4/6/2008 2:09:00 PM
Martin Ivens: The Sunday Times 6 April
The headmaster of my old London school, Kevin Hoare, is nobody’s fool but now he’s turned political pundit. As a stern English and PE teacher at Finchley Catholic high school, “Mr” Hoare watched me sink into the mud on cross-country runs around Dollis Brook and put his head in his hands as I failed to vault the horse. He always was an authority figure. Last week Hoare was thrust into the media spotlight by the row over “cash for places”. In three representative areas across England dozens of faith schools, comprehensives all, have been “named and shamed” by Ed Balls, the schools secretary, for breaking the admissions code. Six offenders in the borough of Barnet were singled out for demanding voluntary contributions as a condition of entry. Five of these are Jewish schools which claim the money will pay for extra security. “O tempora, o mores” as my Latin teacher didn’t say. Finchley Catholic high school wasn’t guilty of asking for donations before entry, although the school is expected to pay 10% of all capital costs for building (43% of parents voluntarily contribute - or rather 57% don’t). So the school was surprised to be singled out for publicity. Does it fail to take its share of statemented children with learning difficulties? No, actually. In the current year 7 there are 10 such boys, out of whom four are autistic. Approximately 8% of the entire school roll are on a statement list. No boy has been selected on the basis of family connection for more than four years in line with departmental policy. Let’s hope Whitehall got its facts right with the other schools held up for opprobrium, otherwise Balls is riding for a fall. Sun Times
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