revised version which came into effect at the beginning of this year.

Thank you very much again for your concern and vigilance in this matter.

Yours sincerely

Mike Peart

Investors in People UK Compliance Unit
41 Vernon Road
Sheffield S17 3QE

Now – some people may accuse me of having nothing better to do with my time than to “shop” the hard-working school administration for their stupidity in ignoring important letters. Some might say that this is not “concern and vigilance”, but the actions of “a vindictive minority”… So I am using this opportunity to remind anyone with a genuine interest in seeing Marton Primary School become a thriving and effective portal of education of an opportunity that has been lost.

Mrs Coupe has made much of the so-called “problems” she is supposed to have inherited on her appointment. The OfSTED report highlighted areas of under-achievement which were a reflection of the impact of the new administration (not the previous one). BUT – if Mrs Coupe had genuinely wanted to lift the school’s standards, then she would have had the perfect opportunity to take the IIP assessment on board – and to use that highly commended tool to formulate a framework for success. Instead, she persistently ignored every letter sent from IIP, preferring to be seen as the LEA-sent guide-to-all-things-good-in-education.

Don’t be fooled! This lady doesn’t Invest in People – she prefers to control, subjugate and discipline her people. It is up to you to decide if that is acceptable.

Alan Veale

Lisa · IIP

It is clear that there are only 2 reasons why IIP status was not renewed:
1) They couldn't be bothered. Too much trouble for them to invest time and effort in the staff of Marton School. They don't care about the staff.
2) They knew there was no way they would be able to keep the Nationally recognised award. IIP would have interviewed a range of staff at the school as part of their procedures. They would soon have realised how little is being invested in the staff.

However, it is quite extraordinary how Mrs Coupe ignored the letters from IIP and continued to use their logo. I believe the school were sent at least 2 letters regarding this.

AR · IIP

After reading these posts I wondered if it was only Mrs Coupe who was so dismissive of the IIP award so I looked up a few of Blackpool Primary School websites. What comes across 100% is how proud the schools are to have achieved it and those who are working towards it the children are genuinely involved in helping their teachers. They are WHOLE SCHOOL efforts. How sad then that this has been thrown away in such a short time.

So I looked at some of the IIP information to see why this may have happened and an explanation is obvious. Below are just a few statements I have picked from the documentation. Anyone reading this forum and who knows the school now will see how at odds Mrs Coupe's philosphy is with that of the IIP organisation. It is no wonder she has scrapped it.

What is IIP ?

In Education:-

providing high quality evidence of self-evaluation which is externally assessed

It is a tool to help schools develop effective management strategies

helps to raise the achievement of pupils by promoting and developing the skills of all staff

promotes the involvement of everyone resulting in greater teamwork

encourages staff to recognise the contribution they are making to the success of the school and the responsibilities they have for meeting its targets;

can improve communications, increase motivation and strengthen team working.

It looks beyond the classroom to take account of all the ‘people factors’ which contribute to the life of the institution.

Reduces waste. The more skilled and focused people are the more they will be able to avoid wasting resources –whether that be in time, staffing or equipment

Indicates whether organisations are encouraging their people to have a greater role in the decision making process and in turn take more responsibility for
decisions that affect the whole school or college.

Headteachers, will be asked to explain how all staff are involved as well as describing an environment of empowerment and ownership.

Generally

Is an improvement tool designed to advance an organisation’s performance through its people

Top managers can describe strategies they have in place to create an environment where everyone is encouraged to contribute ideas to improve their own and other people’s performance.
Top managers recognise the different needs of people and can describe strategies they have in place to make sure everyone has appropriate and fair access to the support they need and there is equality of opportunity for people to learn and develop

Does anyone think that Mrs Coupe could ever hope to achieve the highlighted aims and objectives ?

So no, Alan, I do not think you are acting vindictively. IIP provides a people centred standard we would all love to see back at Marton.

R. Thornton · Marton Website IIP Logo

Follow this link then view the foot of the page. Is the IIP organisation correct ?

http://www.marton.blackpool.sch.uk/

helen

Sounds to me like the IIP organisation have been "misled" by the school. Why is the IIP logo still displayed on the website if the school is no longer part of IIP?

I can also see why Marton couldn't possibly be considered for IIP status, having read the information on this thread about what it involves.

What a joke!

The_Truth

Mr Turner and Mrs Coupe please get your act together.

You have turned the school in to a complete joke.....

helen

The_Truth, Mrs Coupe and Mr Turner obviously HAVE got their act together: therein lies the problem......

Lisa

Amazing! It doesn't surprise me in the least though. The way that school is run is a joke. They really believe they can tell lies and get away with it. Funny how it always seems to involve the internet too.

