PODCASTS & MINUTES from Parents & Governor's Meeting 25th February 2010

There are 2 audio links here.

The first audio is an extract of Jonathan Bell, member of Regent House Board of Governors and also MLA. We feel that what he said was very positive and would be very useful for everyone to hear again. Thank you Jonathan.

Update - Please see Jonathan's response, 1st March under "Responses from MLA's etc" post.

If unable to use the player, use this direct link to Jonathan Bell podcast

The second audio is the full audio of the whole meeting. It is 2 hours and 15 minutes approximately.

If unable to use the player, use this direct link to the full meeting podcast

Also available is the Head Master and Board of Governors', powerpoint presentation from the Parent's Meeting - Thursday 25th February - CLICK HERE

Here are the Minutes from the same meeting in Microsoft Word

As parents, what can we do?

UPDATE 14/03/10

After speculation and open discussions on various websites, over the type of attendance at the motion at Stormont on Monday 15th March, our parents group agreed at a meeting on Thursday night that the consensus of our group was that only named parents who have accepted the invitation of Michelle McIlveen to attend the motion will be doing so. RHS parent's group have no plans to bring children to the motion or to demonstrate our feelings in any other way.

We understand that all parents have their own choice to take their children to Stormont of their own accord, but it is reminded that this will not have been organised by the RHS parent group and that any other show of support would need to be confirmed with officials are Stormont independently.

UPDATE - 05/03/10

Just because the deadline for a response to the Dept of Education Impact Assessment passed on Thursday 4th March), does not mean that we can't continue to write to everyone else. WE CAN KEEP WRITING TO OTHERS. THERE IS NO OTHER DEADLINE FOR THEM. KEEP THE PRESSURE UP AND WRITE TO MLA'S, COMMISSIONERS, AND OTHER RELEVANT PEOPLE.

02/03/10

FYI, I have been doing as I recommended below ie emailing letters to
MLAs requesting acknowledgements to be sent back by email - in almost
all cases to date the acknowledgement is very prompt - so it works,
saves time & extends your mailing deadline so you can get as many
letters out as poss.

Liz Breadon

UPDATE 28/02/2010

Some additional points that where discussed on Thursday night to add within your letters.....

Assembly budget/financial issues

Executive needs to find £70m savings. Despite this, should proposals go ahead, the additional cost of prep school pupils moving to mainstream will be £3,186k pa, excluding redundancy costs of teachers & other staff in 17 schools

Equality/Human Rights/Discrimination/Legislation issues

C Ruane calls grammar schools ‘breakaway schools’ despite them educating 42% of post-primary school aged children in NI. Compare this to SF’s share of vote in last Assembly elections being 26%
Current DENI funding already promotes 2 sectors (integrated & Irish medium) to the disadvantage of others. Integrated/Irish medium sectors are fully funded compared to Prep schools 30%. All sectors of education system should be valued
All Prep schools are Protestant or non-denominational – discrimination issue re. SF proposals directly affecting only 1 side of the community
Note unfair treatment of Prep Schools to date in gradual decrease in funding from 80% to current 30% with current proposal now for nil

Educational standards

How can proposals be consistent with desire to raise standards?– refer to KS2 results table v. mainstream primary schools
Adding to existing problem of NI having largest class sizes in UK
CR should be ashamed of decline in primary schools – SF support smaller class numbers but not delivered. Key issue – raising standards
Consideration for funding schools based on outcomes/results – Irish medium schools are not value for money in this regard. Performance of schools should be key, not socio-economic factors

Sedley requirements re. consultation

DENI’s decision does not meet these due to its predetermined outcome. This makes it a political decision & M McIlveen has called for reversal. Evidence of this:
Discussion was not entered as required to include representations from schools’ bursars
DE have already reduced their bid to SEELB
Report completed in late 09, not received by Education Committee until mid Jan 10
3 DUP MLA’s(Basil, Michelle, Mervyn) have signed a motion under cross-cutting/contentious/novel agenda advising debate/decision must go to Executive

General

Personalise letters
Write to First Minister as then also goes to Martin McGuinness
Write to all 108 MLA’s – plague them
Ensure you write to Human Rights Commission & Equality Commission on basis of unsettling/treated unfairly agenda

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Wk commencing 22nd Feb

As you are aware, we received information last week from Mr. R. McFerran, Chairman, Board of Governors. The information provided recommended that parents ought to lodge their objections to the proposed removal of the partial funding of prep schools with effect from 1st Sept, 2010.

