martonschool.myfreeforum.org

jamie · Fledgling Poster Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

I have deleted this post.

Alan Veale · Master of Posters Joined: 07 Oct 2005 Posts: 118

Well, well – so the story continues, and the plot thickens…

I have not posted on this site since I published my Blog, and with good reason. At that time I felt that all that I could contribute in highlighting the misery of Marton Primary School had been said and done. It was no longer personal to me, and I felt it was up to others (if they cared enough) to try and remedy the appalling depths to which the Education Authority had sunk in Blackpool. The rot had well and truly set in - but now? Now, the disease has spread like a malignant cancer, and we have found startling parallels of the Marton story being diagnosed just a short way up the road in Layton.

I have followed the recent posts with interest, and thank those who have been courageous enough to publish their own findings – though they (mostly) make very sad reading. History HAS repeated itself: The details given in both Jackie’s and Jamie’s posts so typically reflect the sort of stories we began to hear about Marton Primary School in July and August 2005. Over the last three years there have also been similar tales that reflect the helpless anguish of both staff and parents all over the country, but now we are back on home ground with something that apparently has no direct connection. The powers-that-be were always quick to blame our own “Action Group” for the problems besetting MPS, but (so far as I know), the only things that the two schools have in common are that the troubles came to light shortly after the appointment of a new head teacher, and that they are both in the jurisdiction of the Blackpool Education Authority.

Jamie, you ask where the (Layton) governors are? I can tell you: they are just puppets. It is a curious anomaly that, while the governing body officially have the responsibility for the running of a school (including appointing the head teacher), in practice they simply pay lip service to the decrees of that same person, who effectively does run the school! That is the system in this country, and it works fine when the HT is a sane, level-headed, liberally-minded democrat who genuinely cares for both pupils and staff in their care. But when the post is given to someone who has none of those desirable qualities, then things can get into a mess…

But at least this time Mr Lund (that well-respected Director of Children’s Services) can learn from the lessons at Marton PS to help resolve the problems at Layton! All he has to do is to deny that there are any problems at the school, threaten legal action against the “minority” who voice a contrary opinion, back up Lynne Harrowell to the hilt, no matter where her present mood takes her (Dementors at the school gates, perhaps?), and to keep his head down against any challenge to his authority from concerned “elected representatives”.

I look forward to hearing more, especially from the proposed developments that Jamie suggests. Perhaps (after all) there are some decent people left out there who genuinely believe it is time to stand up to the bullies.

The consequences of not doing so are dire: if this disease continues to spread, then the natural “ripple” effect will mean more parents removing their children, and more staff leaving for posts outside the borough. Eventually, Blackpool will become a “dead zone” for education – and the current decline in the town’s image will spiral ever more to a disastrous level. How to stop it?

Use your voice. Miracles CAN happen - even in Zimbabwe and Blackpool.

Alan Veale

jonbamboro · Posted: Wed Apr 02, 2008 11:09 pm Post subject: more than puppets!

Alan Veales says that the governors are merely puppets. In some cases this may be true but at Layton you need to examine who the governors are. The chair of governors is former council leader, roy fisher. Yes thats right, the same roy fisher who ordered the sacking of Beverley Alderson from Layton. The same roy fisher who constantly refused to allow me to ask questions about Marton school at council meetings.
Hopefully, since his election defeat roy may have learned a little humility and remembered why he got involved in politics in the first place. I truly hope so. Jamies post is only the tip of the iceberg as far as Layton goes. If roy wants to find out what is really going in his school then he has my number and I would be more than happy to discuss the situation with him.

Alan Veale · Master of Posters Joined: 07 Oct 2005 Posts: 118

My apologies Jon! I should have qualified the “puppet” statement… At Marton, the governors act like puppets, with their strings being operated by the Chairman of Governors (Mike Turner), and the Head Teacher (Ruth Coupe). So far as I am aware, the governors there have been instructed NOT to post on the Marton forum, and are not therefore allowed to express their individual thoughts about the school for which they (as a body) are responsible.

The situation at Layton may well be different. But with a chairman like Fisher, I would imagine he operates in similar manner to Turner.

The point I was trying to make was that there is a considerable risk of a school getting into trouble when the people who control the governors themselves are as benevolent in their administrations as Robert Mugabe.

Alan Veale

jamie · Fledgling Poster Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

I have deleted this post.

POOTLE1 · Fledgling Poster Joined: 01 Mar 2008 Posts: 2

I have just heard the plans for moving layton primary to beacon hill have been rejected.

disillusionedteacher · Mildly Opinionated Joined: 06 Feb 2006 Posts: 24

Oh dear, this all makes for rather depressing, though unsurprising reading.

I feel so sorry for those teachers at Layton School, who are now living the same nightmare that befell the staff at Marton. The same nightmare that seems to be never ending.

What are the Local Authority going to do this time? Are they going to back a head teacher, who they know is not acting in the best interests of the school, the staff or the children? Are they going to let a happy, successful school turn into an unhappy failing one, as Marton seems to be becoming? Are they going to ignore it, and hope that it all goes away?

Or are they for once going to do the right thing, and tell the head teacher to think very carefully about how she is "managing" the staff and the school? Are they going to support those experienced teachers, who know things are not going in the right direction?

