Plan for newly-built Blackburn high school to join Tauheedul charity rapped by teaching union (From Lancashire Telegraph)

This has been up for an hour now and no-one has commented. Is that because if people say exactly how they feel their comment would immediately be deleted?

I really think that there should be a minimum amount of time that schools such as Witton have to remain in local authority control after such massive amounts of money are spent on rebuilding them.

This is fantastic news. A mediocre school working with Tauheedul in the hope of delivering educational excel;lence throughout the borough. All the best to Tauheedul and Witton.

As a parent of 2 boys, one of whom has just completed his secondary education at Blackburn Central, I congratulate the parents of Witton Park High School. My child is now completing his A-Levels at a local college; something which he would not have even dreamt about about prior to Tauheedul's takeover.

I know Tauheedul will receive a number of negative comments below from ill-informed members of the public, but I for one am grateful to Tauheedul for saving my son's future.

Before we begin to slag Tauheedul off, let us all conduct some research as to how this organisation is bringing educational excellence to our educationally-depriv
ed children.

Best of luck!!

I bet there's no pork products on the menu.

buckoff wrote:
I bet there's no pork products on the menu.

No, they'll provide horsemeat instead..!!

Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

Congratulations to Witton Park, Cllr Dave Hollings, the Headteacher, and TSA for this partnership and 'freeing' themselves from the 'clutches' of the local authority.

These are the people involved in TSA:

1. Professor Fiona Church

Prof. Church is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. The Faculty is one of the top 10 providers for Teacher Education in the Country - rated category 1 by the DfE and 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Her expertise is in employment law and she has published a range of texts and materials in both employment law and on current education topics.

2. Neil Fletcher (Chair)

Neil Fletcher has a wide experience of the public sector at national, regional and local levels. After qualifying as a school-teacher he taught in secondary schools and further education, before becoming a full-time trade union official and an elected councillor in London.

He became Deputy Leader of Camden Council, but also served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority for 11 years, chairing the Further and Higher Education Committee for 7 years and becoming Leader until its abolition in 1990.

He took on a national role as Executive Director of Education, Culture and Tourism for the Local Government Association, and represented these sectors in negotiations with ministers and permanent secretaries, as well as building and spreading best practice in diverse areas of delivery.

He has built a national and international consultancy drawing on his experience, executive networks and has acquired a substantial number of clients where he has developed change management, leadership, and improvement programmes.

3.Harry Devonport (Former Director of Education at Blackburn Council)

Harry Devonport, following a successful teaching career including a Headteacher post at a South East Manchester High School, went on to lead Blackburn with Darwen’s nationally recognised Education Action Zone. Harry has since held several Chief Officer positions within the local authority, most recently as Director of Education. He led focused work on school improvement and the raising of standards, with targeted work with vulnerable and underachieving groups. Harry led the development of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the CYPP Partnership. He managed the development of performance management, quality assurance and systems to support inspection and accountability; the Department’s resourcing strategy; workforce development; and its capital programme.

There are also others and the vast majority are not Muslim. See this link:

http://www.tsacademi
es.co.uk/our-governi
ng-council.html

Well done Witton Park.

retired one wrote:
Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

As you can deduce from the article, Witton Park High School governors went to Tauheedul to become an Academy. Tauheedul did not go to them..!!!

Therefore, WE have chosen to be taken over. But i still believe that this will be good for the borough; just look at how they transformed Blakewater College (Blackburn Central).

Simon Jones, Blackburn with Darwen Secretary for the National Union of Teachers, criticised the plans.

He said: “The school has been rebuilt as part of the Building Schools for the Future scheme and now they are looking at doing their own thing.

No Simon ... They are looking to improve the education and experience of our children, yes our children, and not the NUT that has been pocketing public money for decades.

retired one wrote:
Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol

There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

buckoff wrote:
I bet there's no pork products on the menu.

Based on this comment and your burst out about food on the menu, I’m assuming your children’s schools dinners are more important than their education. Get your priorities right.

editor1988 wrote:
Congratulations to Witton Park, Cllr Dave Hollings, the Headteacher, and TSA for this partnership and 'freeing' themselves from the 'clutches' of the local authority.

These are the people involved in TSA:

1. Professor Fiona Church

Prof. Church is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. The Faculty is one of the top 10 providers for Teacher Education in the Country - rated category 1 by the DfE and 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Her expertise is in employment law and she has published a range of texts and materials in both employment law and on current education topics.

2. Neil Fletcher (Chair)

Neil Fletcher has a wide experience of the public sector at national, regional and local levels. After qualifying as a school-teacher he taught in secondary schools and further education, before becoming a full-time trade union official and an elected councillor in London.

He became Deputy Leader of Camden Council, but also served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority for 11 years, chairing the Further and Higher Education Committee for 7 years and becoming Leader until its abolition in 1990.

He took on a national role as Executive Director of Education, Culture and Tourism for the Local Government Association, and represented these sectors in negotiations with ministers and permanent secretaries, as well as building and spreading best practice in diverse areas of delivery.

He has built a national and international consultancy drawing on his experience, executive networks and has acquired a substantial number of clients where he has developed change management, leadership, and improvement programmes.

3.Harry Devonport (Former Director of Education at Blackburn Council)

Harry Devonport, following a successful teaching career including a Headteacher post at a South East Manchester High School, went on to lead Blackburn with Darwen’s nationally recognised Education Action Zone. Harry has since held several Chief Officer positions within the local authority, most recently as Director of Education. He led focused work on school improvement and the raising of standards, with targeted work with vulnerable and underachieving groups. Harry led the development of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the CYPP Partnership. He managed the development of performance management, quality assurance and systems to support inspection and accountability; the Department’s resourcing strategy; workforce development; and its capital programme.

There are also others and the vast majority are not Muslim. See this link:

http://www.tsacademi

es.co.uk/our-governi

ng-council.html

Well done Witton Park.

You can point all this out till your hearts content but some people will still only see the word Islam. These people are ignorant and mentally starved. Good on you for trying.

long_john wrote:
As a parent of 2 boys, one of whom has just completed his secondary education at Blackburn Central, I congratulate the parents of Witton Park High School. My child is now completing his A-Levels at a local college; something which he would not have even dreamt about about prior to Tauheedul's takeover.

I know Tauheedul will receive a number of negative comments below from ill-informed members of the public, but I for one am grateful to Tauheedul for saving my son's future.

Before we begin to slag Tauheedul off, let us all conduct some research as to how this organisation is bringing educational excellence to our educationally-depriv

ed children.

Best of luck!!

At least some people still understand that its more than about the food served on the school dinner menu....hint hint "buckoff comment"

retired one wrote:
Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

The reason the Witton Park governors apparently choose TSA as a sponsor was that they would not be 'taken over'.

Most academy sponsors want to 'take over' a school, change its name and change its culture. TSA were happy to let the school keep its independence and culture but to help the school to deliver better education. Witton Park plus, not the end of Witton Park.

I'm sure that the partnership will be good for the school and have no issue with the group coming in to assist: here's hoping that they do replicate the results achieved at Blackburn Central. However, I stand by my eariler comment: large amounts of money have been spent by the local authority (and therefore Council Taxpayers) on new school buildings, just for the school to say "thanks for the support and the money, but we are off now because there is nothing else you can do for us". At least that is how it feels.

Excluded again wrote:

retired one wrote:
Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

The reason the Witton Park governors apparently choose TSA as a sponsor was that they would not be 'taken over'.

Most academy sponsors want to 'take over' a school, change its name and change its culture. TSA were happy to let the school keep its independence and culture but to help the school to deliver better education. Witton Park plus, not the end of Witton Park.

Agree.

Well done.

editor1988 wrote:
Congratulations to Witton Park, Cllr Dave Hollings, the Headteacher, and TSA for this partnership and 'freeing' themselves from the 'clutches' of the local authority. These are the people involved in TSA: 1. Professor Fiona Church Prof. Church is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. The Faculty is one of the top 10 providers for Teacher Education in the Country - rated category 1 by the DfE and 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Her expertise is in employment law and she has published a range of texts and materials in both employment law and on current education topics. 2. Neil Fletcher (Chair) Neil Fletcher has a wide experience of the public sector at national, regional and local levels. After qualifying as a school-teacher he taught in secondary schools and further education, before becoming a full-time trade union official and an elected councillor in London. He became Deputy Leader of Camden Council, but also served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority for 11 years, chairing the Further and Higher Education Committee for 7 years and becoming Leader until its abolition in 1990. He took on a national role as Executive Director of Education, Culture and Tourism for the Local Government Association, and represented these sectors in negotiations with ministers and permanent secretaries, as well as building and spreading best practice in diverse areas of delivery. He has built a national and international consultancy drawing on his experience, executive networks and has acquired a substantial number of clients where he has developed change management, leadership, and improvement programmes. 3.Harry Devonport (Former Director of Education at Blackburn Council) Harry Devonport, following a successful teaching career including a Headteacher post at a South East Manchester High School, went on to lead Blackburn with Darwen’s nationally recognised Education Action Zone. Harry has since held several Chief Officer positions within the local authority, most recently as Director of Education. He led focused work on school improvement and the raising of standards, with targeted work with vulnerable and underachieving groups. Harry led the development of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the CYPP Partnership. He managed the development of performance management, quality assurance and systems to support inspection and accountability; the Department’s resourcing strategy; workforce development; and its capital programme. There are also others and the vast majority are not Muslim. See this link: http://www.tsacademi es.co.uk/our-governi ng-council.html Well done Witton Park.

Quislings

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

dagsballicks wrote:
If Witton Park wanted to be an academy, it should have done so before the new one was built with public purse. Didn't a junior school do the same thing after virtual rebuilding/modernisa

tion?

But at the time that Building Schools for the Future was set up ten years ago no-one forsaw a government allowing free schools, studio schools and who knows what to be set up.

Witton Park showed absolutely zero interest in becomoing an academy until the government not just moved the goalposts, but replaced them with showjumping fences.

So the Tauheedul group wants to help out another school for the sake of just being 'GOOD?'

