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Topic: The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children
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Posted by: Andy Magee
Date/Time: 03/12/10 10:42:00

Last summer the government announced it was taking £50 million from the Harnessing Technology Grant to help pay for set-up costs of free schools.  Roughly £5 million of that money was taken from primary, secondary and special schools in London.

Yesterday, I attended a meeting between a number of senior London teachers and Brian Durrant, the Chief Executive of the London Grid For Learning (LGFL).  The LGFL is an award winning, not for profit organisation which procures digital content and provides Internet filtering and broadband connections for London Schools.  To see what has been available for London’s children have a look at the Content Grid on their website at lgfl.net. 

A large chunk of the Harnessing Technology grant was spent strategically by Local Education Authorities on the LGFL.  Unfortunately, as the grant has been reduced the services will also now have to be reduced.  Letters will be going to all London schools in January 2011 explaining exactly what has been cut and what they will have to pay more for out of a dwindling pot.  At the meeting Brian Durrant told teachers that he has written to Michael Gove twice explaining the effect of the cuts on schools and asking him to reconsider.  Gove did not reply to either letter. 

From April these cuts will affect every single state school in Hammersmith & Fulham as well as schools in Ealing, Kensington and Chelsea and every other LEA in the UK.

On the WLFS website there is the following FAQ:

"Will the WLFS divert resources from Hammersmith and Fulham’s existing schools?"

I think the real answer is somewhat different to the one they claim.


Entire Thread
TopicDate PostedPosted By
The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 03/12/10 10:42:00 Andy Magee
   Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 04/12/10 23:10:00 Iain Muir
      Re:Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 04/12/10 23:41:00 Sara Nathan
         Re:Re:Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 09/12/10 16:10:00 Samantha Christine Hill
      Re:Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 06/01/11 19:33:00 Andy Magee
   Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 09/12/10 16:18:00 Andy Magee
      Re:Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 09/12/10 16:21:00 Samantha Christine Hill
         Re:Re:Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 09/12/10 17:14:00 Iain Muir
            Re:Re:Re:Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 13/12/10 08:40:00 Iain Muir
               Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:The Real cost of Free Schools to London’s Children 13/12/10 10:15:00 Andy Magee
                  Lyric Meeting Report.......28/12/10 15:52:00 Iain Muir

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