Head Teacher for The Heights Speaks Up

Karen Edwards (centre) with Rob Wilson MP and me after the meeting

The Heights primary school’s information event yesterday evening was a huge success. Held in Mapledurham Pavilion, the hall was jam packed with parents of prospective pupils and other interested people from the local community.

It was the first opportunity for many to meet Karen Edwards, whose appointment as head teacher was announced in November.  I however was lucky enough to be involved in the interview process so have met her before. 

I was absolutely delighted that The Heights was able to recruit Karen as it was critical to get the right person for this pivotal role.  To have won Karen's confidence and succeeded in getting her to take the leap of faith to set up this new school shows the strength of her belief in the parent group trustee’s vision for The Heights. 

Karen is a top-notch head teacher and she will, I am sure, bring all her energy, experience and enthusiasm to the school.  Her ethos is centred on providing an excellent education, bringing on board everybody in the local community.  She has demonstrated this at Sacred Heart in Henley - her current school, and so relishes the opportunity to create this here in Caversham Heights.  

Parent trustees Ruth Rosewell and Daniel Pagella, together with Karen Edwards gave a presentation detailing the background to the bid for the new school, outlining what free schools are, talking about the rationale and evidence of demand, together with catchment area.  The hottest topic: that of where the school will be sited, could not be answered unfortunately.  An announcement is imminent, however because the site location decision is down to the Education Funding Agency (EFA) neither it, nor the timing of the announcement, is within the control of The Heights.  Do check The Heights' website regularly for updates.

As I said during the meeting, any parent living in the catchment applying for a primary school place for this September should put it down as a preference.  Not to do so would be foolish as they would be missing out on the opportunity of being a part of what will undoubtedly be an outstanding local community school.  It would also be losing the most realistic chance of getting a local primary school place given the evidence of previous years.

Our community is incredibly lucky to have Karen and I hope everyone will give her, together with the wonderful parent trustees of The Heights, the support they all deserve for the huge service they are providing for the new generation and those to come.

Update
You can read what Rob Wilson MP said on his website

Further update
You can read GetReading's report of the meeting.  [The misquote of Daniel Pagella that appeared in the hard copy on Friday has been corrected]

The Future of the Arthur Clark/Albert Road Day Centre Site

On Thursday 7th October Reading Borough Council's Labour administration is proposing what should happen to the Arthur Clark/Albert Road Day Centre joint site.  I sit on the relevant Committee and will be representing the views of my ward residents.

If you have an opinion please let me know your thoughts before Thursday. You can read the report here and the appendix.

Essentially Labour wants agreement to sell off the site for new Extra Care Housing. They are proposing that the land is surplus to requirements and the Feasibility Study they have commissioned sets out the demolition of the current buildings, replacing them with a new building comprising 40 extra care flats which would be for rent, with associated ancillary facilities.

As I also sit on the Planning Applications Committee (PAC) of course I keep an open mind to proposals until any future planning application comes before PAC.

My question to readers is should this site's future be kept open to other possibilities at this stage?  Residents I have spoken with already are keen that Residential and Respite care, as well as Day care facilities are considered seriously.  What do you think?  You can contact me on 07717 292003, send me your views to my email address: mail@isobelballsdon.com or write a message on this post.

Thank you to those who have shared your views with me already.  This is an important site, particularly for residents living north of the river and I hope the administration will listen and act upon the public's wishes.

The Heights Family Fun & Information Day

Do come along to St Andrew's Hall, Albert Road, Caversham Heights, this Sunday between 2 and 4 pm to have fun and learn more about The Heights new primary school.  The parent group behind The Heights will be there, me included.

In September 2014 The Heights will be opening its doors for its first intake of pupils, serving the west of Caversham (predominantly Caversham Heights).  This is the area where historically there was little realistic chance of a school place in whichever local catchment primary school. This forced families into their cars to primaries further afield, dispersing children to a variety of other primaries, breaking up local friendship groups formed amongst neighbours, toddler groups and in preschool settings.