Since this letter was received, there has been widespread concern amongst parents about the future financial implications this would have on families. The meeting on Thursday has been arranged to give parents the opportunity to raise these concerns with Dr. McCavery and the Board of Governors.

By Thursday, 4th March 2010, objections to the proposed removal of partial funding must be lodged. It is vital that parents take the time to lodge their objections to local MLAs, local councillors, the Education Minister, and to MP’s before this date. There is a legal obligation to respond to each and every letter received, and the more objections received , the stronger the case to be put forward to the Executive.

The intention is simply to try to give parents all the information they need in the short timescale which has been given, to formulate a weighty response which will have an impact on stalling Caitriona Ruane’ proposals indefinitely.

This is a difficult time for the Preparatory Department. It is a time when parents need to be well informed on a regular basis about the progress being made by the Board of Governors. As parents we are sure that a common desire would be to minimize any disruption to our children and with this in mind we would urge you to reflect on your initial reasons for choosing Regent House Preparatory Department over mainstream schools for your child / childrens' education. Despite the uncertainty, there is a need for parents to remain calm and to remain loyal to the Prep.

Please do your utmost to attend the meeting on Thursday 25th February. This will be an opportunity to answer all those questions you may have, and hopefully to reassure you that if we remain supportive to the school, the school will remain supportive to parents / children, and we can focus on the common objective of ensuring our children gain an excellent standard of education.

Who should we be writing to?

It is recommended that you write to your own local representatives. Depending on where you live this may in the Strangford, North Down or East Belfast constituencies.

Here is a link to a document containing addresses and contact details for your local MLAs, MP's MEP's and more.

update 27/02/10

Here is a link to the most recent email addresses of Assembly members and support staff

Strangford MLA's

Jim Shannon (DUP) - 34a Frances Street, Newtownards, BT23 7DN.

Michelle McIlveen (DUP) - 1 Bridge Street Link, Comber, BT23 5YH.

Kieran McCarthy (Alliance) - 13 Court Street, Newtownards, BT23.

Simon Hamilton (DUP) - 4 Bridge Street Link, Comber, BT23 5YH.

David McNarry (UUP) - 9b Regent Street, Newtownards, BT23 4AE.

Jonathan Bell (DUP) - 12 North Street, Newtownards, BT23 4DY.

Politican's who attended Regent House

Simon Hamilton (DUP) - 4 Bridge Street Link, Comber, BT23 5YH.

Jim Allister (TUV) - 139 Holywood Road, Belfast, BT4 3BE.

Michael McGimpsey (UUP) - Health Minister - UUP Advice Centre, 127-145 Sandy Row, Belfast, BT12 5ET.

Other useful contacts are below

The DEIA report requesting responses by 4th March 2010 indicates responses should go to:

Chris McRoberts
School Finance Branch
Department of Education
Rathgael House
42 Balloo Road
Bangor
BT19 7PR

Tel: 028 91 279282
e-mail chris.mcroberts@deni.gov.uk

link to Draft Equality Impact Assessment for the Proposal to withdraw funding from the Preparatory Departments of Grammar Schools

Office of First Minister and Deputy First Minister

Block A

Castle Buildings

Stormont

Belfast

BT4 3SR

Tel:028 90528400

Sammy Wilson MP MLA

Finance Minister

Department of Finance and Personnel

Private Office

Craigantlet Buildings

Stoney Road

Stormont Estate

Belfast

BT4 3SX

Tel: 028 90529140

e-mail: private.office@dfpni.gov.uk

Mervyn Storey MLA (also Chairman of the Education Committee)