Lisa

Alan,

I suggest that you contact Mr Peart at IIP and explain to him that he has been misled by Marton Primary School. You could tell him that his name has been added to a long list of others who have also been misled over the last 20 months.

S. Hall · Leadership

I'm new to this forum but it seems to me that there are a lot of people posting just to whinge and moan.
Get real !
I have looked through quite a few of the threads and it is easy to see a different view of things.

Mrs Coupe came to Marton from a small school - it was a career move, A bigger school so a bigger salary.
She is target driven - the Government sets SATs targets for authorities who pass them on to schools. Achieving these will be her only objective to moving on up the career ladder. She has no connection with Blackpool or Marton so why should she worry about the local community and parents.
So what if a few teachers' careers are finished along the way? So what if the school's old ethos and philosophy are lost. Those are obstacles to be removed - irrelevancies in the bigger scheme of things.
All successful managers need to be ruthless to get to where they want to be. You should admire her for that.

Admittedly we don't often see it in Primary schools but she is one of the new breed of head teacher created by the current government. You need to realise the changes taking place in education, not live in the past.

So what if a quarter of a million pounds has been lost to the school and authority as Mr Thornton points out in his usually deluded fashion? Take a look at the health service, privatised rail companies, energy companies - they lose millions through decisions by managing directors on a regular basis. But if the LEA and Mr Lund want to go on pouring funds into the black hole of Marton why should Mrs Coupe change her actions ? That's not her responsibility. Her responsibility is to ensure that she receives her due pay rise each year which she has successfully done.
Anyway the MSAG is partly to blame for not recouping that money. If the MUGA had been left alone as Mrs Coupe and the authority were obviously doing, much of the playing field could have been sold off for housing or an industrial unit. Parents should take care of exercise for their children after school and weekends - there will be less time in school for it anyway, with the increase in literacy and numeracy lessons. Thousands of schools have sold off playing fields - why do Marton pupils need all that space ?
The money raised could have been used to recoup the £250 000 and much more.

She has also manoeuvred a wonderful set of managers around her. Most governing bodies advise the head teacher when there are problems, and help to guide the school. But you must admit that she has done a wonderful job in manipulating her own group around her. They will never question what she is doing - even if they understand any of it, and judging by the calibre of some of them, they won't.
As for the Chair of Governors. Here she has had some luck - he is the perfect foil for her. Anything goes wrong, any whiff of scandal and he shoots his mouth off without knowing anything about what he is saying. So he gets all the bad press and criticism - totally deflecting it from Mrs Coupe. Brilliant.

So lets stop the criticism, whining and moaning. Recognise Mrs Coupe for what she is.

billandben

I notice that you're a teacher S Hall. Shocked

I respect your opinion, but I certainly hope you don't teach at a school where my children go to.
You've summed up what is happening very well. And if we were talking about a private business I would agree that it is only to be expected (although it's argueable as to whether it's right Confused

). But for this to go on in a school..........do you really think it is right? Would you be happy for your children to attend a school where people matter so little? Mad

S. Hall · Facts of Life

Just pointing out the facts of life !

The Labour party has made it clear that parents have the right to choose their children's school.
If you or anyone doesn't like the new status quo - move your children. It's as simple as that.

Staff too are free to apply for other jobs at any time. Mrs Alderson and any others could have moved schools had they so wished. I'm sure Mrs Coupe wouldn't have prevented that.

billandben

You can be assured that my children are not attending Marton anymore Very Happy

And actually I believe it was made difficult for some parents to move their children away. I cannot speak for myself, but maybe somebody else has more information about this.
It wouldn't do a school any good to have a significant amount of children moved away. This affects all sorts of things, particularly the money that the school receives from the Government.

Lisa

S Hall
Believe me we all recognise what is going on and who people are! I can tell you haven't got children. If you had I don't believe you would be making these comments. This Forum is about the terrible things that are happening at a primary/nursery school. What goes on affects the lives of children aged from just 36 months to 11 years. What we see and learn at school affects us greatly for the rest of our lives. I remember my school years with happiness and I want the same opportunity for all children.
Quite honestly I am surprised you feel that it is OK to write what you did. But I suppose it does highlight what has happened from another angle. This only makes me more determined to ensure that things return to normal as soon as possible. S Hall, maybe you think that what is going on is OK. Well be prepared to eat your words because things cannot go on like they are doing for much longer.
Do you honestly believe what is going on is right, or are you just complacent about it and feel it's OK to sit back and not question anything? If your manager told you that the World was flat, would you accept it without question? And if a colleague did question it and repurcussions followed, would you think they were a trouble maker?