A few points to think about;

1 - This group has helped out before with Shadsworth - but at the same time the group expects a lot in return, they gained the Beardworth site, they wanted to also gain the Shadsworth site, they wanted the Sacred Heart Primary School site, they also wanted the Bangor community Centre and they are currently using the St. Stephens site for their Primary school - all for FREE!

So nothing comes free and they will expect a lot in return.

2 - What makes this group such a flagship of excellence? It's only recently they have engaged in the mainstream. Previously they only engaged with a small number of Muslim / Asian girls (who are statistically show to do well anyway).

Let's wait and see how they do with their boys school or Primary school. They have not yet fully proved themselves and we are handing everythin over to them.

3 - If people wanted to send my kids to a school with a religious ethos then they would do so. Witton is not a faith school so why create confusion.

4 - If every school that is not doing as good looks to Tauhedul what is the point of the LEA?

Active Citizen wrote:
So the Tauheedul group wants to help out another school for the sake of just being 'GOOD?'

A few points to think about;

1 - This group has helped out before with Shadsworth - but at the same time the group expects a lot in return, they gained the Beardworth site, they wanted to also gain the Shadsworth site, they wanted the Sacred Heart Primary School site, they also wanted the Bangor community Centre and they are currently using the St. Stephens site for their Primary school - all for FREE!

So nothing comes free and they will expect a lot in return.

2 - What makes this group such a flagship of excellence? It's only recently they have engaged in the mainstream. Previously they only engaged with a small number of Muslim / Asian girls (who are statistically show to do well anyway).

Let's wait and see how they do with their boys school or Primary school. They have not yet fully proved themselves and we are handing everythin over to them.

3 - If people wanted to send my kids to a school with a religious ethos then they would do so. Witton is not a faith school so why create confusion.

4 - If every school that is not doing as good looks to Tauhedul what is the point of the LEA?

1) The Beardwood site was given to Tauheedul Girls well before the Blakewater partnership. The Blakewater partnership was set up by the LEA not Tauheedul. They do not have anything to do with Sacred Heart, as they are opening thier own Primary. They are renting the St Stephens premises from the Diocese (you can go and ask).

2) They have a formula for excellence. The girls school has twice been rated Outstanding by Ofsted and they brought Blakewater up from 11% 5 A*-C inc. English and Maths to 53%. So don't say that they don't have a proven track record.

3) Point three does not even make sense. TSA is a non-denomination academy sponsor. Thats all it is. Where does religion come into all of this.

4) Well, if the LEA are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, then schools are forced to turn to others for help..!!

Thank You

Active Citizen wrote:
So the Tauheedul group wants to help out another school for the sake of just being 'GOOD?'

A few points to think about;

1 - This group has helped out before with Shadsworth - but at the same time the group expects a lot in return, they gained the Beardworth site, they wanted to also gain the Shadsworth site, they wanted the Sacred Heart Primary School site, they also wanted the Bangor community Centre and they are currently using the St. Stephens site for their Primary school - all for FREE!

So nothing comes free and they will expect a lot in return.

2 - What makes this group such a flagship of excellence? It's only recently they have engaged in the mainstream. Previously they only engaged with a small number of Muslim / Asian girls (who are statistically show to do well anyway).

Let's wait and see how they do with their boys school or Primary school. They have not yet fully proved themselves and we are handing everythin over to them.

3 - If people wanted to send my kids to a school with a religious ethos then they would do so. Witton is not a faith school so why create confusion.

4 - If every school that is not doing as good looks to Tauhedul what is the point of the LEA?

Since when was Blackburn Central full of "Muslim/Asian girls"?

As well as their success with the Girls' school, Tauheedul have managed to improve the performance of Blackburn Central to record high levels.

The LEA should do it's job so other wouldn't have too.

But what does Taheedul get out of this? that is an important question

blackburn4life wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:
So the Tauheedul group wants to help out another school for the sake of just being 'GOOD?'

A few points to think about;

1 - This group has helped out before with Shadsworth - but at the same time the group expects a lot in return, they gained the Beardworth site, they wanted to also gain the Shadsworth site, they wanted the Sacred Heart Primary School site, they also wanted the Bangor community Centre and they are currently using the St. Stephens site for their Primary school - all for FREE!

So nothing comes free and they will expect a lot in return.

2 - What makes this group such a flagship of excellence? It's only recently they have engaged in the mainstream. Previously they only engaged with a small number of Muslim / Asian girls (who are statistically show to do well anyway).

Let's wait and see how they do with their boys school or Primary school. They have not yet fully proved themselves and we are handing everythin over to them.

3 - If people wanted to send my kids to a school with a religious ethos then they would do so. Witton is not a faith school so why create confusion.

4 - If every school that is not doing as good looks to Tauhedul what is the point of the LEA?

1) The Beardwood site was given to Tauheedul Girls well before the Blakewater partnership. The Blakewater partnership was set up by the LEA not Tauheedul. They do not have anything to do with Sacred Heart, as they are opening thier own Primary. They are renting the St Stephens premises from the Diocese (you can go and ask).

2) They have a formula for excellence. The girls school has twice been rated Outstanding by Ofsted and they brought Blakewater up from 11% 5 A*-C inc. English and Maths to 53%. So don't say that they don't have a proven track record.

3) Point three does not even make sense. TSA is a non-denomination academy sponsor. Thats all it is. Where does religion come into all of this.

4) Well, if the LEA are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, then schools are forced to turn to others for help..!!

Thank You

Regardless of when it was given, The Beardswood site was given for free!

You say they have nothing to do with Sacred Heart, you can just google it to see that you are wrong. they wanted it for free before they opened their own school this september.

Even with Bangor Street Community Centre you can ask the council they asked to have it for free!

Even the with the Blakewater partnership - they put in an expression for an asset transfer of the old site!

So they are not doing anything for nothing, they have their own agenda and we the taxpayer needs to be aware of that!

They girls school has done well - but is has only recently become state funded and hence mainstream. before that it was a very exclusive school for a small number of girls from the Indian community - who generally do well in school (look at national stats)

Lets wait and see how the boys school does or the primary school? its very premature to call them a flagship just yet!

Point 3 makes absolute sense. Those parents who want to send their kids to a school where religious clerics and groups are actively involved usually send their kids to a faith school. Those that don't send them to a non-faith school. this confuses the two!

You accept that the LEA are ot doing their job - well they should that is what they are there for. If we feel the court's are not doing their job do we select someone who we feel is good as a judge! Well maybe that's the way we will go if this carries on.

We will be living in a state withing a state before you know it!

blackburn4life wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:
So the Tauheedul group wants to help out another school for the sake of just being 'GOOD?'

A few points to think about;

1 - This group has helped out before with Shadsworth - but at the same time the group expects a lot in return, they gained the Beardworth site, they wanted to also gain the Shadsworth site, they wanted the Sacred Heart Primary School site, they also wanted the Bangor community Centre and they are currently using the St. Stephens site for their Primary school - all for FREE!

So nothing comes free and they will expect a lot in return.

2 - What makes this group such a flagship of excellence? It's only recently they have engaged in the mainstream. Previously they only engaged with a small number of Muslim / Asian girls (who are statistically show to do well anyway).

Let's wait and see how they do with their boys school or Primary school. They have not yet fully proved themselves and we are handing everythin over to them.

3 - If people wanted to send my kids to a school with a religious ethos then they would do so. Witton is not a faith school so why create confusion.

4 - If every school that is not doing as good looks to Tauhedul what is the point of the LEA?

1) The Beardwood site was given to Tauheedul Girls well before the Blakewater partnership. The Blakewater partnership was set up by the LEA not Tauheedul. They do not have anything to do with Sacred Heart, as they are opening thier own Primary. They are renting the St Stephens premises from the Diocese (you can go and ask).

2) They have a formula for excellence. The girls school has twice been rated Outstanding by Ofsted and they brought Blakewater up from 11% 5 A*-C inc. English and Maths to 53%. So don't say that they don't have a proven track record.

3) Point three does not even make sense. TSA is a non-denomination academy sponsor. Thats all it is. Where does religion come into all of this.

4) Well, if the LEA are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, then schools are forced to turn to others for help..!!

Thank You

The Blackburn LEA has failed the children of Blackburn.

All you have to do is look at the achievement of children in Blackburn.

Islam is behind all this and this is another step to Islamising all Blackburn schools. By 2035/2040 this process will be complete.

Active Citizen wrote:
So the Tauheedul group wants to help out another school for the sake of just being 'GOOD?' A few points to think about; 1 - This group has helped out before with Shadsworth - but at the same time the group expects a lot in return, they gained the Beardworth site, they wanted to also gain the Shadsworth site, they wanted the Sacred Heart Primary School site, they also wanted the Bangor community Centre and they are currently using the St. Stephens site for their Primary school - all for FREE! So nothing comes free and they will expect a lot in return. 2 - What makes this group such a flagship of excellence? It's only recently they have engaged in the mainstream. Previously they only engaged with a small number of Muslim / Asian girls (who are statistically show to do well anyway). Let's wait and see how they do with their boys school or Primary school. They have not yet fully proved themselves and we are handing everythin over to them. 3 - If people wanted to send my kids to a school with a religious ethos then they would do so. Witton is not a faith school so why create confusion. 4 - If every school that is not doing as good looks to Tauhedul what is the point of the LEA?

Very good points.

The difference is the extra money the mosque, the girl’s school and the TSA receive. Across Europe and the States there are issues regarding the funding these charities receive and the expectations required of them regarding the promotion of certain religious beliefs.

This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

I wonder if any of the critics think why Cllr Dave Harling agreed to choose TSA as the academy sponsor.

He is a Labour councillor!

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

editor1988 wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

I wonder if any of the critics think why Cllr Dave Harling agreed to choose TSA as the academy sponsor.

He is a Labour councillor!

What has Councillor Dave Harling got to do with this? He is not a governor at Witton Park High School. In what way was he involved?

Excluded again wrote:

editor1988 wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

I wonder if any of the critics think why Cllr Dave Harling agreed to choose TSA as the academy sponsor.

He is a Labour councillor!

What has Councillor Dave Harling got to do with this? He is not a governor at Witton Park High School. In what way was he involved?

Think he read Dave Hollings as Dave Harling.......