The 20th October offers families the chance to learn more about The Heights whilst there'll be fun activities for children.  Highlights include:

• Advice on how to make a primary school admission application
• Sight of the school uniform
• Copies of the prospectus 
• Launch of the new website 
• Bird of prey display
• Interactive story-time by the Enchanted Players
• Face painting
• Crafts corner with the chance to create artwork to be displayed in the new school

I will post a link to The Heights' new website upon its launch.  To read my previous posts about the school, see the Education Label, near the top right hand side of my Homepage.

Nationwide Meetings for Members

- UPDATE - meetings cancelled.  Campaign a Success!



Rob Wilson MP has set up two meetings for Nationwide members to discuss the Building Society's recent announcement that the Caversham branch is to be closed.

The meetings are to give members an update and hopefully the opportunity to question a Nationwide representative (although they haven't yet confirmed acceptance of their invitation).

The meetings are:

7 pm on Monday 30 September in St Barnabas Church Hall, St Barnabas Road, Emmer Green; and

4 pm on Tuesday 1 October in Caversham Baptist Church, Caversham.  For further information see Rob's website

Unfortunately I am unable to come to either meeting as I will be in Manchester, but I hope that as many of my Mapledurham Ward residents who are Nationwide members will be able to attend one of the meetings.

Chris Walton, Chairman of the Caversham Traders' Association, has set up a petition which you can sign here

An Important Day for the Future of Education in Reading

Two events happen today which will have an important bearing on secondary school provision for Reading:

This morning sees the start of the Planning Inquiry into Reading Borough Council's refusal of planning permission to Taylor Wimpey of 193 homes on the old Elvian School site. The WREN group - West Reading Education Network fervently believe the site should be retained for school use and aspire to build a new secondary free school on it.

Earlier this year WREN was given government approval for their secondary school bid, but securing their preferred site is going to be decided this week by the Planning Inspector at the Inquiry which is taking place in Reading's Town Hall.  If you support WREN's aims, do show your support by attending however much you can of the Inquiry.  It is going to be in the Waterhouse Chamber.  Today's hearing will be 11 am - 1 pm, 2 pm - 5 pm.

The Reading West MP, Alok Sharma, will be speaking at the Inquiry in support of WREN.

For further information go to WREN's website

As mentioned last week, in East Reading, Maiden Erlegh School is holding an information evening to give parents interested in their proposed new secondary school - to be situated in the heart of East Reading - an opportunity to ask head teacher Dr Peter Thomas and his team questions.  Do go along between 6 and 8.30 pm to Maiden Erlegh, Silverdale Road, Earley, Reading, RG6 7HS tonight.

The Reading East MP, Rob Wilson, had approached Maiden Erlegh with the idea of them setting up a new school having listened to his constituents' wish to be able to benefit from the school's excellent education.

For further information, including the opportunity to register your interest, visit website

Today also sees the opening of the University Technical College, UTC, in Crescent Road, East Reading. More on this later.

This "Small Island"

Maiden Erlegh School announces bid to create new Secondary

Today Maiden Erlegh School announced their bid to create a new secondary satellite school for 11 - 16 year olds located somewhere in East Reading.

Information will be posted on ME's website tomorrow (4 September), and on Monday 9 September interested parents are invited to visit an Information Evening between 6 and 8.30 pm at the school.

Peter Thomas, Maiden Erlegh's head teacher will be executive headteacher of the proposed Free School and he aims to replicate all that is good about Maiden Erlegh.

Parental support is needed to prove to the DfE that there is the local support, so if your child or children are starting Year 4, 5 or 6 this week, do visit Maiden Erlegh's website to register your support for the bid.  Similarly if you know anyone who might be interested, do let them know.

This is extremely welcome news.  A substantial shortfall of secondary school places is forecast in Reading. Added to this, parents in East Reading are not all able to get places for their children in the highly successful Maiden Erlegh School so this bid to create a linked school provides an exciting opportunity for more families to benefit from the school's much admired ethos and education.

The Reading Chronicle has this report

Rob Wilson MP said “Maiden Erlegh is an outstanding school which has demonstrated yet again with its results this year that it provides a first class education to local children. I approached the school to work with me on a Free School bid so that this excellence could be available to even more local children because it is what many local parents tell me they want. 

We already know that there is going to be pressure on secondary school places, but I also think it is very important that local parents do have a choice of good schools to send their children too. I hope parents will get behind this bid, where there is clearly a proven track record of providing a high quality education.”