C.E. Jottings

The cost of a "Costa service". May be coming to your area soon.

This is not about "the cuts". It's about disinformation, or perhaps what Orwell called "Newspeak", or perhaps it's just lies. Whatever, it's a theme that Mark Neary repeatedly comes back to on his blog "Love, Belief and Balls". What do you imagine is being intended by this new "service" for young adults? "the service is being made available to develop and practice social skills”, to “increase service user independence” and "the new service looks at the outcomes achieved – what... Read more →

SEN Reform: Parents' Voice and Questionnaire responses

Copied as notes from Paces' first Seminar on the SEN reforms, an audience largely of parents and parent groups, and reported at the start of Paces' second seminar to an audience largely of professionals working in education, health and care; these are the messages to politicans and to those charged with implementing the reforms: 1. What we don’t want to lose is… Clear Timescales for dealing with assessments and preparing plans Parental Choice: allow the choice of those that want... Read more →

Stephen Twigg says Primary Schools will open 8-6: can we just take a moment to think about that?

Just asking, as they say on Twitter: Before Stephen Twigg announces tomorrow that under a Labour government Primary Schools would be forced to stay open from 8.00am - 6.00pm, to provide "wrap-around" child-care, did he: a) consider the impact on existing community-based and voluntary sector child-care settings if neighbouring primaries are compelled to provide a competing service? b) recall himself saying last October “We want to explore co-operative models, whereby local parents have a far bigger say in running their... Read more →

SEN Reform. 2nd Seminar. Sheffield. September 25th. Be prepared.

"I urge all of you to start preparing now." So said Children's Minister, Edward Timpson, speaking on 4th July 2013 to the Association of Directors of Children's Services. Paces is holding two seminars in preparation for the "biggest reforms in 30 years to help disabled children and those with special educational needs". Seminar 1 on 18th September 2013 was especially for parents and carers and parent/carer organisations. It was a huge success: great speakers; great participants; great venue. Seminar 2... Read more →

Win prizes and eat cookies for Paces at Sheffield Food Festival

Sheffield Hilton at the Sheffield Food Festival Read more →

Reading the Lords in the Second Reading in the Lords 2 June

I am reading the debate in the House of Lords on the Second Reading of the Children and Families Bill (2 July) and am suddenly struck by how many Lords either declare an interest as having direct links with specific (disability) charities or speak having been briefed by large national charities. In one sense, that of being well-informed participants in the debate, this is self-evidently a good thing. But in another sense, I wonder if there are voices not being... Read more →

See SEN Seminar speakers live online today

We are hoping to have our speakers at this morning's seminar for parents live online from about 1000am. There are two possible links (i) via Paces website at www.paces-school.org.uk which last night was indeed live but not yet carrying the the real video of course (what's there is a dummy) or (ii) via http://johnpophamlive.co.uk/ Our speakers this morning are: 10.10 Debs Aspland of Special Needs Jungle 10.50 Sarah McKimm Principal Solicitor with IPSEA and 11.50 Janine Wigmore/Amanda Goulding from Calderdale... Read more →

IPSEA win vital clarification from DfE on Pathfinder EHC Plans

In some Pathfinder areas where Education, Health and Care Plans are being trialled and issued in place of Statements of Special Educational Needs, parents have expressed concern about loss of protection. This is because "until the new legislation comes into effect (expected in September 2014) plans do not have a statutory basis and cannot be appealed to the Tribunal". IPSEA have sought clarification on the protection afforded to parents who take part in the trials and DfE have published a... Read more →

Amendments to be moved in Grand Committee

That's an exciting subject line, isn't it? Ah well. Actually .... An amendment to the Children and Families Bill, proposed by Baroness Hughes of Stretford and Baroness Jones of Whitchurch, is particularly of interest to those of us who run very early years conductive education groups for parent and children. The new clause to be inserted after clause 78 (for the real 'keenies' who want to look it up) proposes that: NHS trusts should make arrangements to share with local... Read more →

Ofsted required to familiarise with philosophic background of schools inspecting

Interesting question and the written answer to it from Education Secretary, Michael Gove on 9th September Henry Smith (Crawley, Conservative) What advice has my right hon. Friend given to Ofsted on the assessment of free schools, such as the Discovery New School in my constituency, given that they do not always meet the rigid national criteria of other schools? Michael Gove (Secretary of State, Education; Surrey Heath, Conservative) I am grateful to my hon. Friend for raising that issue. Ofsted... Read more →