Good to see that pretty much all of the informed and intelligent comment (ie excluding the Islamaphobics and conspiracy theorists) can see the benefit of this for Witton Park and its community. I just wish we could have more mature and thoughtful debates about education and other issues of public interest....

Good to see that pretty much all of the informed and intelligent comment (ie excluding the Islamaphobics and conspiracy theorists) can see the benefit of this for Witton Park and its community. I just wish we could have more mature and thoughtful debates about education and other issues of public interest....

As with any school that becomes an academy the buildings etc... move over to the the academy trust, this is standard practice. The timing of this is not ideal as the LA/government has indeed spent quite a lot of money on it, but as I've stated above, it's no different to any other academy in that respect. It's not Tauheedul getting some kind of special favour.
The level of paranoia demonstrated by some contributers simply beggars belief. I have followed Tauheedul's progress in this town for some time, and like many people I was slightly wary at first as to what their intentions were. It has to be said that the school's achievements are remarkable, and we now have one of the country's highest performing school's on our doorstep. We should all be proud of this. We are not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to being top of the league for anything around here, but by any measure Tauheedul is doing the business.
I don't know who 'Jack Daniels' is but I've been reading his doom-laden scribblings for years on these pages, but he is really is clutching at straws here. When Tauheedul entered into partnership with Blakewater some years ago, did the nature of the school change? No, it didn't. Did it become an Islamic school? No, it didn't. Did the results go up, did they get a good inspection report? Yes to both of those. A school in one of the toughest parts of town is now on the up, with better employment opportunities for all the young people. Why so churlish Jack?
This surely must be the reason why Witton wishes to work with Tauheedul; there is no way that Witton would wish to change its status and become a religious school, this is all about education and working with another school with a proven track record of collaboration. Would you rather the Witton students didn't get better grades Jack? I don't how how up to date you are with political and economic issues, but I hear there's a bit of a recession on around here Jack and employers are on the look out for young people with good GCSEs; why are you so anti-success and ambition Jack?

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development.

Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

A Measured Response wrote:
As with any school that becomes an academy the buildings etc... move over to the the academy trust, this is standard practice. The timing of this is not ideal as the LA/government has indeed spent quite a lot of money on it, but as I've stated above, it's no different to any other academy in that respect. It's not Tauheedul getting some kind of special favour.
The level of paranoia demonstrated by some contributers simply beggars belief. I have followed Tauheedul's progress in this town for some time, and like many people I was slightly wary at first as to what their intentions were. It has to be said that the school's achievements are remarkable, and we now have one of the country's highest performing school's on our doorstep. We should all be proud of this. We are not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to being top of the league for anything around here, but by any measure Tauheedul is doing the business.
I don't know who 'Jack Daniels' is but I've been reading his doom-laden scribblings for years on these pages, but he is really is clutching at straws here. When Tauheedul entered into partnership with Blakewater some years ago, did the nature of the school change? No, it didn't. Did it become an Islamic school? No, it didn't. Did the results go up, did they get a good inspection report? Yes to both of those. A school in one of the toughest parts of town is now on the up, with better employment opportunities for all the young people. Why so churlish Jack?
This surely must be the reason why Witton wishes to work with Tauheedul; there is no way that Witton would wish to change its status and become a religious school, this is all about education and working with another school with a proven track record of collaboration. Would you rather the Witton students didn't get better grades Jack? I don't how how up to date you are with political and economic issues, but I hear there's a bit of a recession on around here Jack and employers are on the look out for young people with good GCSEs; why are you so anti-success and ambition Jack?

Spot on.

Important to stress the Board Members of TSA. The Chair and the majority of the Board are not from Tauheedul Girls school and are actually not Muslim.


+ Sue Barkway


Sue Barkway has extensive experience of education. She has been the headteacher of three primary schools, ranging in size from 350 pupils to 840 pupils plus a nursery department. She led two of the schools through Ofsted inspections and, on both occasions, overall effectiveness and leadership and management were judged to be outstanding. In 2000, Sue was appointed as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI). As an HMI, she inspected schools and initial teacher training and was also involved in the development of the 2005 and 2009 Ofsted school inspection frameworks. Sue became a divisional manager in Ofsted and then was Regional Director until her recent retirement. As Regional Director, she was responsible for the delivery and quality of all early years, school, learning and skills and social care inspections in the North region and for the management of HMI who carried out the inspections. Since her retirement, Sue has worked as an inspector on Ofsted inspections and an education consultant.


+ Professor Fiona Church


Prof. Church is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. The Faculty is one of the top 10 providers for Teacher Education in the Country - rated category 1 by the DfE and 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Her expertise is in employment law and she has published a range of texts and materials in both employment law and on current education topics.


+ Martyn Collin


Martyn Collin has extensive experience in school improvement having worked at a school, Local Authority, and National level over the past 30 years. Following ten years of successful primary headship he worked as Principal Adviser in Birmingham, and was a Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies from 2007 to 2011. Martyn has recently returned to primary headship, continues to provide independent consultancy to schools and trusts, and is Chair of Trustees for a Secondary Academy.


+ Ken Davis


Ken Davis is a strategy and change management consultant with a range of public sector experience. As well as a senior manager at the Audit Commission, he has been a director in local government and a consultant focusing on strategic management and performance improvement. At the Commission he was responsible for the delivery of value for money studies, assessments and inspections in London. He also managed the introduction of Comprehensive Area Assessment in the capital.

While he was a consultant he worked in a range of organisations, such as the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Independent Housing Ombudsman and the London Magistrates Courts Authority, along with local authorities on performance improvement. He also worked with the IDeA and the Commission on the Performance Management Monitoring and Information project. He has an MBA from the Open University Business School and has taught the Strategy module on this course for the past 15 years.


+ Harry Devonport


Harry Devonport, following a successful teaching career including a Headteacher post at a South East Manchester High School, went on to lead Blackburn with Darwen’s nationally recognised Education Action Zone. Harry has since held several Chief Officer positions within the local authority, most recently as Director of Education. He led focused work on school improvement and the raising of standards, with targeted work with vulnerable and underachieving groups. Harry led the development of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the CYPP Partnership. He managed the development of performance management, quality assurance and systems to support inspection and accountability; the Department’s resourcing strategy; workforce development; and its capital programme.


+ Neil Fletcher (Chair of Tauheedul Sponsored Academies)


Neil Fletcher has a wide experience of the public sector at national, regional and local levels. After qualifying as a school-teacher he taught in secondary schools and further education, before becoming a full-time trade union official and an elected councillor in London.

He became Deputy Leader of Camden Council, but also served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority for 11 years, chairing the Further and Higher Education Committee for 7 years and becoming Leader until its abolition in 1990.

He took on a national role as Executive Director of Education, Culture and Tourism for the Local Government Association, and represented these sectors in negotiations with ministers and permanent secretaries, as well as building and spreading best practice in diverse areas of delivery.

He has built a national and international consultancy drawing on his experience, executive networks and has acquired a substantial number of clients where he has developed change management, leadership, and improvement programmes.


+ Mohamed Isap


Mohamed Isap, established his business MPG, a print and document management company with headquarters in Manchester city centre, 13 years ago. The MPG group now has five business divisions operating nationally and has been listed in the Financial Times 100 fastest growing companies. Mohamed has also founded 2 Social Enterprise companies Business Plus and Create Plus.

He is Vice Chair of Blackburn with Darwen’s Local Strategic Partnership, the town’s largest and most influential partnership body which is made up of representatives from the public sector, local business and the faith, community and voluntary sector. Mohamed has previously been a non-executive director of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and for six years served on the Department for Trade and Industry’s Ethnic Minority Business Forum. He was instrumental in bringing a significant amount of national funding into the region to support business and entrepreneurship. He is on the Corporation board at Blackburn College, is the Chairman of Governors at Wensley Fold Church of England School, is the Vice-chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islamic Girls’ High School, and is on the Trust Board at Blakewater College.


+ Kevin Massey


Kevin Massey has extensive and successful experience in leading and managing school improvement teams and programmes at regional, local authority and school level. Before working as an independent consultant he was the Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies in Yorkshire and Humberside and also worked with the Strategies in the North West. Kevin has focused on supporting LAs and school leaders to recover schools from below the floor targets, in category or causing concern, improving attendance and raising standards in all phases, including Early Years. Previously Kevin was Principal Adviser in Halton. He has worked as an Ofsted Inspector with LAs and for private contractors.


+ Kevin Jaquiss


Kevin received the Financial Times Innovative Lawyer of the Year 2010 award for his work in developing new structures for the delivery of community services, focusing most recently on new methods of funding. His experience covers both the design of appropriate governance and management structures and the implementation of new enterprise projects across a range of public services, including education and health.

Kevin’s original background is in employment law and he offers advice on human resource strategy, including change management and collective bargaining issues. He is a qualified mediator and a regular speaker at conferences and seminars in his areas of expertise.


+ Kamruddin Kothia


With a strong background experience in telecommunications, Kam established eBusiness UK Ltd in 1998 to supply e-commerce, e-marketing and web site design solutions to SMEs in the North West. eBusiness UK is now renowned as one of Lancashire’s premier digital agencies; it specialises in helping businesses generate great investment returns from their online channels. With over a dozen years of frontline digital experience, eBusiness UK have delivered over 300 online solutions and won numerous awards along the way.

Kam is currently the Chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, Blackburn; Chair of East Blackburn Learning Community Trust and a Member of the Guardian Angels Network (a Voluntary Group of Business Mentors). His previous commitments have included being a Director of Business Link; the Vice Chairman and Director of the Asian Business Federation and a Director of the East Lancashire Partnership. Kam was also a founder member and Chair of the NWDA’s NW Ethnic Minority Business Forum and founder Member of the DTI Ministerial Ethnic Minority Business Forum.


+ Hamid Patel


Currently Principal of TIGHS and Chief Executive of the Tauheedul Trust, (Mufti) Hamid is a National Leader for Education and Chair of the Governing Body at Blakewater College. He was previously Vice Principal at Bradford College and Head of Workforce Development at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

He has a vast experience of national and international education gained through study and further professional qualifications, as well as from serving on a variety of boards and committees in the UK and elsewhere.

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development.

Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

No resources will be taken from other children.

In fact, the council was taking up to 10% or maybe more of Witton's budget and wasting it.

