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    Hereford Academy requires special measures

    megilleland
    By megilleland,
    This story follows on from the success of "Hereford Sixth Form College students net Oxbridge places." A bit of a damper on educational attainment locally. At least the problem has been recognised and hopefully everyone - staff,  parents and students at the school will turn it around quickly.
     

    8:29am Thursday 13th February 2014 in Hereford Times News

     
    Ofsted places Hereford Academy in special measures
     
    THE Hereford Academy has been placed in special measures as pupils continue to struggle with English and Maths at the South Wye school.
     
    Under new criteria the two subjects are given a heavy weighting, and while the Academy continues to makes progress in both, that progress was deemed insufficient.
     
    Principal John Sheppard said the school was not hiding from the situation – plans are already in place to recruit a new head of maths – but said that improvements in other areas show the Academy is still moving forward.
     
    The cultural shift that began with a new building is now evident throughout it; the report itself noted that “all forms of bullying are rare†and that students’ “spiritual, moral, social and cultural understanding is well developedâ€.
     
    That, to some extent, is why the "inadequate" grading is so frustrating to the school’s leadership team.
     
    “It means that the rest of the school doesn’t get the credit it deserves,†said Mr Sheppard.
     
    “We are not complacent, we are facing up to this and the report mentions the changes that we put in place before the inspection, but we are on an upwards trend.â€
     
    Changes to the inspection process – with a much greater weight placed on the data than on the inspection itself – meant the Academy was only likely to achieve a 'Requires Improvement' grade at best.
     
    Having taken over at the school in 2008, Mr Sheppard has worked at schools in special measures before.
     
    And for the Academy, it will now mean working closely with an inspector until the school is ready to be re-assessed.
     
    Among those areas that will come under scrutiny, English and Maths will head the list, with teaching having been described as “weak†and leaders and managers criticised for not driving improvements quickly enough.
     
    In the report, lead inspector Michael Blakely said: “The proportion of students attaining five GCSE grades A* to C (including English and maths) has improved too slowly and remains stubbornly below levels seen nationally and in schools in similar circumstances.â€
     
    While the maths department will undergo a restructuring process, Mr Sheppard believes the English department is much closer to where it needs to be, and has brought in a former inspector to improve standards.
     
    Like a number of Herefordshire schools who have recently undergone inspections, the success of students receiving ‘pupil premium’ funding was also a key factor.
     
    And according to the November report, those students at the Academy achieve almost two thirds of a grade lower at GCSE than their classmates.
     
    The Hereford Academy was graded a "good" school at its previous inspection in 2011.

     

    The Ofsted inspection regarding Hereford Academy (10 pages).
     
    The Hereford Academy has raised various questions regarding this inspection here on their website.

    Belmont Ward, Hereford City Council Election

    megilleland
    By megilleland,

    Nobody appears to have given a date for the Belmont Ward, Hereford City Council election on this website. The date is Thursday 13th February 2014. The polling station is at Belmont Community Centre, next to the Library. Polling hours are from 7am to 10pm. Don't forget to vote.

    The statement of persons nominated can be seen here:
    https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/media/7615203/spn_hereford_belmont.pdf


    Free Tea & Coffee At Waitrose!

    Colin James
    By Colin James,
    Waitrose.jpg
    A free cup of tea or coffee every day as a myWaitrose member

    Nothing says 'welcome' more than a lovely hot cup of tea or coffee, so let us treat you to a free regular tea or coffee every day! You can enjoy one cup a day - to drink in or takeaway.* Simply present your myWaitrose card at the till and you won't be charged a penny.

    Choose from the following regular drinks - Americano, Cappuccino, Latte, Tea, Mocha and Espresso (Decaffeinated versions available on request. Mocha and Espresso available in selected stores only)

     

    My Sister uses hers where she lives each time she goes into town! Remember you have to order a seperate card for each of you.

     

    Click Here


    Asylum please

    gdj
    By gdj,

    Hello,

     

    Having had my questions about the damage being caused by the new free school deleted by the HT I can no longer log on there.  No message of explanation, so I have either offended the HT or Geoff Hughes.

     

    So please can I join Biomech on the Naughty Step here?

     

    Thanks


    Adrian Bridges & Phil Edwards Plan New Car Park

    chrisbull
    By chrisbull,

    As the vortex was given away to developers does this mean another car park  put in the wrong place that is what happened at Newton farm waterfield road part of an arrangement that was done by the developers do you see a pattern emerging ?