North Antrim DUP Constituency Office

3 Market Street

Ballymoney

BT53 6EA

email: mervynstorey@btconnect.com

Patricia Lewsley

Children's Commissioner

NICCY

Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children and Young People
Millennium House
17-25 Great Victoria Street
Belfast BT2 7BA

Link to NICCY website

Children's Law Centre
3rd Floor Philip House
123-137 York Street
Belfast

BT15 1AB

Link to Children's Law Centre website . This has reference to The Right to Education, Protocol One - Article 2 of the Human Rights Act 1998

David Russell

Head of Communications and Education

Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission

Temple Court

39 North Street

Belfast

BT1 1NA

Link to NI Human Rights Commission

Bob Collins

Chief Commissioner

Equality Commissioner for Northern Ireland

Equality House

7 - 9 Shaftesbury Square

Belfast

BT2 7DP

Link to Equality Commissioner for NI

Letter templates

On reading all the Cygnet House letters we have drawn what we believe to be relevant information onto the attached template. We have added in some other views/suggestions for your convenience.

Letter template 1 Microsoft Word version
Letter template 1 PDF version

If you have any other letter that you would like added, please email it in Word or PDF format to rhsprepfunding@googlemail.com

Agenda for parents meeting with Governors - Thurs 25th February

Time has been confirmed as 7pm. Venue is the Assembly Hall.

We encourage as many parents as possible to attend. Your support will be needed.

Please post your comments below to help shape an agenda for the evening.

Responses from MLAs & organisations etc

NEW - NICCY Advice to the Department of Education in relation to the proposed changes to Factors in the Common Funding Formula - LINK

Please note that sections 5 and 6 are particularly relevant to Prep Funding

Update from Jonathan Bell MLA and Governor of RHS - 1st March 2010

"I will respond in more detail at a later date suffice to say as a Governor of Regent House the Prep has my full support today I had meetings with the First Minister and Ed Cttee chair I believe the proposals will be blocked legally but I will respond in more detail later
Regards
Jonathan Bell"

Email from Peter Weir MLA - 1st March 2010

Dear Julie

Thank you for your e mail. I share your concerns and am totally opposed to the Minister's proposals. I believe that they are ill judged, dogmatic, potentially sectarian and do not even make economic sense. I would question her legal right to carry this out, and we are currently checking out the best way to block this. I know that the Finance Minister has written to both her and OFMDFM on the subject. Our Education Committee representatives are also opposed and have recently met with the Bursars Association who represent Prep Schools. We are hoping to bring a motion to the floor of the Assembly. I will keep you informed of developments, but rest assured of my opposition to these plans.

Regards

Peter Weir MLA

Extract from email - re Mervyn Storey (DUP) - 17th Feb 10

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Paul Terry
Date: Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 11:38 AM
Subject: Fwd: Good news - update from Mervyn Storey
To: CygnetHouse@tttek.com


All,

... I'd received this earlier from Glynis who asked that I forward this on.

Good news if it comes to fruition.. keep your eyes peeled for any notifications..

Paul

Begin forwarded message:

>
>
> Just received a call from Mervyn Storey, DUP and chairman of the Education committee.
>
> He has had several meeting including a meeting on Monday with First Minister Peter Robinson and Finance Minister Sammy Wilson on Monday.
>
> Part of the Belfast Agreement negotiated at St Andrews including an option for ' cross cutting/contentious/novel' to be taken away from the assemle/minister and to be brought to the table of the executive - this requires three parties to support.
>
> The DUP and UUP have signed and they are awaiting for the SDLP to sign. They have agreed in principle.
>
> Then the issue would be discussed by the executive and as all parties support 'prep' schools the ministers proposal would be overturned.
>
> They are dotting the 'i's; and crossing the 't's' today and expect to be in the position to issue a press release today/.early tomorrow stating funding will continue.
>
> Good news hopefully it will materialise.
>
> Acknowledged that they need to get a press release out asap to stop pupils leaving!!

Extract from email - re Stephen Farry (Alliance) - 15th Feb 10

From: Stephen Farry
Date: Mon, 15 Feb 2010 23:56:31 +0000
Subject: Prep School Funding


Gareth

Thank you for your correspondence relating the proposed removal of the public sector financial contribution for children in prep schools.