In many ways, the children of Blackburn will benefit now.

Oh no, it looks like this thread has every danger of being overrun with... the facts! Thanks to editor1988 for all this detail. This looks like a group of experienced educationalists and business and community leaders, so all this Islamophobic nonsense is looking increasingly wide of the mark.
It should also be pointed out that if the Witton Governing Body didn't want this to happen, then the plan would never have seen the light of day. They clearly think that it will be good for the school and the community, and it almost certainly will be.

This is an example of an Islamic organisation doing some good work, to get more of the public on their side. No power can ever take over a nation without doing some good deeds to get the backing of some of the population.

A few points for discussion which the contributors on this thread who are clearly Tauheedul people may want to clear up.
1) Is this an attempt by Witton Park to halt the decline in pupil numbers and as a result job losses?
2) Will children who fail to get in to the girls or boys school be sign-posted to Witton now?
3) If the answer to 2 is "yes" it will result in white flight for sure. Where will the children who otherwise go Witton go? St Bedes is full, St Wilfrids is full.
4) Will it simply become another Beardwood in terms on intake?
5) Should Pleckgate be worried about their intake now?

What is left to say accept witton will be all ethnic in 4 years, and they will try to turn St Marks church in to a mosque?.
People its to late there are too many morons backing up the ethnics,
They have all the facts? you know!.
Just like the educated who run the banks, are smart? they only crashed the banks.( and fixed LIBOR )
Like the experts who have information that Saddam has WMDs?.
And just like the muppit scientist who invented atomic power, its clean! abundant and cheep energy?, well looked good on paper!.
Or like those smart chaps with there information who said we are in Afghanistan to get Islamic terrorists?.
who only lived over the border in Pakistan then come back to britain ???????.
So there no point in saying anything, The morons are always right even when their wrong!.
After all they do have facts and paper work!.
But as history shows us not every thing written down is fact just some ones opinion on the facts.
And to all you people! who think like me?, just call facts propaganda to sell us SH*T.( believe in your gut feelings you all know its right )
As they say!, The inmates are running the nuthouse with there OCD paperwork and fatuous facts.

England is dead , long live Englstan.
I am so glad my grandad and is family are not with us anymore.
They would be disgusted with us all.
The family gave 3 sons in second world war to keep England English?
And those who disagree fine do so,
Just about anyone whose family as give so much of our blood to keep us free.
And all you get is worms bending over backwards, too suck up too the ethnic races in this town.
Take over is take over whether you use a gun or a pen, didn't someone say the pen was mighty-er than a sword!.
look what the yanks did to the american red indians moved in and took more and more and more till there was nothing but desert and mountains.
So there buying us up, not blowing us up, in the end well still have no were to to call home no culture left except us and them.
chew on this folks TTFN

I shall be true to my name and not even attempt to respond to the above rantings.
Regarding DGower, well, who can say? Nearly all local authorities in Britain have challenges regarding fluctuating intakes and the emergence of new schools. Ultimately parents will want to send their children to schools that are likely to ensure the best possible grades. If parents are prepared to uproot their families and move elsewhere and be a part of 'white flight' that is of course their right, but the blame for this cannot be laid at the door of the local school. Over time house prices in the vicinity of outstanding schools tend to go up, so it might be better to stay put! Wanting the best for your children is something that unites people of all backgrounds and faiths. There are now numerous examples nationally of schools - both primary and secondary - with significant ethnic minority intakes that are performing well above national averages. 'Ethnic Minority' is no longer a synonym for 'challenging'. In the light of this I am sure that 'sickofthisrubbish' will wish to amend his comments...

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

Not heard from you in a long time Mr Daniels.... Still standing outside KFC in a chicken suit? I guess boycotting KFC didn’t pay off, as you turned from KFC to Tesco burgers and ended up eating horse meat instead.

sickofthisrubbish wrote:
What is left to say accept witton will be all ethnic in 4 years, and they will try to turn St Marks church in to a mosque?.
People its to late there are too many morons backing up the ethnics,
They have all the facts? you know!.
Just like the educated who run the banks, are smart? they only crashed the banks.( and fixed LIBOR )
Like the experts who have information that Saddam has WMDs?.
And just like the muppit scientist who invented atomic power, its clean! abundant and cheep energy?, well looked good on paper!.
Or like those smart chaps with there information who said we are in Afghanistan to get Islamic terrorists?.
who only lived over the border in Pakistan then come back to britain ???????.
So there no point in saying anything, The morons are always right even when their wrong!.
After all they do have facts and paper work!.
But as history shows us not every thing written down is fact just some ones opinion on the facts.
And to all you people! who think like me?, just call facts propaganda to sell us SH*T.( believe in your gut feelings you all know its right )
As they say!, The inmates are running the nuthouse with there OCD paperwork and fatuous facts.

England is dead , long live Englstan.
I am so glad my grandad and is family are not with us anymore.
They would be disgusted with us all.
The family gave 3 sons in second world war to keep England English?
And those who disagree fine do so,
Just about anyone whose family as give so much of our blood to keep us free.
And all you get is worms bending over backwards, too suck up too the ethnic races in this town.
Take over is take over whether you use a gun or a pen, didn't someone say the pen was mighty-er than a sword!.
look what the yanks did to the american red indians moved in and took more and more and more till there was nothing but desert and mountains.
So there buying us up, not blowing us up, in the end well still have no were to to call home no culture left except us and them.
chew on this folks TTFN

It is sad to hear that you think your lost loved ones who sacrificed their lives for this country would feel this way. Personally I don’t think they would, as they would know first hand about the bravery and sacrifice of thousands of Muslim soldiers during the first and second world wars (sadly not widely known today).

We should be proud to recognise the invaluable role played by the Muslim men and women who fought, and died, during these defining conflicts. The parents, grandparents and great grandparents of many British Muslims served in both WW1 and WW2 - and all too often gave their lives - in the stand against totalitarianism, and we should honour their memory and their sacrifice.

Too many people are either unfamiliar (or just ignorant) with the fact that Muslims too had been embroiled in the “war to end all wars”, or lack an understanding of their contributions.

I guess you didn’t know that:

- Of the 1,300,000 Indians who constituted the volunteer force during the First World War, approximately 400,000 were Muslims.

- Out of the 50-60,000 troops serving in Italy during Second World War the Muslim contingent was estimated to be up to 20,000.

- Of the 122 deaths of soldiers under the age of 18 in Italy, 90 were Muslim. Among them were three 15-year olds (YES FIFTEEN): Amir Khan from Attock, Gulab Khan from Rawalpindi, and Mian Khan from Kohat.

-The notion of Izzat (honour) was one that was used to recruit Muslim men of the empire, and so important was the Muslim contribution in both World Wars that Churchill himself wrote, “We must not on any account break with the Muslims who represent 100 million people and the main army elements which we must rely on for the immediate fighting.”

If you still don’t wanna believe me Google these names: KHUDADAD KHAN, MIR DAST, ALI HAIDER and NOOR INAYAT KHAN (Female Soldier).

Seriously people, i do a lot of historical research as a hobby and personal interest and you should lay off Muslims, not all of them are the same.

Just like Christians, Jews and Atheists have a minority of imbeciles that’s hate everyone apart from those in their religion, Muslims have the same. Just don’t think all of them feel this way.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on this. But the Unions are representing the opinion of Education Professionals - and they have cleary opposed the plans.

Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this:
http://www.crisis.or
g.uk/news.php?id=597


http://www.tauheedul
relief.org/current-a
ppeals/uk-homelessne
ss-campaign/

Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis.


The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people.

Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.”

The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

A Measured Response wrote:
Oh no, it looks like this thread has every danger of being overrun with... the facts! Thanks to editor1988 for all this detail. This looks like a group of experienced educationalists and business and community leaders, so all this Islamophobic nonsense is looking increasingly wide of the mark.
It should also be pointed out that if the Witton Governing Body didn't want this to happen, then the plan would never have seen the light of day. They clearly think that it will be good for the school and the community, and it almost certainly will be.

Let us all congratulate TSA and Witton Park. Special credit to Neil Fletcher (Chair of TSA), Hamid Patel and Dean the Witton Head.

They are doing an excellent job by 'freeing' themselves from the local authority that has been profiting milliions of pounds of our money and our schools money and failing our children.

All you have to do is look at some comments on this website to understand how the local authorities have failed our children.

Well done TSA and Witton. All the best.

Pleckgate and Blackburn Central, you may as well also become an academy by joining TSA. Go for it!

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development.

Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job

I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning?

Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development.

Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job

I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning?

Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Oh dear. So by the same token every Roman Catholic school should be linked with allegations of wrong-doing by being 'denominationally associated'. When the facts get in the way of your argument resort to smear tactics. Shame we can't have a debate like adults.

The point about the teacher unions and professional associations beng opposed to this development is fair one to make. However, their opposition is not to Tauheedul as sponsor but to the government's Academies policy itself. I have some sympathy with his, but it's the way things are going so we need to get the best deal for children in Blackburn and as far as I can see that's what is happening.

Stephiee wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development.

Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job

I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning?

Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Oh dear. So by the same token every Roman Catholic school should be linked with allegations of wrong-doing by being 'denominationally associated'. When the facts get in the way of your argument resort to smear tactics. Shame we can't have a debate like adults.

The point about the teacher unions and professional associations beng opposed to this development is fair one to make. However, their opposition is not to Tauheedul as sponsor but to the government's Academies policy itself. I have some sympathy with his, but it's the way things are going so we need to get the best deal for children in Blackburn and as far as I can see that's what is happening.

Well said..!!! At least we have some people who enjoy a proper debate and discourage smear tactics; unlike Active Citizen.

Blackburn is a VERY segregated town, and some of the comments on this forum highlight this.

Schools like Tibs and TIGS (and other faith schools like Bedes and Wilfreds) are oart of the problem as their intake is highlights the white / asian divide. Witton is one of a few schools that still has a good mix of kids from all backgrounds.

This move will inevitably lead to white flight and the parents have the right to move their kids as so much change and not enough consultaton with them is happening.