    Changes to the way affordable housing is allocated

    megilleland
    By megilleland,
    From Herefordshire Council website

    06 February 2014

     

    Changes to the way affordable housing is allocated

     

    The way affordable housing is allocated through Home Point, the agency that manages the county’s housing register, is set to change from June 2014.

     

    Under the Localism Act 2011 local councils are able to develop their own approach to determine who qualifies for affordable housing.  There is a shortage of affordable housing across Herefordshire, so Herefordshire Council is changing the criteria to better reflect the needs and circumstances of local people.

     

    For example, applicants must now demonstrate they have a local connection to Herefordshire. In addition, people will only be able to register for affordable housing if they have a recognised housing need and financial limits will be much tighter so that only those who are unable to resource their own housing needs will be able to register.

     

    People who are currently registered with Home Point will receive a letter shortly and be given six weeks to complete the new application form and, where requested, provide supporting evidence. The applicant will then be reassessed on their updated application and if eligible, re-banded under the new system, ready for when the changes take place.

     

    They will need to reply within this timescale to retain their ‘waiting time’, after which it will be lost. If they don’t reply, they will be removed from the register completely.

     

    For some, when reassessed, it may mean that their current housing circumstances will not meet the criteria needed to re-register and they will be offered advice on alternative housing options, such as the private rented sector or home ownership.

     

    All applicants will be able to bid for properties under the current allocations policy until approximately the middle of May 2014.

     

    Details of the new Allocations Policy can be found on either of the websites below:

     


     



    A Question/Thought on HUFC

    Biomech
    By Biomech,

    So if HUFC are going under - completely this time - what happens to the football ground and that god awful carpark?

     

    This could pave the way for and OLM extention right, or more houses/flats.

     

    Another thought is that if HUFC is gone, you've just lost any revenue from visiting and local fans who would - likely - spend some time in the OLM before/after the games


    Indie's Gift

    StaceyM
    By StaceyM,

    Hello all,

     

    I'd like to bring to your attention the charity I have started in my daughters memory.

    She sadly passed away in November.
    She was born 11 weeks early and spent most of her life in hospital, however did come home as a healthy, albeit tiny little girl.

    When she passed away, it caused untold devastation, but I couldn't let her death be for 'nothing'. Something positive had to come from our heartache, and as such Indie's Gift was created.
     

    The 17th October 2013, was the happiest day of our lives, Indie was able to come home. Weighing in at a tiny 4lbs, but perfect in every way.

    Coming home was incredibly special, not only because we had a healthy, beautiful daughter but we have 2 other children, whose life had also been turned upside down by Indie's sudden arrival. It meant our life could resume some normality; I would be able to spend time with all my children, rather than split between SCBU and home.

    The following weeks were full of doctor’s appointments, hospital visits, health visitor appointments etc, but everything went well. Indie was gaining weight, albeit slowly, she was getting there.

    On the 22nd November 2013, our lives were to change forever.

    Our perfect little girl passed away at 3:50am.

     

    As a mum, this makes me feel cheated.
    Cheated because we did all the 'hard work'. The minutes, hours, days, weeks sat by the incubator praying she would make it through, Indie proving what stern stuff she was made of by making the 'perfect' recovery, for her to stolen away from us when she was just settling into our family.

    Personally, I've had every range of emotion for a human to possibly feel.
    Anger, desperation, sadness, helplessness, sorrow, devastation to name but a few, but as the days turned into weeks since Indie passed, the overwhelming feeling I had was one of gratitude. Grateful that I got those precious 11 weeks with my daughter.
     

    Without the support of doctors and nurses at all 3 hospitals that we resided in, we would not have had those 11 weeks and I felt compelled to do something, anything to be able to pay back what they gave us. Nothing will ever be enough for these unsung saints in the hospital SCBU/NICU departments, but if we could just do something to help. After a few days of thinking, Indie's Gift was born.

     

    Our aim is to provide ClothPacks and NeoPacks to the SCBU/NICU in order to help ease a tiny portion of the stress facing parents of children who start life in SCBU.

    Our ClothPacks will contain:
    1 Vest

    1 Sleepsuit/Babygro
    1 Hat

    1 Set of Mittens
    &     1 Blanket

     

    These items are NOT provided for babies on the NHS. These items are sometimes available in SCBUs from donations they receive from other parents; our aim is to have a pack available for every baby that enters the SCBU.

     

    We also aim to provide a NeoPack for parents of SCBU babies, this will contain:

    Shower Gel

    Shampoo

    Face cloth

    Tooth brush

    Toothpaste

    Hot Chocolate

    Cereal Bar

    Notepad & Pen Information and Support Sheets

     

    These items may seem small or even trivial, but when you’re thrown into a situation that you have no control over, the last thing on your mind is to sort these little essential items out. To be able to have a wash and brush your teeth is simply the best feeling - from someone who has personally been in the situation, it really is!