The Alliance Party is opposed to this move. Our Education Spokesperson, Trevor Lunn, has raised the matter on the floor of the Northern Ireland Assembly and I am working with him on the issue. I have received considerable local correspondence on the issue.

Even if there was merit in some reform of the financial arrangements relating to prep schools, this is most certainly not the time to be doing it. There are much bigger problems, indeed crises, in the education system such as the post-primary transfer arrangements and the Education and Skills Authority. This matter seems to be being pursued for ideological reasons.

As you recognize, this proposal makes no sense financially. If the current level of support is withdrawn and parents subsequently withdraw their children from prep schools the full cost of educational support for such children would be borne by the public sector. Therefore, at a time of major budgetary pressures, this move would end up costing the Department of Education more. For those parents who opt to keep their children in prep schools, there will be increased financial challenges.

I am keen to preserve choice in education, and will do what I can to oppose this.
There is some speculation that this matter may be moved from just the Department of Education to a collective decision in the entire Executive.

I will keep you informed of any developments. I hope this works out for you and your family.


Best wishes
Stephen Farry

Extract from email - re Peter Weir (DUP) - 12th Feb 10

From: peter weir
Date: 12 February 2010 16:17:46 GMT
To:
Subject: Prep Schools

Dear Paul

Thank you for your e mail. I share your concerns completely and believe this proposal is ill judged, dogmatic and lacking in economic sense. You can rest assured of my support. I would question whether she has the legal right to do this, and we are currently chasing up this issue. I know that the Finance Minister has written to her. Our education committee members are also aware of this, are opposed to this proposal and have spoken to representatives of the Prep Schools. I believe that they intend to raise this on the floor of the Assembly. I will keep you updated with any developments.

Peter Weir MLA


Extract from email - updates

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Glynis
Date: Wed, Feb 10, 2010 at 9:11 PM
Subject: Update
To: CygnetHouse@tttek.com


Dear All,

A quick update.

Letters

As Paul said earlier I sent the letter to all the representatives on the contact list last night. I have received quite a few replies. Hopefully more will follow. I will send reminders requesting updates early next week.

Note the responses are from DUP and UUP, no responses from SDLP or Alliance.

John McCallister – Letter passed t o John and he will take appropriate action.

Lady Hermon – received confirmation that she received the letter and is taking action.

Peter Weir – letter received and DUP updated

Alex Easton – looking into the issue and will provide an update

DENI – a personalised response with answers will be issued within 15 working days

Alan McFarland – speaking to the parties spokesperson for Education and will respond accordingly. Received quite a few letters on this topic.


Mervyn Storey – issued the following statement yesterday on this issue

‘North Antrim DUP MLA Mervyn Storey has criticised Education Minister Caitriona Ruane over her plans to end the funding of preparatory departments of grammar schools. Accusing the Minister of an anti-children anti-education educational ideology Mervyn Storey said:

“According to the Department’s own review, preparatory departments offer a tangible, objective and measurable standard of excellence in education.”

“At both Key Stage I and Key Stage II preparatory departments have performed to an enviable standard. This applies to both English and Maths.”

“The dept’s own review states that the results at Key Stage I “show the preparatory departments attaining significantly higher results in KS1 in English and Maths. The percentage of pupils in preparatory departments attaining level 3 in English is more than double that of primary schools.. there are similar results in Maths.”

“This same Departmental review continues by saying that ‘a similar pattern is reflected’ at Key Stage II.”

“So here we have schools that are delivering an excellent standard of education, one that by the Department’s own measurements is to the fore in Northern Ireland and one that helps to address the early year educational factors that contribute to educational underachievement.”

“Yet despite this measurable excellence the Minister has set her face to ending funding to these preparatory depts.”

“It is very clear – clear from the Department’s own figures, reflected in its own commentary upon its own official review, that the Education Minister is pursuing an anti-children anti-education educational ideology.”