Result another Beardwood and we all know who was quite happy to take over that site

Jack Walker Fan- 1967 wrote:
Blackburn is a VERY segregated town, and some of the comments on this forum highlight this. Schools like Tibs and TIGS (and other faith schools like Bedes and Wilfreds) are oart of the problem as their intake is highlights the white / asian divide. Witton is one of a few schools that still has a good mix of kids from all backgrounds. This move will inevitably lead to white flight and the parents have the right to move their kids as so much change and not enough consultaton with them is happening. Result another Beardwood and we all know who was quite happy to take over that site

Is that really the case?

Tauheedul have been running Blackburn Central for a number of years now. Have we really seen 'white-flight'?

On the contrary, we have parents (like the one who has commented towards the beginning of this thread) who have embraced Tauheedul's assistance.

As you mention consultation, let us think... If the parents of Blackburn Central were consulted prior to their Tauheedul takeover, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have gone ahead. Rather, the Local Authority formed the partnership between the two schools and it has worked.

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

Not heard from you in a long time Mr Daniels.... Still standing outside KFC in a chicken suit? I guess boycotting KFC didn’t pay off, as you turned from KFC to Tesco burgers and ended up eating horse meat instead.

Still making up your bullsh!t I see. Better than admitting the facts before you....

editor1988 wrote:
Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this.

shame on you for using them in this way

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

Not heard from you in a long time Mr Daniels.... Still standing outside KFC in a chicken suit? I guess boycotting KFC didn’t pay off, as you turned from KFC to Tesco burgers and ended up eating horse meat instead.

Still making up your bullsh!t I see. Better than admitting the facts before you....

Is it just me seeing this guy attacking himself...lmfao

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote:
Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this.

shame on you for using them in this way

I actually meant to say

“they are not the only school children who do activities like these. It is inexcusable for you to be using these particular children’s example in this sort of manner”

My grammar is atrocious I know.

jack denials wrote:
I guess you didn’t know that: - Of the 1,300,000 Indians who constituted the volunteer force during the First World War, approximately 400,000 were Muslims. - Out of the 50-60,000 troops serving in Italy during Second World War the Muslim contingent was estimated to be up to 20,000. - Of the 122 deaths of soldiers under the age of 18 in Italy, 90 were Muslim. Among them were three 15-year olds (YES FIFTEEN): Amir Khan from Attock, Gulab Khan from Rawalpindi, and Mian Khan from Kohat. -The notion of Izzat (honour) was one that was used to recruit Muslim men of the empire, and so important was the Muslim contribution in both World Wars that Churchill himself wrote, “We must not on any account break with the Muslims who represent 100 million people and the main army elements which we must rely on for the immediate fighting.” If you still don’t wanna believe me Google these names: KHUDADAD KHAN, MIR DAST, ALI HAIDER and NOOR INAYAT KHAN (Female Soldier). Seriously people, i do a lot of historical research as a hobby and personal interest and you should lay off Muslims, not all of them are the same. Just like Christians, Jews and Atheists have a minority of imbeciles that’s hate everyone apart from those in their religion, Muslims have the same. Just don’t think all of them feel this way.

You are indeed correct denials, and we should never forget the courage and bravery of anybody who stands against those who choose to oppress us.

Even today we have good honest people fighting and protesting for simple freedoms in Africa and many of the Arabian Countries.

Yet in this country, along with the rest of Europe, North America and Australia, we have clear concerns by its citizens and politicians regarding the more ‘controlling ‘ and fundamental Islamic practices, which are being promoted by well funded organisations.

Even the simplest issues such as how they live and their education, are being controlled by powerful men within the communities and mosques. Men who are intent on retaining old customs and that should have been left behind when they moved to other parts of the world. I believe these same people are looking towards the strict principles seen in Qatar (who part funded the tauheedal mosque) and well as those practices seen in Saudi Arabia.

Is this what THE PEOPLE want?

Is this what people fought and died for in the 1940’s? The replacement of one extremist with another?

No.. I don’t think so either.

Open_Mind wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

Not heard from you in a long time Mr Daniels.... Still standing outside KFC in a chicken suit? I guess boycotting KFC didn’t pay off, as you turned from KFC to Tesco burgers and ended up eating horse meat instead.

Still making up your bullsh!t I see. Better than admitting the facts before you....

Is it just me seeing this guy attacking himself...lmfao

no, it's becasue you can't read.

2/10 must try harder

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote: Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this. shame on you for using them in this way

I actually meant to say “they are not the only school children who do activities like these. It is inexcusable for you to be using these particular children’s example in this sort of manner” My grammar is atrocious I know.

either way, I'm still right.. init

As has been pointed out by others, the vast majority of Muslims in the UK are NOT extremists. They are moderates whose values are very similar to the traditional values that our country has always seen as important. They want integration and social harmony. We should be working with progressive Muslim organisations rather than trying to stir up hatred against them.

Witton Park will not become a Muslim school as a result of Tauheedul's involvement. This shows the integrity of the organisation.

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:
I guess you didn’t know that: - Of the 1,300,000 Indians who constituted the volunteer force during the First World War, approximately 400,000 were Muslims. - Out of the 50-60,000 troops serving in Italy during Second World War the Muslim contingent was estimated to be up to 20,000. - Of the 122 deaths of soldiers under the age of 18 in Italy, 90 were Muslim. Among them were three 15-year olds (YES FIFTEEN): Amir Khan from Attock, Gulab Khan from Rawalpindi, and Mian Khan from Kohat. -The notion of Izzat (honour) was one that was used to recruit Muslim men of the empire, and so important was the Muslim contribution in both World Wars that Churchill himself wrote, “We must not on any account break with the Muslims who represent 100 million people and the main army elements which we must rely on for the immediate fighting.” If you still don’t wanna believe me Google these names: KHUDADAD KHAN, MIR DAST, ALI HAIDER and NOOR INAYAT KHAN (Female Soldier). Seriously people, i do a lot of historical research as a hobby and personal interest and you should lay off Muslims, not all of them are the same. Just like Christians, Jews and Atheists have a minority of imbeciles that’s hate everyone apart from those in their religion, Muslims have the same. Just don’t think all of them feel this way.

You are indeed correct denials, and we should never forget the courage and bravery of anybody who stands against those who choose to oppress us.

Even today we have good honest people fighting and protesting for simple freedoms in Africa and many of the Arabian Countries.

Yet in this country, along with the rest of Europe, North America and Australia, we have clear concerns by its citizens and politicians regarding the more ‘controlling ‘ and fundamental Islamic practices, which are being promoted by well funded organisations.

Even the simplest issues such as how they live and their education, are being controlled by powerful men within the communities and mosques. Men who are intent on retaining old customs and that should have been left behind when they moved to other parts of the world. I believe these same people are looking towards the strict principles seen in Qatar (who part funded the tauheedal mosque) and well as those practices seen in Saudi Arabia.

Is this what THE PEOPLE want?

Is this what people fought and died for in the 1940’s? The replacement of one extremist with another?

No.. I don’t think so either.

This is a great comment Jack Daniels... I didn't think you had it in yourself to praise one of my comments (near enough a compliment)

I agree that the more controlling and fundamental Islamic practices, which are being promoted by well-funded organisations from the House of Saud (Saudi Arabia Royal Family) are wrong.

But there are many peace loving "SUFI MUSLIMS" (Google this word) who are living their lives in peace as they should be allowed to, regardless of where they come from. These Muslims decline the Saudi Arabia propaganda, do not accept their money, support the fight on terrorism and remember those soldiers that fought to give all ethnicities in this country the liberty to live in a free country.

All I am saying is not all Muslims are the same.

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote: Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this. shame on you for using them in this way

I actually meant to say “they are not the only school children who do activities like these. It is inexcusable for you to be using these particular children’s example in this sort of manner” My grammar is atrocious I know.

either way, I'm still right.. init

I think you meant to say “Whichever manner I choose to enlighten you, I am most certainly correct, aren’t I”.....

Yes you are Jack Daniels, yes you are indeed.

jack daniels wrote:

Open_Mind wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

Not heard from you in a long time Mr Daniels.... Still standing outside KFC in a chicken suit? I guess boycotting KFC didn’t pay off, as you turned from KFC to Tesco burgers and ended up eating horse meat instead.

Still making up your bullsh!t I see. Better than admitting the facts before you....

Is it just me seeing this guy attacking himself...lmfao

no, it's becasue you can't read.

2/10 must try harder

Marking me on my inability to notice “Jack Daniels” and “Jack Denials” are two different individuals commenting…. that’s a bit low.

Your grammar is very poor (1/10) as rightly pointed out by Jack Denials. Perhaps you should be attending one of Tauheedul managed schools where GCSE results are astoundingly superb.

I don't see the problem with the head of Tauheedul Boys' school talking about the fundraising achievements of her students, that's normal for a head teacher who is proud of her students, and other heads have been in print for many years doing the same thing. The charge of 'using' them is excessive.
This is symptomatic of a larger issue when the topic under discussion is anything relating to Muslims or Islam. The allegation used to be that 'they keep themselves to themselves, they don't want to mix with the rest of us.' When a group of Muslims do decide to embrace wider British society, they are then accused of 'taking over', even when they act as partners with non-Islamic organisations such as Beardwood School. When they are invited to work as partners, once again, with a non-Islamic school - Witton Park - it's because they not only have another agenda, it's because they have friends in high places.When a group of young boys raise a good sum of money for a national homeless charity, for the headteacher to be proud of them is because she is 'using' them.
We are almost at the point where we must ask ourselves, what is it that the Muslim community have to do to be accepted by wider society? Raise even greater sums of money? Get even better results in their schools? Work with even more organisations and help improve their performance? It would appear that for the Mr. Daniels of this world, let alone the soon-to-be-sectioned 'sickofthisrubbish', the answer is there is nothing that they can do. The more the Muslim community become involved in British society, the more they hate it, and it must really hurt when they do things as well as they do. No-one is pretending that there are not challenges in working together and finding common ground, but securing better futures for our young people and our town is something we all should be able to unite on, and for the most part people of all colours and beliefs are quietly, every day, doing just that. If Jack Daniels really has nothing to contribute to this debate other than spout his vile hatred, then perhaps it is he who is out of date, out of touch, and the one who is unable to integrate.

