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Fiona Millar: Accountable for some, responsible for all

I have got an article in today's Guardian about how schools, including academies, are forging new relationships with their local authorities and with each other. My piece also poses the question of why we need to re-invent a 'middle tier'  when, as the Leader of Lambeth Council Steve Reed points out "We don't need to create a new middle tier. We ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Bob Wolfson: "The interesting development that LSN doesn't seem to have picked up on is who will sponsor the Academies that DfE has placed on the naughty step? There is a broad choice - will it be other local schools that ......"

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Jennie Walsh: Why state is best in our community

A number of parents have moved their children out of private schools into our community primary in recent years. In most cases it hasn’t been finances that have driven their decision to abandon private education for Fitzjohn’s Primary in Hampstead. Neither is it just because attainment has been above national standards in reading, writing and maths for the last five ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by andy: "Jennie, it is always uplifting to learn about state schools that first and foremost provide a fantastic educational experience for their pupils as exemplifed in the case of your school, and even more so when the quality is such that ......"

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Francis Gilbert: Why local schools are the solution to knife crime

Brooke Kinsella, the Eastenders' actress, whose relative, Ben Kinsella, was stabbed to death in London recently has produced a report for the government arguing that we must have lessons in school on knife crime. This is an idea I supported in my book, Yob Nation, but since then my thoughts have developed, having examined a great deal of research and ... read more and comment →

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Kate Malleson: middle class parents don’t realise the transformation which has taken place in state schools in the last 15 years

Most parents seem happy to send their children to their local primary school. The problems arise at the secondary school stage where we all join in a collective hysteria based on a belief that most comprehensives have low academic and behavioural standards. The fear is that our children will underachieve and be drawn into a world of 'street culture'. These ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by Andrew Hampton: "I agree that Dunraven is an excellent school. I went to visit it in the early naughties and found many genuinely good things happening. The challenge is to bring other schools up to their standard...."

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Chris McDonnell: A good school is the centre of a community of interest

A good school is the centre of a community of interest, for parents whose children attend that school may come many diverse backgrounds and circumstances. But together, their concern is for the provision of high quality education for their children, offered by a staff focussed on that goal. There is a sense of belonging in such a community that is supportive of ... read more and comment →

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Latest comment by libby lawson: "I have been looking through all the conversations and discussions on this site (actually checking to see if there is anything relating to a concern I have) and I found this entry. It is two years old but it ......"

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Simon Fleury: genuine sense of community support for the local schools

We live in Camden and our eldest daughter, Maya, was at Brookfield and started at Acland Burghley in September. Beatrice, 2, is already keen to get going at Brookfield, but she is due to take a place at the nursery there September 2011. Really heartened to see a large majority of Maya's classmates at Brookfield are going to local schools - ... read more and comment →

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Gary Cornford: Experience tells me that established local schools are part of the community

I am a retired primary teacher - worked for 35 years in Wandsworth and for many of them with the great ILEA. Now living in East Sussex I have links with a number of schools but mainly my grandchildren’s' school at Netherfield. My experience tells me that established local schools are part of the community. I taught in Swaffield School and ... read more and comment →

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Julie Randles: Community schools are at the heart of our neighbourhoods

Community schools are at the heart of our neighbourhoods. It’s vitally important that they continue to be funded fairly so that all children are able to achieve. read more and comment →

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Eileen Jones: Local school for local families

Our school. Calder, is a fantastic comprehensive. It is the ‘local school for local families’, one of many in the area, but is likely to lose out on BSF. It's been patched up for years - I was a governor there till recently. Nevertheless we still managed to raise funds to create wonderful new theatre, named after our (only) local ... read more and comment →

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