1. Thurrock primary schools: Getting there…..
A good friend of YT became the chair of governors at a primary school. They said at the time that they thought improving or turning around a primary school would be quite straight-forward. “The three R’s, carrot and stick and hey presto.” Over the last eighteen months, they have come to realise that there is more to it.
But it still begs a question as to why Gateway Academy, Harris Academy, Ockendon Academy, William Edwards, Grays Convent, Treetops are outstanding. St Clere’s, Gable Hall, Ormiston Academy have had goods with elements of outstanding. Hassenbrook is a solid good as well.
To be fair, slowly but steadily, the primary schools seem to be moving forward. It is not happening overnight. Sometimes, teachers feel that Ofsted are part of the problem and not part of the solution. Many practitioners were baffled and outraged that they inspected Quarry Hill only months after it has amalgamated into a primary.
To many experienced teachers, Ofsted and Thurrock primary schools are simply incompatible. You can have the best pastoral care in the world; the best extra-curic, the best feeling of well-being but unless those Key Stage 2 results pass muster then you can forget it.
Chadwell:Good
Bonnygate: Good
Herringham: Good
Shaw Primary: Good
St Marys: Good
West Thurrock: Good
Woodside: Good
East Tilbury Junior: Satisfactory
Stifford Clays Junior: Satisfactory
Thameside Junior: Satisfactory
Tudor Court: Satisfactory
Purfleet: Notice to Improve
Quarry Hill: Notice to Improve
2. Council elections:
All sides are marshalling their troops. Labour are out and about in Ockendon and Stanford. They have their full slate of candidates and seem to be looking forward to May 3rd.
The Tories are also out and about. Some are lonely travellers: Barry Johnson has been spotted in Ockendon and Charlie Key has been reported out and about in South Chafford. But groups have also been seen in Aveley.
Last year, the Labour campaign was a coherent unit of sense whilst the Tories, were viewing each ward as a political micro-climate (also known as herding cats). But if they can retain Ockendon, take Corringham and Fobbing as well as Stanford West and convince voters in Stanford East then they could be in charge come May 3rd.
There are also murmurings that there may be some very interesting independents standing, which may, in the future lead to the launch of a Thurrock Residents party in the style of the one in Havering.
Either way, the psephologically-minded YT (you mean anorak-Ed) will have a look at each ward and report day to day on the contests.
3. Exciting end to football season
This has been the most successful season in the history of East Thurrock United. The FA Cup run, last sixteen in the FA Trophy, finalists in the Ryman Cup and, hopefully, they can higher than 13th and attain their highest ever position.
In the Ryman Div One North, Tilbury are having a fantastic season. On a shoe-string budget, they are still in the play-off places and going from strength to strength. Alex Read is banging in goals for fun and their brand of “playing without fear” is clearly the answer. Grays Ath, meanwhile, have just put in four wins on the bounce and also look like they are heading for the play-offs.
The play-offs are Enfield Town’s to lose but you never know. Let us all get behind the borough teams and boost their attendances.