“She has made a mess of just about every aspect of her educational portfolio. Running out of calamities to cause Calamity Caitriona is now turning her attention towards making a mess of primary school; education and destroying excellent preparatory departments because they appear to offend her regardless of their educational excellence.” ‘


Peter Weir

I called Peter Weir earlier this evening to ask for an update on the meeting that was scheduled for this afternoon. He said it was more of a meeting for everyone to understand the issues. He had not been provided with an update yet. He would make inquiries tomorrow and provide an update to us tomorrow or Friday.

He did advise that Sammy Wilson, Minister for Finance in the assembly sent a letter to the Minister of Education challenging the reasons for this action based on financials.

Glynis

Extract from email - re Basil McCrea response (UUP)

.......
I'll post later but I've also been in contact with some of the Campbell and Sullivan communities; one of the other CH parents have also reached out to Cllr Basil McCrea UUP who is willing to meet at Stormont over the next couple of days...... Regards Paul.

Extract from email - re Basil McCrea update - 25th Feb 10

Re: Updated info on meeting with Cllr Basil McCrea at Stormont on Tuesday

Thu, February 25, 2010 9:35:12 AM

From:	Paul Terry
To:	Ian Rainey

---

Ian,

I updated it with some of the issues discussed - in particular, the suggestion that we may wish to consider instigating a judicial review (based around the equality issue). We're trying to determine quite whether this has been initiated by anyone else (it only requires one justified challenge out of the whole prep populous).

I hope your meeting this evening goes well - do let me know of anything that may be of interest (have already subscribed to blog updates so that should reach me automatically)

Regards,
Paul

What are other schools doing?

Paul Terry has set up a blog on behalf of Cygnet House (Prep Department of Glenlola Collegiate, Bangor).

He also suggests that anyone interested can communicate with Cygnet House Parents via the email address

FriendsOfCygnetHouse@tttek.com

Current Friends of Cygnet House are;

William Pollock - Campbell College Junior School parent

Glynn Patterson - Down High Prep parent

DENI - Draft Equality Impact Assessment

Draft Equality Impact Assessment for the Proposal to withdraw funding from the Preparatory Departments of Grammar Schools

UPDATE - 16th March 2010

DENI has advised that before the Minister for Education makes her decision, she will be supplied with a report summarising the points raised in the Responses submitted to the EQIA . It was suggested that the report should be complete towards the middle of this week. Additionally, it was confirmed that the cut off date for receipt of the Boards’ budgets is 1/4/10, although same may be received in advance of that date. This information has been provided to us and is subject to change.

Politcal Parties Educational Policies & Ideas

DUP - Improving Education for All

UUP - Education

Alliance - Education Policy Summary

Sinn Fein - Education and Childcare - Reaching our full potential

SDLP - Our Ideas - Education

TUV - Email from Jim Allister

DENI - Summary of Proposals for Changes to the Common Funding Formula 2010/11

"Summary of Proposals for Changes to the Common Funding Formula 2010/11"

Online Petition

Please sign this online petition - Review The Department of Education in Northern Ireland's CFF changes relating to Preparatory School funding removal (published by Paul Terry - Cygent House Prep).

Online petition - Review The Department of Education in Northern Ireland's CFF changes relating to Preparatory School funding removal

ARCHIVED - Media updates & Press releases

Stephen Nolan Show - BBC Radio Ulster - Interview with Ms Ruane, Education Minister and also Mervyn Storey MLA - 02/03/10

DUP - 1st March - "Peter Robinson MP comments on Education"

DUP tables motion at Stormont demanding Ruane rethink

Spectator Newspaper article - Friday 26th February 2010

http://www.uup.org/news/education/education-news-archive/prep-schools-next-on-ministerial-hit-list.php

http://www.peterweir.net/statements/2009/211209_prep.php

Northern Ireland has biggest classes in UK. Adding another 2000+ children to these numbers does not seem a sensible option!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/northern_ireland/foyle_and_west/8413026.stm

http://www.uup.org/news/education/education-news-archive/prep-school-funding-withdrawal-condemned.php

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/opinion/letters/attack-on-prep-schools-wrong-14636350.html