S. Hall · Divide and Rule

Ah - now you've hit another nail on the head Lisa. In schools where I have worked, staff haven't just sat back and been complacent - at one time staff stuck together as a group. Management were management.

This is where I once again have admiration for Mrs Coupe - early on she divided the staff, and some teachers were gullible enough, to, as you say 'believe the manager without question'.
Better still she allowed the differences to gradually grow and used the Ofsted team to bring them into the open. In education we are aware that Ofsted teams can be used by authorities and schools to achieve their own ends - as a modern manager Mrs Coupe was adept at doing this. Do you think teachers would approach an Ofsted team alone to complain about bullying - especially as it had happened two terms before ?

So differences were made public without any finger of blame being pointed at the head - and from this staff went off sick and another suspended. Again, a brilliant piece of manoevering.

Some staff must have supported Mrs Alderson for her hearing - but it is clear the staff as a whole did not support her as a colleague - otherwise there would have been no case to bring. Instead they stabbed her in the back and will have to live with this knowledge in future years, that they have probably contributed to a ruined career. The blame does not lie wholly with Mrs Coupe but with these members of Marton staff. She may have deliberatley used them but they were stupid enough to fall for it.

I'm not sure I will be eating my words, though. Experience shows that the Mrs Coupes of this world move on up quickly.

stan

Is it really so cut and dry!!!

A school is a business - yes! However, in this business the end result is not about profit, winners or margins, but children's well-being and education. Yes, maybe Mrs Coupe in your eyes is a good business manager? If so, then perhaps she should leave education and apply for a role in BBC's 'The Apprentice'!

Have you thought that some staff may have been reluctant to support Mrs Alderson because they were simply scared of a bullying boss! After seeing what she had done to Mrs Alderson - who can blame them!! Remember these people are dedicated teachers with a life, mortage, overdraft and student loans etc..

I am still waiting for someone to tell me why Mrs Alderson was ever suspended?? For the good of the school??? It was definatly not benefiical for any child's education!

A bully is a bully and there are enough of those in schools. God help your staff and their morale if you rate Mrs Coupe as a good manger. Thank god I have no children attending this or indeed any other school in this LEA!!!

Shameful!! Lots of people involved in ALL aspects of this should be hanging their heads in shame!

WAYNE HEYS

S.Hall, I find your post's very interesting, in a previous post you suggest that staff could move shools if they so wished, well look at it this way, if you were seen as a problem teacher , the head could do everything in their power to KEEP you at school,if any prospective new employer wanted a reference from your current employer,they would no doubt make a call and get the information they required ,yet,bearing in mind you may have been seen as a problem member of staff,do you really think the head is going to give you a glowing reference to move on and further your career?
The only way to get the reference which would allow you to move on, would be to support the head at every opportunity even though deep down you might be aware that there are thing's going on that are not right !!
David Lund stated last October on Radio Wave that the staff supported the head 100%, oh how wrong he was, it was a nice litle public relations exercise,which backfired, then Mr Turner was critised on this board by members of staff for his remarks regarding John Bamborough, so I think its fair to say theat Marton is far from united
You say school is a business,well I have to disagree here, maybe at Progress House,,where they have to spend their budgets and account for every penny they spend, but the education of the children must be an absolute priority,this should come first before anybodies personal career development.I ALONG WITH MANY MANY OTHERS ARE STILL WAITING TO HEAR EXACTLY WHAT MRS ALDERSON IS ALLEGED TO HAVE DONE !! as my child was taught by Mrs A in his last year,
Finally, just because staff do not OPENLY criticise the Head, doesn't mean that everyone is happy, unless Mrs Coupe is aware of all the staff who indeed are genuinly unhappy at Marton,then she had better tread carefully,as a wounded animal may still be capable of some nasty kicks !

S. Hall · Confused Posters

Well Wayne and Stan you clealry don't know how education works these days.
Wayne, a good reference to get rid of a problem teacher is just what a headteacher would do !! Do you think heads want to be stuck with staff they don't want - giving them good references to move them away from the school is one of the best ways to do it. It is never a good idea to be in the headteacher's pocket - for the reasons you mentioned. Get on the head's nerves and you can be sure of promotion elsewhere.

As for schools being run as businesses both of you - we have Mr Blair to thank for that - you're a bit naive if you don't see it. Targets and budget are the government's two criteria for good schools, you only need to look at an Ofsted report to realise that. Mr Blair's new reforms take it even further - moving schools out of any local authority control or monitoring. Your naive view of educational aims were lost long ago - we need to prepare children for a modern society now. That's what Mrs Coupe will be trying to do - not 'mollycoddling' them. Money is devolved straight to the headteacher and governors now to spend, not through the LEA. If Mrs Alderson moves on, then Mrs Coupe can employ a cheaper teacher such as a newly qualified one - good financial sense. You watch - I expect there will be more young teachers at Marton soon, in that way Mrs Coupe will be making savings on staff salaries.

