Earlier today, children attending the brand new Tidemill School brought home a letter addressed to their parents and carers from Head Teacher Mark Elms – announcing his intention to retire at the end of the academic year in August 2012!
So only a few months after Mr Elms – against the preferences of both Lewisham Council and Tidemill parents – has taken the school out of local authority jurisdiction to become an Academy, and only two months after he moved the school into the new £24m building paid for by the local authority (us), he's leaving the
The shock announcement comes hot on the heels of a Daily Mirror story last Saturday, reporting the GMB union's outrage that the 58 year old 'super-head' had been awarded £20k in bonuses "while his staff are being offered another pay freeze for a third year".
We wonder what Chair of Governors Keith Geary will do without his chum. When Elms worked elsewhere on a City Challenge project in Croydon, the school was awarded £120k to ensure pupils did not lose out, but Geary saw fit to award Elms 85% of the funding to his hero. Elms had previously reassured both parents and governors that he would be leading then into the future.
Picture credit: Jeff Moore for Mirror.co.uk
Meanwhile, what is happening to the old school?
Lewisham Council have called in New Bould Guardians to look after it, that's what. Who are they? According to their website, they are a cheap option to paid security guards, an organisation that takes on empty buldings for a minimum of two months, placing "guardians" on the site – "real" people who have been conscientiously vetted. Examples of such folk include freelance photographer Emily, London firefighter Peter, and actor and opera singer Juan. Presumably, they get to live in the premises rent free.
Nothing wrong with that, but how much is Lewisham council paying for this service? There are already at least two artist-led organisations with established reputations for running highly successful spaces in Deptford who are facing uncertain futures with the tenures on the buildings they presently occupy about to run out in the coming months. Another successful studio group recently fell foul of Workspace's contractual shenanigans and found themselves homeless. Were these groups given any consideration, we ponder...
From the newest of primary school academies to the oldest tech around. Tech de money an' run...
ReplyDeleteThis is a great loss to Tidemill. Mark Elms has worked tirelessly to improve the education of pupils in a deprived area of London - and succeeded. His critics will only realise what they've lost when he's gone.
ReplyDeleteGone to croydon and to profiteer from other local Authorities morelike, he is not about education - standards have dropped in the last 2 years, check for yourself, he clearly knows that they will drop below the national average tis year. Taking the retainment fee and an extra 20k to supposedly show loyalty is low.
DeleteI wonder who else will follow him now their paymaster is off with the money.
Not sure I follow your argument - he's leaving an outstanding school that's just moved into fantastic new premises. How is that 'leaving a sinking ship'? Sounds like he's finished the job that he was supposed to do and is now moving on. (btw, I have no connections with Tidemill, so not taking sides here)
ReplyDeleteThanks to you "Groucho" Marxists Tidemill has lost a good head teacher.
ReplyDeleteAnon 01.28: 'Sinking ship' may not seem the right phrase now, but how are the governors going to replace such an irreplaceable man? Is that privateers Harris and Knights knocking at the door? (It also depends on your view of Academies, and the Tories' dismantling of the state education system.)
ReplyDeleteHow come the news has shocked the governors too? What are the reasons given for his 'retirement'?
The new premises were not single-handedly built by Elms and the council went ahead with the project believing the school would remain in their care.
If Marxists have helped to expose irregular payments of public funds leading to the resignation of the recipient before the shit finally hits the fan, that's surely a good thing?
ReplyDeleteIf that's the case then have the courage of your convictions and take it to court so we (the public) can be re-funded. PS "Crosswhatfields" was always the corniest graffiti on the estate.
DeleteThink we can leave that to the Marxists, mate! And don't blame me for this blog's name – though funnily enough I think the original graffiti was done by a Tidemill teacher.
DeleteI don't get your point, and I'm not your "mate", mate. Well if you haven't derided the name then that makes you as lame. I know who wrote it and they weren't teaching at Tidemill.
Deletegood to see the back of another conman - hopefully the replacement will be a person of principles who puts their children first before their pocket
ReplyDeleteI suppose we would do well to get away from the cult of the superhead and acknowledge that there's a very able and dedicated team at the schademy who are perfectly capable of maintaining the progress made. After all, they've been doing it very well while Elms has been off rescuing Croydon, in fact, they've even paid him extra for not being there.
ReplyDeleteSurely it takes at least 7 years to turn around the ethos of a primary school in any meaningful way? Do the arithmetic.
DeleteSinking flagship? I think some would like the school to fail, teachers to leave, results to drop and for the school to be in termoil just so they could say "I told you so".
ReplyDeleteI am personally not for Academies, but now the jump has been made it seems a shame to do nothing other than slag off the staff and say how they are failing the children.
Not sure this will do anyone's moral much good.
Anon, I don't think anyone wants to see the staff or children suffer. No one has said the staff are failing the children, have they? (though I think one or two comments here have had to be deleted by the moderator)...
ReplyDeleteYou may be right that speculation about the Head may cause some distress to those closest to the school, but really, don't you think he's caused that himself?
Just seen South London Press...the Deputy Head's resigned as well!
ReplyDeleteEr... no they haven't
ReplyDeleteA shame that Tidemill say no website does not allow positive comments about the school. I have left 4 all been removed. Not rude just positive. And other peolpe say there comment also removed. Glad this site does not remove comment and lets all sides have ther view. Wednesday Tidemill opening such a nice happy day gor the school. ITV news report on London Tonight also positive, but no one wants to post these good things? Why? Not political enough?
ReplyDeleteSuhanif, you are right. I tried to leave a comment - was removed. Tidemill Says No website has not uploaded any links to the positive ITV coverage or local press. I understand - as it looks like they just have it in for the Elms fella. A truly fantastic day by the looks of it. Well done Tidemill. I might be wrong but I think some of the people so against the school who want it to fail have children there, Strange. You think that now it has become an Academy they would put lots of their negative energy (of which they seem to have loads) into doing something positive?
ReplyDeleteSuhanif
ReplyDeleteWould you care to share-go public on the email which was sent to you regarding the decision not to include your post on Academies Sayingno?
Also did you know I can trace IP addresses - you happen to have more than 2 names. Can I advise you to really stop and think about Tidemill's future by slowing down. You are always welcome to talk with me.