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Collingwood Learning’s founder and lead consultant John Simes was on the sofa on Saturday morning with BBC Breakfast presenters Lousise Minchin and Charlie Stayt. With his specialist knowledge of the government’s Free Schools programme the BBC called John in to debate progress with David Simmonds, Chair of the Local Government Association.
The discussion arose because of a political spat between the Labour Education spokesman Stephen Twigg and Schools Minister Nick Gibb http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17701184. The minister admitted that half of the 79 Free Schools due to open this year have not secured a site as yet.
David Simmonds voiced concerns that Local Government need to make plans for children to potentially go back into Local Authority Schools if some of the new Free Schools did not open. The key issue was whether Free Schools were really going to make a difference to the quality of education in some of our most challenging communities.
John Simes has seen for himself the difficulties Free Schools often face when finding premises. When asked if he thought half the Free Schools would not open he replied, ‘I really don’t think this is going to happen. In the first tranche of free schools, some had to open in temporary accommodation. However, as these new schools are small and only having the first intake of children it is possible for them to cope while their new buildings are being secured.’
‘It is a demanding ask – normally for a new building to be provided it can take a decade. For a refurbishment programme you really need two years.’
David Simmonds referred to the uncertainty being created with children not knowing in July whether their new school would be open or not. John pointed out that this uncertainty existed before anyone ever thought of creating Free Schools in the UK. ‘As long as you have a market where parents choose schools you are going to have uncertainty. I can recall when I was Principal that we were expecting 30 extra children and we asked for extra temporary accommodation. It was not provided and those children could not come. Things change, families moving suddenly, new housing estates opening, it is always going to be difficult for David and his colleagues to plan.’
When the interview was finished John found himself in the Green Room talking to newspaper reviewer, David Davies. ‘It’s exciting for us to be asked to contribute to a discussion like this. The Free Schools programme has generated a lot of fresh thinking but also some strong opposition. The debate will go on, I am sure.’

GREENWICH FREE SCHOOL APPROVED BY DFE
Brilliant team supported by Collingwood Learning to make a difference for London students
Collingwood Learning is working with a small group of Free School projects. We are delighted to say that the first of these, Greenwich Free School, has been approved by the Department for Education and will open in September 2012. The Greenwich team succeeded in the face of fierce competition from other local groups. John Simes, our lead consultant sent this message to the GFS team:

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It’s been a great start to our academic year! Collingwood have launched our new Knife Crime theatre in education programme in schools in Wigan, working with Wigan Council. The tour went brilliantly, with some  of the best reactions we’ve ever had from students, teachers, and clients on a project. The result is that Graham from the Youth Justice Team has put us in for the coming Youth Justice Board Innovation Awards.

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Well, it’s suddenly the summer term, and exams are kicking in. This is the time of year when the acting teams start returning from their UK travels, with glazed looks in their eyes! We have completed yet another fantastic ‘Smashed’ Responsible Drinking Project which visited 90 schools and reached 18,000 young people. No wonder they are tired! We had a great end to the tour meeting Sarah Teather MP, and Minister for Children and Families on Friday. She really enjoyed the performance and is yet another MP to have given it the thumbs up.

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Despots Tremble! Bald Fat Bloke Runs For Amnesty International
I doubt very much if Challaborough is an everyday topic of conversation in the despotic bunkers of regimes in Tehran, Damascus, Tripoli or Andijan (OK, it’s the capital of Uzbekistan ). In the light of what has been happening recently in Bahrain – far from being the Bronx of the South Hams – the old place appears a multi-coloured haven of fun and peace and safety. Yes – it is safe here. Completely safe. In fact the only crime I can recall being committed here is the theft – not of a safe – but a cash machine that some enterprising crooks disguised as a hoody and rolled casually past some distracted holidaymakers into a van. But it isn’t like that in Bahrain, or Tripoli and Andiwotsitsname.

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As our ‘Smashed’ programme has been touring around the South East, ITV Regional News rogramme ‘Meridian Tonight’ broadcast a report about on the problems of underage drinking in the UK, and Collingwood’s efforts to educate young people with our ‘Smashed’ Responsible Drinking Performance and workshop. The report gives a great overview of the whole project, showing highlights of the play, with reactions from the students and shots of the workshop in action.

You can watch the report on ITVs website at http://www.itv.com/meridian-west/dangers-of-alcohol85512/

Well I am beginning to feel like this could be the start of a dazzling political career, after meeting my second MP in a month! We were delighted to welcome Mark Spencer, Member of Parliament for Sherwood to Holgate School, Hucknall, to see the ‘Smashed’ Responsible Drinking Education Programme.

Mark really enjoyed the performance and was impressed by the reactions of the students and staff to the show, which links into their alcohol and drugs PSHE scheme of work. This was in spite of the fact that it was 8.30am and on the first day back after half-term! He asked me a lot of questions about the project, including how projects such as this contribute to the alcohol education agenda.

Mandy Anghelone, Faculty Support / Vocational Links Co-ordinater said “I just wanted to say a huge thank you for the presentation your team delivered…  They were fantastic and the students and teachers alike really enjoyed the performance and the students no doubt learnt a great deal from it.”

Many thanks to Mark for attending, as well as Mark Baird from sponsors Diageo GB for actively supporting the programme and helping to raise its profile. I am sure it demonstrated the power of projects such as these to make such a difference in schools. Thanks also for our warm welcome at The Holgate School.

Just to further embarrass him I have to mention that Alex Moran, an actor on tour with Collingwood has just won a prestigious award! Alex won ‘Best Performance in a Studio Production’ for his performance in Tales from the Black Jack at the Lowry Studio. This is a great achievement for Alex, who certainly wowed us at his audition for Collingwood, and is now touring with us for six months.

The team are now introducing him to the students as ‘The Award Winning Alex Moran!’. Being a quiet soul I think he is finding this most uncomfortable, which just encourages the rest of the team to do it more!

Well done Alex and we hope this is just the start of an amazing career!

It was a pleasure to welcome Jonathon Reynolds MP to Hyde Technology School, Tameside. Jonathon came to view Collingwood’s ‘Smashed’ responsible drinking programme, which is currently touring the area as part of an 88 school tour, across the UK. It was a brilliant session, delivered by Caroline, our Team Leader, along with Graeme Atkin, and Alex Moran. Jonathon was able to see the drama based techniques at work, in delivering curriculum based learning on PSHE topics.

It is clearly a passion of his, and his support for programmes such as ours is very much appreciated. The event was also supported by Peter Butler, Government Affairs Manager for Diageo, our sponsors. He also really enjoyed it and is even more passionate about the programme than he was before!

Check out the photos – here we all are on the set trying to work out which camera to smile at!

Well, only two days into our Road Safety tour for Yr 11 students around Surrey, and we’ve already received some brilliant responses about the play and workshop.

An email from a teacher at the first school we visited:

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