    Hereford County SCBU will be the first to benefit from our charity.
     

    I am a mum on a mission, to help other parents and babies that find themselves in the same position as I did, and hopefully be able to support them with the essentials, as well as an email advice/support service.

     

    I started this alone, and do everything for this entirely by myself. I am hoping to gather more support for Indie's Gift, ultimately our aim for 2014 is to raise the £5,000 needed to apply to become a registered charity.

    If you have any of the items on the list that you would like to donate, I would be ever so grateful. I would also welcome any fundraising idea's you may have!
    I have no experience in working within/running a charity, so please bare with me as I'm learning as I go!

     

    Our website is: www.indiesgift.co.uk - There is a gallery and also an 'About Us' section which has a more detailed story; maybe have some tissue handy? and our Facebook page is www.facebook.com/indiesgift

    Thank you for taking the time to read this and I look forward to hearing from some of you soon.
     

    Stacey Martin.
    Indie’s mummy.


    Beyond Retail:Redefining the shape & purpose of town centres

    megilleland
    By megilleland,
    I came across this article and thought it was very apt, with the development of the Old Livestock Market and its potential effect on the established retail businesses, especially in High Town and its related retail streets. It would be an idea to give this report some debate and how it relates to Hereford. The OLM will be the only shopping development opening next year in the UK and to wait until it opens before finding alternative strategies for the established shopping areas, will I fear be too late for most businesses. How would you like to see the two areas working and interacting?
     
    High Street needs post-war scale rebuilding says report
     
    By Emma Simpson, Business correspondent, BBC News
    29 November 2013 
     
    Rejuvenating town centres requires radical action on a scale not seen since the building programmes of post-war Britain, according to a new report.
     
    The Distressed Town Centre Property Taskforce says structural changes needed in retail are so fundamental, many towns and cities need reshaping.
     
    The taskforce was set up following Mary Portas's review of the High Street.
     
    The report calls on the government to designate town and city centres as key national infrastructure.
     
    In its scale and range, it is an unprecedented group. For the past 13 months, senior retailers, property investors, landlords and bankers have been investigating the impact of the changes that have affected retail and property in England's towns and city centres.
     
    In other words, the folk who own and finance so much of our town centres have come up with their own solutions on what to do.
     
    Too many shops?
    One of the main recommendations is that the government should designate town and city centres as key national infrastructure in order to open up new funding opportunities.
     
    The retail landscape has changed completely in the last five years, thanks to the recession and the shift to online shopping.
     
    It has left most towns with too many shops.
     
    The report found that in the past four decades, retail floor space in England increased by around 43 million square metres.
     
    That is the equivalent of building nearly 300 Bluewater Shopping centres across England, or seven of the new Westfield centres near the London Olympic site every year since the early 1970s.
     
    The chairman of the taskforce, Mark Williams, said: "There's still a need for vibrant retail, just less of it."
     
    Mr Williams, who is also a partner at the retail property firm, Hark Group, added: "Over the past 12 months, it has become increasingly clear that waiting for so called 'normal' economic growth to return is unviable: Many more town centres will have embarked on a course of terminal decline."
     
    Scourge
    Solutions, he says, will vary from place to place but for the overwhelming majority, a smaller retail core is necessary and alternative uses like housing and leisure need to be found.
     
    But for local authorities, it hasn't been easy tackling the surplus of space and with it the scourge of empty properties.
     
    There are often a myriad of different landlords and competing interests to deal with, as well as getting funding.
     
    Friday's report spells out the problems along with recommendations for change.
     
    They include:
     
    * Government should designate town and city centres as infrastructure in order to open significant funding opportunities currently not accessible. A High Street Infrastructure platform should be set up to help to deliver this idea
     
    * Bold and strategic land assembly is required. Government should pilot a joint venture vehicle and an associated High Street property fund to pool land assets and address fragmented ownership
     
    * Make it easier for councils to use compulsory purchase powers in order to bring about the scale required for major urban regeneration
     
    * Local authorities should take more risk in investing capital reserves now, which can be replenished as the economy recovers
     
    * Significantly greater flexibility in the planning system is needed to enable quick and easy change of use from redundant retail premises to more economically productive uses
    Edward Cooke, the director of policy for the British Council of Shopping Centres, said: "All stakeholders have a role to play: Individuals, local councils, local and national businesses and central government.
     
