There are also some great prizes to be won. Spur Steak & Grill is sponsoring a kids colouring competition, offering a first prize of a Nintendo Wii. Fantastic raffle prizes have been generously donated by other local stores and businesses, including products from Lush Lakeside, food vouchers from both Spur Steak & Grill and Oriental Pan Asian Restaurant, Vue cinema tickets and Partyman World family tickets.
THURROCK Council education boss, cllr John Kent, has announced that there had been a change of management at under-fire Corringham primary school.
The leader would not be drawn as to whether this meant the head teacher, David Garland would be leaving but did confirm that a new Interim Executive Board had been installed.
THREE Thurrock school caterers picked up awards at the annual Havering and Thurrock Catering Services celebration night. The event – at Redden Court School in Harold Wood – saw awards for service excellence go to Lansdowne Academy, Ormiston Park Academy, and Bulphan Church of England Primary.
AFTER three months in post, one of the first questions the Tory councillors asked then education boss, Oliver Gerrish was; "How many head teachers have you met?" When he replied that he had met a number of "educationalists", the Tories said: "That will be none then." The Tories will have to get up early in the morning to catch council leader and education boss, John Kent.
GATEWAY Academy is one of the best examples of how the freedoms afforded by Academy status means that the school leadership teams can innovate and determine for themselves how best to serve their local community. If there is demand for places they can expand. I am sure that this will lead to fewer children being bussed cross the borough to Stanford-le Hope as Gateway steps up to the plate to ensure that the children of Tilbury get the education they deserve.”
A NEW primary school should be built in western Grays, new education portfolio holder and Leader of the Council, John Kent says.
Speaking at Thurrock Council’s cabinet, Cllr Kent highlighted proposals for a new school at the top of Belmont Road – which, if all goes to plan should open for September 2014.
LEADERS are working with individual teachers to develop their practice through coaching and there has been some improvement in literacy and numeracy teaching. Some evaluations of the quality of teaching in subjects other than mathematics and English, by senior leaders, are too generous. Some weaknesses are missed and therefore feedback is not as helpful as it could be.
STAFF and governors from many of Thurrock’s schools received a lesson in how to ensure their charges were kept safe online at a training event on Tuesday (4 June).
The Thurrock Children’s Partnership e-safety group organised the event to tell those who have leadership responsibility for e-safety about the challenges faced around safeguarding children and young people in the online environment.
CHILDREN from six Corringham primary schools took part in the Corringham Junior School Choir Competition at the Springhouse Club on Wednesday 12th June 2013. The event, organised by the Rotary Club of Corringham Thameside required each school choir to sing two songs of their own choosing which were judged on the following criteria, choice of songs, quality of performance, teamwork, and the enjoyment displayed by the children in the choir.
THE glitz, the glam and the goodbyes! Celebrating Success at South Essex College’s Southend Campus had them all as it recognised its student’s achievements, big or small, over the last 12 months.
Over 120 further education students from across the College’s 7000 final year students from campuses in Southend, Basildon and Thurrock were up for a whole host of awards in their specific areas of study.
IN FEBRUARY, the government made a decision regarding the admissions system in relation to the Gateway Academy. It stemmed from a complaint made by a fellow Thurrock head-teacher. The government office (known as the educational adjudicator) agreed with the head-teacher and stated:" The admissions for the Gateway Academy was not in accordance with section 88I (5) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998.
David Roberson’s stepson suffers from RP, along with other members of his wife’s family, and, if the challenge is successful, his intention is to attempt this challenge again in 2014 along with members of the Ormiston Park Academy staff and pupils.
THE NUMBER OF Thurrock students taking up a place at Oxford or Cambridge University is the third worst in the country, a survey revealed. In 2011-12, 23 students applied for the two universities; six were accepted but only two took the offer up.
OFSTED has returned to the Herd Lane school which they placed in special measures in January and have continued to make a number of withering criticisms. It is bad enough for a school to go into special measures but it is quite rare for Ofsted to go back to a school and deliver quite such a damning report. It is as if they have flung back the school's and the council's action plan as "Not fit for purpose." It also makes quite a statement on the salaries of the staff/
THURROCK councillors were told of the millions that had been spent on the borough's schools in the past year and the millions that will be spent in the coming months. Education portfolio holder and Leader of the Council, Cllr John Kent was speaking at Wednesday (5 June) evening's meeting of the cabinet.