Now Stan - staff being bullied by Mrs Coupe ? I said earlier it is up to staff to stand together. If they don't, then they only have themselves to blame. A united staff could not be bullied by one headteacher. If the staff had stood together would Mrs Alderson's case have gone on so long ? I don't think so. I think many of you on this forum have ignored the role played by some of the staff when you have criticised Mrs Coupe.

stan

As an assistant head teacher for 7 years I really hope I do know how education is these days!!!

Obviously not!! So Mrs Coupe is preparing children for the real world - laughable!!! I'd love to see one of her PSHCE lessons!

We can teach children to be assertive and dynamic and hard-working without teaching them how to bully! Trust me I have spent the last 13 years of my life in an inner city school doing just that! I certainly prepare children for the real world and I am pretty sure that Mrs Alderson didn't wrap her year six children in cotton wool !!

Yes, a new NQT may be cheap and enthusiastic. Yet with so many people falling into teaching it's a big gamble. However, I am sure that they will certainly become another "yes" person... Even with a cheaper NQT it will take a fair few years to readdress the amount this suspension cost!

Criteria for good schools???

School's who are obsessive about targets is all about passe anyway! League tables --- yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yesterday's news!!

Ofsted and Dfes are now keen on a curriculum which is enjoyable, fun and creative... They want happy children who can communcicate and be honest about their school...

Maybe it is you who is stucking the 90's sir... Get reading some recent Ofsted reports!!

PS - Have you ever seen Mrs Alderson teach??? My, my this new NQT better be good.........

damn good!

WAYNE HEYS

S Hall, Firstly I must agree with you on a couple of points,you are correct in stating that I do not know how Education works these days,and for the past twelve months or more there are a hell of a lot of other parents and ex parents of Matron who have no idea either !!!!!!!!
I do accept your point regarding a Headteacher giving a good reference to a colleague to get them from under their feet, but that certainly is not the norm,you will find that in situation's of conflict,managers/supervisors etc will just as easily put a spanner in the works to frustrate a colleagues hopes of promotion,from experience, word of mouth is worth far more than words on paper !!
As for being in the Headteachers pocket, well if you are the benefitiary of better working condition's whether by way of trainng courses/pay rises/priveledges etc (and most of us have experienced them from time to time) then why not get close to the Head/manager/supervisor, lets face it ,you keep bringing the Labour party into this forum and it seems to work for "two jags".
You state that "Your naive view of educational aims were lost long ago - we need to prepare children for a modern society now." Try telling that to the parents of the Year six children who have had more than 5 teachers in one school year.
You then go on to criticise some of the staff for not supporting Mrs Alderson,well I fully agree,it would have been nice for all the staff to stand united but if you read earlier post's on this subject you may become more familiar with the reason's which some staff remained silent,we all have our bills to pay at the end of the day, and sometimes principles come at a very high price.
Finally, in all walks of life people who manage authority have to be open and honest, I feel in this sorry saga, there is lots to question, we can only hope that we get to the bottom of many allegation's and incorrect information that have been put out to keep the parent's at bay, Marton has lost an excellent teacher this year,for reasons unknown, I don't think there will be any WINNERS when the curtain finally comes down on the whole pantomime

S. Hall · League Tables

I'm not sure you're right about league tables Stan. Look how many Primary schools do booster classes to get better SATs - after school, saturdays and even in school holidays. Money is still being put into schools to run booster classes so there seem to be contradictory messages if what you say about Ofsted is true. Marton's own Ofsted said it was 'underachieving' (judged by sats) and 'not providing value for money' - so we can see where their priorities were - Sats and finances.

I heard that Mrs Coupe even took booster classes herself during the school Easter holidays, so that staff didn't lose their holidays. How many other headteachers would have done that ? She even got funding from the authority, or out of school budget, so that someone from the authority could help her. Why didn't she 'bully' a member of staff to do it for her ?

stan

In the past I have done booster classes - and beleive me I would be suprised if she has done them for free!! The going rate is extra cash ot time in lieu.

What may be more of a concern is that she had to do them!! As a year six teacher they are usually a sign of panic! Als while in year six teacher I always wanted to teach them myself, especially as I had taught the class all year... Why didn't the present year 6 teachers take booster classes?????????????? Hmmmmmmmmm..

Investing?

IIP

IIP

Marton Website IIP Logo

Leadership

Facts of Life

Divide and Rule

Confused Posters

League Tables