    "We believe these recommendations will deliver the direction and the funding necessary to make this happen."
     
    Demolish
    The question is, who will be paying for all this potential change?
     
    The group says it is not asking the taxpayer to foot the entire bill. Often the problem is down to a gap in funding, which, if plugged, would make a development viable.
     
    The Taskforce believes post-financial crisis, the traditional funding models for town centre redevelopment are no longer fit for purpose.
     
    New ways of funding have to be found and that key bodies in the retail and property sectors are keen to play their part.
     
    The message from the retail property industry to the government is clear: they are prepared to demolish land and write off distressed buildings to regenerate town centres, if the public sector and government can make it easier rebuild.
     
    Mr Williams said: "There is a huge amount of private sector funds available to regenerate town centres. But it requires scale and planning. What it's not there is for piecemeal change, an ad hoc approach to fix the odd shop.
     
    "So we're looking about scale and critical mass. And in that sense the private sector will respond to local authorities and government initiatives."
     
    Bedfellows
    The Taskforce says it is up to individual communities and local authorities to decide what is right for their area. But "future proofing" towns will require strong local leadership.
     
    The big commercial stakeholders in our towns and cities are not often comfortable bedfellows, but they have all signed up to this report.
     
    "What is extremely pleasing is that a wide coalition of influential stakeholders has united behind agreed parking issues and develop local plans and good local vision," said Tom Ironside, British Retail Consortium Director of Business and Regulation.
     
    The government, which encouraged the Taskforce to be set up, is now digesting the findings.
     
    The Housing Minister, Brandon Lewis, said: "It's a really interesting report with some really interesting things here which we need to look at. We are doing an awful lot for the High Street, we're empowering local communities to shape their town centres for what's right for their communities in the future."
     
     
     
     
    Contents
    1. PRINCIPAL RECOMMENDATIONS
     
    2. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
    2.1 Vision
    2.2 Primary challenges
     
    3. RECOMMENDATIONS
     
    4. TOWN CENTRE CONTEXT
    4.1 Historic trends
    4.2 The perfect storm
    4.3 High vacancy rates
    4.4 Population growth and relative affluence
     
    5. KEY ISSUES
    5.1 Local leadership
    5.2 Polarisation
    5.3 Too much retail floorspace
    5.4 The wrong type of space
    5.5 Understanding the catchment demographics and shopping patterns
    5.6 Car parking
    5.7 Business rates
    5.8 Digitising the high street
    5.9 Funding
     
    6. CONCLUSIONS
     
    7. APPENDICES
    Appendix 1 — Survey results
    Appendix 2 — Interviewees and survey contributors
    Appendix 3 — Town Performance Matrix
    Appendix 4 — Sample towns
    Appendix 5 — Taskforce members

     


    Work to start on Herefords Newmarket Street after Christmas

    Glenda Powell
    By Glenda Powell,

    Taken from HT today:-

     

    First phase of works to refurbish Newmarket street and Widemarsh street is due to begin tonight.

    Initial work will involve the removal of the central reservation along Newmarket street and will take approxamately one week.

    The work will take place at night, and traffic will be permitted in both directions throughout, keeping traffic disruption to a minimum.

     

    Following removal of the central reservation work will take place to lay footpaths along Newmarket street for three weeks. these works will be carried out during the day, but with the central reservation removed and two lanes will be maintained in either direction.

    In February, work will begin to construct the right turn from Blueschool street into Widemarsh street. Due to the evacuation and width of available carriageway, one lane in either direction will be maintained. This will be for a short length and two  lanes feeding Edgar Street roundabout during the day will be maintained at all times.

     

    End.


    Wagamama - Japanese Restaurant & Noodle Bar also joining the Old Market.

    Colin James
    By Colin James,

    Wagamama - Japanese Restaurant & Noodle Bar also joining the Old Market.

     

    wagamama.png

     

    Jobs advertised HERE


    Council recruitment of highly paid suits - why?

    gdj
    By gdj,

    I've been reading the debate in various places about the council's `Adult Wellbeing` directorate using an agency to find a couple of people who will accept a mere £500 a day to help them change to meet new challenges   This is defended by the director (interim director since September?) Helen Coombes on the HCC website.  Bobby 47 and others have already slaughtered the idea on the HT website.

     

    Leaving aside the need for savings etc; the question that slowly formed in the depths of my brain was:

     

    "What the **** does the (Interim) director do for her money if she doesn't herself have the skills and ability to organise and deliver the changes needed?  She was appointed in September at a time when the need for change was obvious - so why did they not appoint someone who could do the job without needing an extra £1000 a day spending on others to tell her what to do?