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote: Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this. shame on you for using them in this way

I actually meant to say “they are not the only school children who do activities like these. It is inexcusable for you to be using these particular children’s example in this sort of manner” My grammar is atrocious I know.

either way, I'm still right.. init

" init " " init " " init " "init" i've had it with people using this stupid wrongfully spelled word.

Shortened version of ' IS IT NOT '. When it was originally shortened, it use to be a question " in it?". But now, its used by stupid moronic people like you every f*****g sentence. Half the time it's used as a response, where most people might say 'yes/yeah' or 'really/wow'... init/innit is used.

ME - 'I went to the store'
JD - 'init'
Me - 'I bought some milk, bread and sweets and went home, and then watched the news on TV'
JD - 'init'

Jack Daniels would say " So me was out with ma boys, init, and we was going to get some beers, init, when this guy, yeah, like comes up to us, yeah, init, and he was like gimme some change, we was like, innit"

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development.

Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job

I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning?

Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Crawled out of your woodwork, haven't you Active Citizen!!!

If Tauheedul take over Chester St and Shareef, that would include you and trust me they'll make a proper man out of you. Atleast that will stop your whinging and moaning...and no I haven't heard guys at Lancaster. Tell me more besides referring to the LT!

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group.

So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD

Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development.

Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job

I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning?

Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Crawled out of your woodwork, haven't you Active Citizen!!!

If Tauheedul take over Chester St and Shareef, that would include you and trust me they'll make a proper man out of you. Atleast that will stop your whinging and moaning...and no I haven't heard guys at Lancaster. Tell me more besides referring to the LT!

You are right there sen c b l... that is why you should go to: http://www.jamea.co.
uk/ and read their comment "The school is aware of the allegations that have been made and at the present moment the school is fully co-operating with the police with their investigations into the matter. We expect the matter to be cleared up soon."

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote: This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group. So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development. Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning? Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Crawled out of your woodwork, haven't you Active Citizen!!! If Tauheedul take over Chester St and Shareef, that would include you and trust me they'll make a proper man out of you. Atleast that will stop your whinging and moaning...and no I haven't heard guys at Lancaster. Tell me more besides referring to the LT!

So how does Tauheedul make proper men out of people?

how does it stop people whinging and moaning?

You are sounding very dictatorial there mate - I am sure that not the OFFICIAL stance of Tauheedul - or is it?

What I can deduce from your post (a great activist of Tauheedul) is that you guys want to straighten people out (who differ from you) and stop their whinging and moaning (otherwise known as free speech).

HenningBerg-er wrote:

Jack Walker Fan- 1967 wrote: Blackburn is a VERY segregated town, and some of the comments on this forum highlight this. Schools like Tibs and TIGS (and other faith schools like Bedes and Wilfreds) are oart of the problem as their intake is highlights the white / asian divide. Witton is one of a few schools that still has a good mix of kids from all backgrounds. This move will inevitably lead to white flight and the parents have the right to move their kids as so much change and not enough consultaton with them is happening. Result another Beardwood and we all know who was quite happy to take over that site

Is that really the case? Tauheedul have been running Blackburn Central for a number of years now. Have we really seen 'white-flight'? On the contrary, we have parents (like the one who has commented towards the beginning of this thread) who have embraced Tauheedul's assistance. As you mention consultation, let us think... If the parents of Blackburn Central were consulted prior to their Tauheedul takeover, I'm pretty sure it wouldn't have gone ahead. Rather, the Local Authority formed the partnership between the two schools and it has worked.

We cannot gauge parent feedback from this forum where many of the Tauheedul supporters are posting under various names.

Parent consultation should be done properly within the school.

Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

Steve4x4 wrote:
Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

I believe the whole is located in Shad where you live.....get some Aloe Vera for this guy cus he just got burnt....lmao

jack denials wrote:

Steve4x4 wrote:
Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

I believe the whole is located in Shad where you live.....get some Aloe Vera for this guy cus he just got burnt....lmao

hole*

jack denials wrote:

Steve4x4 wrote:
Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

I believe the whole is located in Shad where you live.....get some Aloe Vera for this guy cus he just got burnt....lmao

ha ha ha ha ha 9/10 mate... you got him good

Steve4x4 wrote:

jack denials wrote:

Steve4x4 wrote:
Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

I believe the whole is located in Shad where you live.....get some Aloe Vera for this guy cus he just got burnt....lmao

Ha....you are so full of S*it, why not get a job and earn some money instead of claiming your life away.

"Ooh getting feisty young padawan" (in Yoda voice). I work from home, online and get paid handsomely for it by clients who want development work doing on their website.

Let me guess, you’re a brickie, decorator or a driver of some sort…. No education required there.

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote: This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group. So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development. Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning? Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Crawled out of your woodwork, haven't you Active Citizen!!! If Tauheedul take over Chester St and Shareef, that would include you and trust me they'll make a proper man out of you. Atleast that will stop your whinging and moaning...and no I haven't heard guys at Lancaster. Tell me more besides referring to the LT!

So how does Tauheedul make proper men out of people?

how does it stop people whinging and moaning?

You are sounding very dictatorial there mate - I am sure that not the OFFICIAL stance of Tauheedul - or is it?

What I can deduce from your post (a great activist of Tauheedul) is that you guys want to straighten people out (who differ from you) and stop their whinging and moaning (otherwise known as free speech).

Whinging, moaning, complaining and even more complaining results in hardly any progress. Infact halted to a standstill. I am sure you're are aware in your Naqsbandhi organisation that the public despite knowing full well that any development that is on course for success, some will choose to question when the plane has already taken off. Let's just take a look at your plans which have already been submitted. A several million pounds investment in a new centre on Pringle St. Most probably the committee members have been consulted but is it of any concern for me to voice my objections when I have absolutely no connection?
You know Active Citizen your comments without knowingly you have accepted that's there's differences between your beliefs to Tauheedul's and the pain is being expressed in their success as an academy and any news article referring solely to them, by posting your 'views'. To be honest 'AC' even though they they may have several points which may be miles apart from your position, they will not treat you as second class and I personally do not know of a time when they have disapproved of your choice of worship, and its just one misunderstanding on your part.
Certainly on the subject of I being an active player in Tauheedul, you're completely incorrect and I do not know how you came to this conclusion. Wrong for the second time. Mufti Hameed's father is a very, very good friend of mine, and what harm is there for any person of any religion to stand up and defend what is being posted as comments are incorrect!!!???

What I can conclude from your post when you sidetrack fro the debate in main and mention the sexual allegations and what was that you said, oh yes' you guys at Lancaster'. You're wrong for the third time. Their not my guys. Its simply an allegation just as it was several years ago which originated from their sister organisation from Blackburn, and the police had to caution the girls in the presence of their parents, and really you shouldn't be even mentioning this in this decent debate as no charges have been made yet....and because you did you're pain is once again being expressed.

You take it easy now.

Steve4x4 wrote:
Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

Whenever has it been a great town? Mobs were running around beating anybody they could find particularly those who came from the asian continent, and I am going back to 1951.

Once again, pain is being expressed, asian lads beating up your kid, heh steve!!!

Here we go again; an article about a school entering into an agreement with a local educational trust, who happen to be Islamic, has now become a slanging match between people who cannot understand the difference between lunatics and mainstream devout Muslims, and the attempt to link this news story with another, totally separate and unrelated story about sexual abuse in an independent islamic school in a different town. A depressingly familiar scenario to those of us who try and build bridges between communities rather than spread rumour, innuendo, and lies. Linking the dreadful events in Lancaster to this story is rather like linking the Jimmy Savile story to the presenters on North-West Tonight - well, they all work for the BBC don't they...?!?!?!? As for Blackburn and its glorious past, I'm afraid Blackburn is one of a number of northern towns that have struggled to adapt to a 20/21st economy; this decline had nothing to do with immigration, in fact the part played by immigrants in 'the good old days' of economic prosperity is now a well-established fact, they did their fair share of hard graft. Looking ahead, it is the capacity of the Blackburn workforce to adapt to a very fast-moving economic landscape that will ensure our town's future wellbeing, which leads us back nicely to education. Better schools are better for the town, can't we at least agree on that?

A Measured Response wrote:
Here we go again; an article about a school entering into an agreement with a local educational trust, who happen to be Islamic, has now become a slanging match between people who cannot understand the difference between lunatics and mainstream devout Muslims, and the attempt to link this news story with another, totally separate and unrelated story about sexual abuse in an independent islamic school in a different town. A depressingly familiar scenario to those of us who try and build bridges between communities rather than spread rumour, innuendo, and lies. Linking the dreadful events in Lancaster to this story is rather like linking the Jimmy Savile story to the presenters on North-West Tonight - well, they all work for the BBC don't they...?!?!?!? As for Blackburn and its glorious past, I'm afraid Blackburn is one of a number of northern towns that have struggled to adapt to a 20/21st economy; this decline had nothing to do with immigration, in fact the part played by immigrants in 'the good old days' of economic prosperity is now a well-established fact, they did their fair share of hard graft. Looking ahead, it is the capacity of the Blackburn workforce to adapt to a very fast-moving economic landscape that will ensure our town's future wellbeing, which leads us back nicely to education. Better schools are better for the town, can't we at least agree on that?

seriously, how can you say the pakistani/indian muslim community is try to build bridges when part of it is isolated with the tauheedal girls/boys school, as well as the continuation of arranged marriages with people from 'back home'. How can the community progress towards the 21st century when it is constantly dragged back down with every generation?


What i do see closer to home are unelected pressure groups like the Lancs council of mosques and girls schools connected to mosques that have recieved funding from Qatari Royaly in the past. What I and others see are young women dressed like they are in the middle east, attending a girls school in England. Do you not see a problem with that?

We are bombarded by images of extremists every day yet we both know that many muslims are nothing of the sort. We hear about british born morons in Birmingham planning to kill 100's us, so it’s no wonder some people are concerned. I recall that the 7/7 bombers killed more foreigners than white british. Again, I know that not all muslims are like this. Why is the asian/muslim community allowing others to dictate how they live in the 21st century? Why do parts of Blackburn feel like Asia and promote the oppression of the Arab states?

You seriously can’t call that building bridges and you can’t seriously say that I don’t have a valid point.

