January 2006 Happy New Year

PUPILS STONED BY PASSMORES   !!!!!
Webmaster heard a horrifying  account of how a group of HF pupils were going past Passmores School when a group of year 7s  threw stones at them. Bad enough, but I then heard how the helpers, presumably LSAs (was a teacher present?)  DID NOTHING to stop this taking place. It was left to a year 11 Passmores pupil to stop the year 7 girls. He was commended by both schools for his action. Hopefully the adults were admonished for their lack of action. Unfortunately this doesn't inspire much trust in HF staff. If you're a parent with a PMLD child you look to these staff to act in loco parentis and defend your children.

CIVIL REGISTRATION  
Webmaster was as pleased as any other sensible member of society that the law has changed to allow gays and lesbians to officially register their partnerships and give them rights; long overdue.

INTERACTION TO TREAT AUTISM
There is a method called INTENSIVE INTERACTION, introduced in the late1970's, through imitation, using a person's body to develop communication. Pupils on the ASD continuum do not respond easily to external gestures/sounds, but they do if the initiative they witness is already part of their repertoire.  This points to the selective use of incoming information rather than absence of recognition. Pupils with autism are good at recognition and imitation IF the action they perceive is one that has meaning and significance for them. Some pupils with autism are over-sensitive to the feelings of others rather than immune to them, but cannot handle the painful feedback that this initiates in the body, and have learnt to suppress this facility. Apparently Intensive Interaction is increasingly being used by NHS, SOC.SERV, and Education.
From a letter by Phoebe Caldwell, Author of "Finding You,Finding Me"
Anybody at school familiar with this method?  Tell us.

BREAKING THE SHACKLES OF L.E.A. CONTROL...
Apparently the Vice Chair of LEAs thinks Councils have not controlled schools for many years and do not aspire to do so.   Well we know different, and its why HF school seeks to silence  any parent with a brain and an opinion, to smoothly allow NMSS school transition.
Some parents are going to be be extremely shocked by all the upheaval, starting officially (already unofficial experiments of elements taking place)  in Sept 06 when Tim has admitted that admissions policy will be changing BIG TIME. Although there was a line in the OFSTED Report acknowledging NMSS the school has refused to say anything else.

INTERVIEWEES FOR CARETAKERS JOB SHOCKED
first by the extremely quiet school and second by Tim interviewing in very skimpy SHORTS on a cold autumn day. Glad to hear the successful candidate gets the Caretakers house, which prevents Barbara and the like getting free accommodation (disgraceful)