     

    I suspect that the biggest cars in the Brockington car park are owned by people who are highly promoted admistrators, not leaders, and the current challenges are way beyond their competence.

     

    Another one I saw on the HCC vacancies was "Head of Learning and Achievement" for £64k plus extras.  (again, B47 was please to see that this would at least result in a passionate person in place).  This education job is to oversee a team (massively reduced over the last few years) and work with schools (massively reduced numbers due to academisation) - so as Cllr Johnson is always saying people have no suggestions, here are two:  Merge this job with the same person in another county -  both will have a lot less to do in their own counties:  or:  get an outside education consultancy in to do the job - there are lots of companies with the ability and capacity to do it.

     

    Of course these options will be binned if there is someone already in the building who wants the job.

     

    gdj

     

     


    Misinformation?

    jnorris235
    By jnorris235,

    Here's something from today's Scrutiny meeting on the budget. The £20 million pounds of NEW funds that had been obtained for Balfour Beatty to up the ante on these roads and potholes is NOW coming from a mass sale of as many Council owned assets as possible in the short term. Out of £100 million which we (you, us!) own the Council will sell off £20 million a year, every year at least for the next three years.

     

    At a meeting held by BB and with the Chief Financial of the Council for all our parishes to attend, we were distinctly told this was NEW money. Can I have support from those present at that meeting please, because they're denying saying it. Or did I mishear?


    I'll do it for half that?

    jnorris235
    By jnorris235,

    Dreadful news about CAB.

    If you've ever run a business or a charity and been told for months you are losing your funding, so you waste time fighting, trying to keep morale up, and then the b***ers change their mind - you know they'll probably change it back again. Demoralising.

    Well done CAB for struggling on.


    King Street Improvement Works To Commence

    Glenda Powell
    By Glenda Powell,

    Taken from Herefordshire Council newsdesk.

     

    Work will commence to improve the junction of King street and Bridge street in Hereford.

    The scheme is due to begin with preliminary works on site on Monday 27th January 2014, and is likely to last 6 to 7 weeks. The scheme is being completed with minimum disruption to traffic flows.

     

    The narrowing and realignment of the King Street exit will slow and reposition emerging vehicles to provide a better view of approaching cyclists and vehicles. Colour surfacing and new street furniture will create more of a "shared space" feel which will help vehicle behaviour.

     

    Reducing number of bollards and existing sign posts to improve overall view and visibility. Pedestrian crossing locations will be better defined and the overall layout will be more pedestrian friendly.

     

    the funding scheme is a match funding between Herefordshire council and Department for Transport Cycle Safety Fund.

     

    END.


    Police Hunt For Man After Cash Stolen In Hereford

    Colin James
    By Colin James,

    Police at Hereford investigating a robbery of cash from a woman on Wednesday 15 January have issued an image of a man they want to talk to. 


    wmp__1390305183_Hereford_robbery_150114_


    The woman was robbed in an alleyway by the Wye Inn pub in Holme Lacey Road. Hereford at approximately 12.45pm.


    A man approached the 20 year old woman and asked for a cigarette. As the victim got a cigarette for him he grabbed a freezer bag from her pocket which contained cash.


    When the woman tried to grab the cash back the man struck her. He then ran off along the footpath into FC Morgan Close. 


    The man police want to talk to in connection with the robbery is described as a white man, aged between 40 and 45 with a dark moustache.


    Detective Sergeant Tim Powell of Hereford CID said. “Fortunately this woman had no serious injuries. We need to trace this man as soon as possible. There are a number of industrial units on the nearby retail park and this man could have come from there. If you have any information on the identity of this man or if you think you saw him please contact officers at Hereford by dialling 101. All calls will be treated in confidence”.


    Callers who wish to remain anonymous can also ring independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.


    Full Details Here



    Boy dies due to NHS cutbacks

    Biomech
    By Biomech,

    2 year old boy dies when his mother rushes him to North London A&E only to find that it's been closed down due to cuts.

     

    http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2541890/Boy-2-dies-family-rushes-hospital-not-realising-A-E-unit-closed-NHS-reforms-causing-half-hour-delay-treatment.html

     

    Just another day in council/government service closures.


    Change A Little, Save A Lot Campaign

    Frank Smith
    By Frank Smith,

    Change A Little, Save A Lot Campaign   :Hmm:

     

    This is rich coming from Herefordshire Council who are about to put a huge increase on our community charge!  


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