From my brief research i have found that the TSA is relatively new organisation (Jan 2012 I believe), yet it able to sponsor a PFI school.

What does this sponsor entail?

Is it about the much needed funding for this BSF/PFI folly?

If so, where would a fledgling organisation get such funds?

Where in fact did it get its start up costs?

With three members of the TSA board also having strong links with girls school; along with the same address and strong ethical links to the Qatari funded mosque, I have to wonder what the future holds for Witton Park.

Just asking….

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:
I guess you didn’t know that: - Of the 1,300,000 Indians who constituted the volunteer force during the First World War, approximately 400,000 were Muslims. - Out of the 50-60,000 troops serving in Italy during Second World War the Muslim contingent was estimated to be up to 20,000. - Of the 122 deaths of soldiers under the age of 18 in Italy, 90 were Muslim. Among them were three 15-year olds (YES FIFTEEN): Amir Khan from Attock, Gulab Khan from Rawalpindi, and Mian Khan from Kohat. -The notion of Izzat (honour) was one that was used to recruit Muslim men of the empire, and so important was the Muslim contribution in both World Wars that Churchill himself wrote, “We must not on any account break with the Muslims who represent 100 million people and the main army elements which we must rely on for the immediate fighting.” If you still don’t wanna believe me Google these names: KHUDADAD KHAN, MIR DAST, ALI HAIDER and NOOR INAYAT KHAN (Female Soldier). Seriously people, i do a lot of historical research as a hobby and personal interest and you should lay off Muslims, not all of them are the same. Just like Christians, Jews and Atheists have a minority of imbeciles that’s hate everyone apart from those in their religion, Muslims have the same. Just don’t think all of them feel this way.

You are indeed correct denials, and we should never forget the courage and bravery of anybody who stands against those who choose to oppress us.

Even today we have good honest people fighting and protesting for simple freedoms in Africa and many of the Arabian Countries.

Yet in this country, along with the rest of Europe, North America and Australia, we have clear concerns by its citizens and politicians regarding the more ‘controlling ‘ and fundamental Islamic practices, which are being promoted by well funded organisations.

Even the simplest issues such as how they live and their education, are being controlled by powerful men within the communities and mosques. Men who are intent on retaining old customs and that should have been left behind when they moved to other parts of the world. I believe these same people are looking towards the strict principles seen in Qatar (who part funded the tauheedal mosque) and well as those practices seen in Saudi Arabia.

Is this what THE PEOPLE want?

Is this what people fought and died for in the 1940’s? The replacement of one extremist with another?

No.. I don’t think so either.

This is a great comment Jack Daniels... I didn't think you had it in yourself to praise one of my comments (near enough a compliment)

I agree that the more controlling and fundamental Islamic practices, which are being promoted by well-funded organisations from the House of Saud (Saudi Arabia Royal Family) are wrong.

But there are many peace loving "SUFI MUSLIMS" (Google this word) who are living their lives in peace as they should be allowed to, regardless of where they come from. These Muslims decline the Saudi Arabia propaganda, do not accept their money, support the fight on terrorism and remember those soldiers that fought to give all ethnicities in this country the liberty to live in a free country.

All I am saying is not all Muslims are the same.

If you'd been on here more often, you'd know that I'd agree with stuff, even with people such as yourself.

I'd agree with your comment 100% and if you look back at all my serious comments, that has always been my original point too.

A question if I may.

Does your take on your religion enrich your life or control it?

Open_Mind wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote: Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this. shame on you for using them in this way

I actually meant to say “they are not the only school children who do activities like these. It is inexcusable for you to be using these particular children’s example in this sort of manner” My grammar is atrocious I know.

either way, I'm still right.. init

" init " " init " " init " "init" i've had it with people using this stupid wrongfully spelled word.

Shortened version of ' IS IT NOT '. When it was originally shortened, it use to be a question " in it?". But now, its used by stupid moronic people like you every f*****g sentence. Half the time it's used as a response, where most people might say 'yes/yeah' or 'really/wow'... init/innit is used.

ME - 'I went to the store'
JD - 'init'
Me - 'I bought some milk, bread and sweets and went home, and then watched the news on TV'
JD - 'init'

Jack Daniels would say " So me was out with ma boys, init, and we was going to get some beers, init, when this guy, yeah, like comes up to us, yeah, init, and he was like gimme some change, we was like, innit"

take a blue mushroom man and chillax

Open_Mind wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

Open_Mind wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

Not heard from you in a long time Mr Daniels.... Still standing outside KFC in a chicken suit? I guess boycotting KFC didn’t pay off, as you turned from KFC to Tesco burgers and ended up eating horse meat instead.

Still making up your bullsh!t I see. Better than admitting the facts before you....

Is it just me seeing this guy attacking himself...lmfao

no, it's becasue you can't read.

2/10 must try harder

Marking me on my inability to notice “Jack Daniels” and “Jack Denials” are two different individuals commenting…. that’s a bit low.

Your grammar is very poor (1/10) as rightly pointed out by Jack Denials. Perhaps you should be attending one of Tauheedul managed schools where GCSE results are astoundingly superb.

didn't know this was literature exam.

maybe its simply a test to see who's the most uptight pr!ck on this web page and you've just got 10/10

nice one man.

Open_Mind wrote:

jack denials wrote:

Steve4x4 wrote:
Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

I believe the whole is located in Shad where you live.....get some Aloe Vera for this guy cus he just got burnt....lmao

ha ha ha ha ha 9/10 mate... you got him good

....you got him good????

I can only asume the Queen said exactly the same thing the other day when she was out shooting with Prince Phillip, thus justifying your unwarranted comments on my language skills.

jack daniels wrote:
From my brief research i have found that the TSA is relatively new organisation (Jan 2012 I believe), yet it able to sponsor a PFI school.

What does this sponsor entail?

Is it about the much needed funding for this BSF/PFI folly?

If so, where would a fledgling organisation get such funds?

Where in fact did it get its start up costs?

With three members of the TSA board also having strong links with girls school; along with the same address and strong ethical links to the Qatari funded mosque, I have to wonder what the future holds for Witton Park.

Just asking….

The requirement for Academy sponsors to provide hard cash was removed several years ago.

The governors at Witton Park, as the story says, are clearly looking for a partner to help them drive up educational standards. As the amount of money a school receives depends on the number of pupils it has, the implication is - better educational achievements equals more income equals more able to pay the PFI costs.

Its also clear from the story that the Witton Park governors wanted a sponsor who wouldn't take them over, but would be a partner allowing them to remain 'an independent community school'.

Maybe the word sponsor is not the correct one. When DACA became an academy they needed a financial sponsor however schools no longer need a sugar daddy to pump money into it. My understanding is that TSA will be helping to run the school at a strategic level and guide it along a different, more prosperous, route.

jack denials wrote:
I guess you didn’t know that:

- Of the 1,300,000 Indians who constituted the volunteer force during the First World War, approximately 400,000 were Muslims.

- Out of the 50-60,000 troops serving in Italy during Second World War the Muslim contingent was estimated to be up to 20,000.

- Of the 122 deaths of soldiers under the age of 18 in Italy, 90 were Muslim. Among them were three 15-year olds (YES FIFTEEN): Amir Khan from Attock, Gulab Khan from Rawalpindi, and Mian Khan from Kohat.

-The notion of Izzat (honour) was one that was used to recruit Muslim men of the empire, and so important was the Muslim contribution in both World Wars that Churchill himself wrote, “We must not on any account break with the Muslims who represent 100 million people and the main army elements which we must rely on for the immediate fighting.”

If you still don’t wanna believe me Google these names: KHUDADAD KHAN, MIR DAST, ALI HAIDER and NOOR INAYAT KHAN (Female Soldier).

Seriously people, i do a lot of historical research as a hobby and personal interest and you should lay off Muslims, not all of them are the same.

Just like Christians, Jews and Atheists have a minority of imbeciles that’s hate everyone apart from those in their religion, Muslims have the same. Just don’t think all of them feel this way.

No your right they did and in return for there efforts, they won there Independence from Britain and its empire !.( pay back yes? )
But still that's not enough for some because when the Indians an Muslims got home they started to kill each other!.
Then we had partition, Then India and Pakistan came in to being.
Then they started to kill each other over Kashmir. (and their still at it! )
My point is these people do nothing but kill its part of there religion and believe, as you have posted details as proof that there good killers under the right conditions and propaganda.
And they strap bombs to kids girls and animals.( Go have search see what you find! but i am Shaw you'll not, you don't wish to see the truth eg - 10,000 good people doesn't even up to 100,000,000. million bad people?, lar lar land politics and facts.
" there not all bad" how many are good do you know! come on tell me give me numbers???. (Or do you just hope your right! )
I know your going to say we are like that? well that's were your wrong.
We are like that now!.
But that's wear the British-ness as gone, Backing the under dog,is what we did.
Now the people just kick the dog, there sick of being told what to think and what to do?.
It all started in the sixties this is when the sole of Britain died.
And selfish became king,.
Its probable immigration was fine in the sixties , when there was only hundred or so .
I can live with that!, but 3 million plus not included illegals and kids under 16, who are not counted? at an average of 4 kids a family with high genetic disability.
Because they interbreed with in there own family tree. which then costs, and takes extra money & houses.
just think every house with immigrants in, is a house for our English homeless family's.( i bet you know some ones family that needs a home, and you and people like you would rather see them home less than deport a immigrant!. )
And if you can justify the way things are you are obviously part of the problem!.
Anyway just go and check even the politicians are back tracking on immigration, because even those DI*KHeads have realized immigration as failed.( Blair said he got it wrong)
So if i was you i would nt be to clever, one day you may have to eat your words?.
Mark my words the kids of the future will not put up with it.
After all they have been brought up to beleave their important and special.
And are owed a living as a rock star or some thing?.
There going to be very pi*^ed off when they cant do what they like and they find out they been lied too .
Got a bit of the point a bit but that's how things are when there is more than one variable at play.
History is great if you use the same values but things have changed and old loyalty's are not relevant.
The the ethnics are not the people of the past they are the Islamic future.
Just like the English people who have been victimized to change our ideals.
Remember the race riots in London and all round the country in the 70s 80s.
That s the time when the true Britain kicked off.
My grandads time, your statement that he would think things are good now, is a joke! he supported the riots and i think he said its now or never!.
Why do you think theirs been no real attempt to get rid, of the ethnics since the 70s.
Because the grandads and dads who got back from the battle field.
Or the war generation who were prepared to do something about this have died off! , not because English people accept what going on?
.( I was a baby in the 70s so if it wasn't me rioting because i am a raciest?, who was rioting??) .
My grandad was about 49 ish at the time!!!!!!! ).
The reason the country is the sh*t hole is, because we are all soft and lazy and fat on our own wonderfulness.
Were as our parents and grandparents, add what they called balls!.
And prepared to suffer and fight to the death for what they beleave in?.
( right or wrong! eg race riots.)
So don't tell me my dad an grandad think its good to sell out our country to another race.
Because it was their generation that kick off in the 60s 70s!!.
At the risk of up setting you don't talk SH*T