I sincerely hope they take the latter course. Surely they cannot afford to have another fiasco like the Marton School one on their hands. Let's hope that this time common sense prevails.

jamie · Fledgling Poster Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

I have deleted this post.

Anna · Fledgling Poster Joined: 05 Apr 2008 Posts: 1

I have read all your entries regarding Layton and Marton Primary Schools and feel great compassion for the teachers who are giving everything they have to a job they believe in and who are being disregarded and mistreated by those who are supposed to nurture and support them. Bullying is no longer a thing that happens only in the school ground and it appears the teachers are experiencing the same trauma that children do when they too are bullied. Looking at the politics of what happens in schools is all very well but we forget too easily the impact that bullying can have on our lives. Those who have been bullied will know that it consumes every thought they have and that no matter what you are doing it never goes away; slowly but surely the bully tries to destroy who you are. They bring doubt into your life, they make you question everything you do and when you are at your lowest they make you believe it is your fault these bad things are happening. Let me say to everyone who has ever been bullied and to everyone who may be in the future, it is not your fault. It is not about you, and nothing you have done has caused this to happen. This is about the bully and it is about their experience of life. I cannot imagine what has caused these people to behave in such abusive and shameful ways or why they try to destroy the lives of those around them, but I do know that it is the responsibility of everyone to stand up against bullies. Today may not be the day the bully is targeting you, today may be the day you can stand back and hide and be relieved it isn’t happening to you, but it will happen and when it does you will need the support of those around you. You will need those people to believe in you, especially when the bully has managed to make you believe you are worthless, that you are no good, that you deserve to be bullied. All I can say speaking from an experience of being bullied and from seeing colleagues being bullied is that you owe it to yourself and to those around you to support the victims of bullies. Standing up for what you believe is one of the most empowering things you can do. Bullies need to face the consequences of their actions, they need to know what they do destroys lives and that it will not be tolerated in children or in adults. Bullying isn’t just about physical pain it is about day-in, day-out emotional abuse. It is about creating emotional pain that sometimes can last a lifetime. We all need to remember this next time we stand by and watch someone who is being bullied and think thank god that isn’t me. Together we can make a change and together our voice is louder and it will be heard, “Bullying is not acceptable and it will not be tolerated”.

I hope that the individuals being bullied in each school finally receive the support they need and deserve and that they are commended for their bravery and courage in standing up against bullies. It is people like you who are protecting others from going through the same traumatic experience and for that I respect you deeply.

jamie · Fledgling Poster Joined: 25 Mar 2008 Posts: 4

Those of you who have been following this thread will notice that I have deleted some previous posts.

I stand by each and every of those opinions I have previously expressed which I know for certain reflect the views of many of the staff team at Layton, several of whom I have seen severely and profoundly affected by events since September.

I have however, expressed those views on their behalf but *without the knowledge* of any of them on this forum and in retrospect I realise that perhaps I had no right to do so and that I must leave them to respond to events in their own way, no matter how frustrating this may be for me or distressing for them.

I have also learnt that the issues I have spoken of seem to be much more widespread than I’d realised within Blackpool and might be better addressed in a way other than the via the Marton School forum.

I have set up a website and forum at http://blackpool.teacherbullying.net which I hope will provide not only links to useful resources for those being bullied but also an opportunity for teachers, lecturers and support staff working in all Blackpool Schools and Colleges to gain support and also to share their views about bullying and ‘destructive management’ practices in Blackpool. Perhaps the good practice that undoubtedly exists might also discussed.

I believe that those of us who have been directly or indirectly affected by abusive management styles really do need to share our experiences with others because it seems to me that there is insufficient understanding of just how personally damaging and distressing such abuse can be. I shall be sharing my own story, not about the events at a particular school but rather about the impact of those events on me personally.

Personally I’d also be very interested to hear the views of governors because I’d like to understand why they seem to find it so difficult to accept that abusive management styles exist when there is so much evidence to confirm that it does; I would cite not only recent events at Marton since 2004 but also a number of employment tribunal awards made over the last few years in respect of headteacher bullying which have been between £100,000 and £200,000 in value. I really would like to understand how governors rationalise turning a blind eye to the pain and suffering that the target of an abusive manager experiences and how they so often prejudge grievances against headteachers *apparently* without any real understanding of the issues involved.

I have set the forum up in such a way that contributors can remain safely and completely anonymous if they wish to do so. It isn’t my intention that contributors will name particular schools, colleges or individuals within Blackpool but rather that, with sufficient postings, we can form a truer picture of just how endemic destructive management practices are in Blackpool schools and colleges. I respect the right of individuals to name schools if they so wish but such posts will be moderated to ensure that they are not libellous.

http://blackpool.teacherbullying.net

If you have experience of being bullied (or bullying others) you might find it valuable to visit if only to find the link to the Andrea Adams Trust factsheet on bullying which is one of the most informative documents that I have come across.

Giselle Rosseau · Posted: Thu Aug 21, 2008 12:05 am Post subject:

Greetings all , Sorry to see that Jamies site has been abused and am guessing ceased because of the amount of porn some plonker put on it.

To me this further supports the attitudes and ethos around the goings on. I hope that Jamie doesnt give up as it is my understanding that all is not good at either schools in Blackpool and wonder how many others are affected by mis management in the town...............
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What cannot speak..... cannot lie!