Ps Hitler employed Muslims too, And they had there Owen reputation for murder mainly in Bulgaria an Romania Slovakia Croatia Serbia but a lot of Muslims work in the concentration camps, as well as the death camps! didn't you know?.
Or did you ignore this bit of history to suit you argument ?.
I think there was 72 thousand Bosnian Muslims or Slavs worked for Hitler, if i am not mistake look it up.
Do you remember Bosnia and Serbia war in 1991-92 that was the Serbs getting there own back for what the Bosnian Muslims did to the Serbs & cro-ats & Orthodox Christians plus others, In the second world war.
Note / Gallipoli WW1 British & Anzaks being killed by Turkish Muslims they were fighting for Germany i think?. drrrrr!
Theirs always an exception, or alternative and your truth as no more cred ability than propaganda. TTFN

Jack Daniels knows very well that many of the leads that the police follow with respect to extremism actually come from the Muslim community themselves, and given the very nature of their activities they are highly secretive. You are inferring that there is something inherently violent about Islam, by linking the activities of some Muslims to the entire corpus of believers. If I employ your same logic, then obviously German culture is rotten to the core as a consequence of Nazism, socialism is a discredited because of the Soviet Gulags, and all of capitalism is doomed because of the antics of irresponsible hedge fund managers. If you cannot make the distinction between a pious, respectful, law-abiding Muslim citizen - even if she is wearing 'Middle Eastern' attire - then it is you who has the flawed value system.
To the correspondent who referred to the violence following partition in India..., please, get yourself a history book. Partition was a British idea, and you will discover that a certain Lord Mountbatten was at the heart of it. And he was murdered by the IRA, who were Catholics.... oh no, Catholics are all potential terrorists too...!!!?!?!?!? A long hard, and honest look at what constitutes British history and culture may lead to a more nuanced debate.

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

sen c b l wrote:

Active Citizen wrote:

Stephiee wrote: This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

If you read my previous posts you will see that any supports they gave BwD came with great expetations of return to their group. So no it is not a good thing because it wil come at a price! Resources taken away from the children and wider commnity of BwD Tauheedul only does things to gain brownie points so it can press the council for more favours.

Its not always we notice your posts except those which are Tauheedul related. Ever considered following the great example set by Mufti Hamed and taking a leading role to form an academy at a choice of site of your preferance. Chester St or Shareef Building has to be a suitable position for development. Anyway nice to hear from you Active Citizen.

I wouldn't realy fancy setting up an academy - we have an LEA and ideally they should do their job I don't get what you a getting at exactly talking about Chester St - is that another takeover site that Tauheedul is planning? Anyway seen as your post are always noted in their staunch defence of Tauheedul - Have you heard of the sex assualt arrest at a school denominationally associated with you guys in Lancaster! Heard two men were from Blackburn, I hope it was not someone from Tauheedul.

Crawled out of your woodwork, haven't you Active Citizen!!! If Tauheedul take over Chester St and Shareef, that would include you and trust me they'll make a proper man out of you. Atleast that will stop your whinging and moaning...and no I haven't heard guys at Lancaster. Tell me more besides referring to the LT!

So how does Tauheedul make proper men out of people? how does it stop people whinging and moaning? You are sounding very dictatorial there mate - I am sure that not the OFFICIAL stance of Tauheedul - or is it? What I can deduce from your post (a great activist of Tauheedul) is that you guys want to straighten people out (who differ from you) and stop their whinging and moaning (otherwise known as free speech).

Whinging, moaning, complaining and even more complaining results in hardly any progress. Infact halted to a standstill. I am sure you're are aware in your Naqsbandhi organisation that the public despite knowing full well that any development that is on course for success, some will choose to question when the plane has already taken off. Let's just take a look at your plans which have already been submitted. A several million pounds investment in a new centre on Pringle St. Most probably the committee members have been consulted but is it of any concern for me to voice my objections when I have absolutely no connection? You know Active Citizen your comments without knowingly you have accepted that's there's differences between your beliefs to Tauheedul's and the pain is being expressed in their success as an academy and any news article referring solely to them, by posting your 'views'. To be honest 'AC' even though they they may have several points which may be miles apart from your position, they will not treat you as second class and I personally do not know of a time when they have disapproved of your choice of worship, and its just one misunderstanding on your part. Certainly on the subject of I being an active player in Tauheedul, you're completely incorrect and I do not know how you came to this conclusion. Wrong for the second time. Mufti Hameed's father is a very, very good friend of mine, and what harm is there for any person of any religion to stand up and defend what is being posted as comments are incorrect!!!??? What I can conclude from your post when you sidetrack fro the debate in main and mention the sexual allegations and what was that you said, oh yes' you guys at Lancaster'. You're wrong for the third time. Their not my guys. Its simply an allegation just as it was several years ago which originated from their sister organisation from Blackburn, and the police had to caution the girls in the presence of their parents, and really you shouldn't be even mentioning this in this decent debate as no charges have been made yet....and because you did you're pain is once again being expressed. You take it easy now.

I really do not understand what you are taking about mate in this post - it's just a lot of rambling.

I think I may have touched a raw nerve.

Take it easy and learn to entertain different opinions as that's part of the debate.

If Tauheedul and Witton were genuine and had integrity they would have had an open day for parents where we would be able to raise all our concerns and they would be given the opprtunity to address them. I do not know why they have resorted to underhand tactics.

Even now I suggest the school organises a parent evening - then we will see who the real parents are and who the fake bloggers! (I for one would love to hear from the so called white parents who have children at Blackburn Central speaking about their love for Tauheedul.)

The story says: 'Consultation on the conversion is due to start soon, a process that is expected to take up to four months.'

This has to legally involve consultation with parents. The decision to seek to become an academy with TSA as a sponsor was announced to the press the week the decision was taken. Unless the governors at Witton Park have a time machine, its difficult to see how they could have been any quicker in making this public

TSA and Witton Park have entered into an amazing partnership.

Lancashire Telegraph should congratulate both organisations for this amazing partnership.

Just look at the calibre of the people involved.

Neil Fletcher is the Chair of TSA. He will do a much better job than Cllr Tony Humphrys who has been failing our town and our children.

Well done TSA and Witton.

A Measured Response wrote:
Here we go again; an article about a school entering into an agreement with a local educational trust, who happen to be Islamic, has now become a slanging match between people who cannot understand the difference between lunatics and mainstream devout Muslims, and the attempt to link this news story with another, totally separate and unrelated story about sexual abuse in an independent islamic school in a different town. A depressingly familiar scenario to those of us who try and build bridges between communities rather than spread rumour, innuendo, and lies. Linking the dreadful events in Lancaster to this story is rather like linking the Jimmy Savile story to the presenters on North-West Tonight - well, they all work for the BBC don't they...?!?!?!? As for Blackburn and its glorious past, I'm afraid Blackburn is one of a number of northern towns that have struggled to adapt to a 20/21st economy; this decline had nothing to do with immigration, in fact the part played by immigrants in 'the good old days' of economic prosperity is now a well-established fact, they did their fair share of hard graft. Looking ahead, it is the capacity of the Blackburn workforce to adapt to a very fast-moving economic landscape that will ensure our town's future wellbeing, which leads us back nicely to education. Better schools are better for the town, can't we at least agree on that?

Yes, we can agree on that.

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote:
Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this.

shame on you for using them in this way

Give me one example of a school in Blackburn where 153 boys have raised this amount for charity.

Go on, give me one example Jack.

Open_Mind wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

Open_Mind wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

jack denials wrote:

retired one wrote: Slowly but surely we are being taken over.

next stop the world...lol There truly are a lot of ignorants in this world

of course when you look at Islam, especially the murdering crazies in Africa and Asia, or the Christian bashers in pakistan, we can see who the ignorant really are...

Not heard from you in a long time Mr Daniels.... Still standing outside KFC in a chicken suit? I guess boycotting KFC didn’t pay off, as you turned from KFC to Tesco burgers and ended up eating horse meat instead.

Still making up your bullsh!t I see. Better than admitting the facts before you....

Is it just me seeing this guy attacking himself...lmfao

no, it's becasue you can't read.

2/10 must try harder

Marking me on my inability to notice “Jack Daniels” and “Jack Denials” are two different individuals commenting…. that’s a bit low.

Your grammar is very poor (1/10) as rightly pointed out by Jack Denials. Perhaps you should be attending one of Tauheedul managed schools where GCSE results are astoundingly superb.

Agree with you.

Or maybe you could attend Witton that is now cherishing its partnership with TSA and enhancing its educational offer.

jack daniels wrote:

Open_Mind wrote:

jack denials wrote:

Steve4x4 wrote:
Liberals, do gooders and numptys are in abundance in Blackburn, most cannot see the wood for the trees.....all your schools will be muslim in the not too distant future, you will only have yourself's to blame......Blackburn used to be a great town when i was growing up, it's just a *hit hole now.
You can thank Jack Straw for most of that.

I believe the whole is located in Shad where you live.....get some Aloe Vera for this guy cus he just got burnt....lmao

ha ha ha ha ha 9/10 mate... you got him good

....you got him good????

I can only asume the Queen said exactly the same thing the other day when she was out shooting with Prince Phillip, thus justifying your unwarranted comments on my language skills.

Crikey! You sir are a cad and a bounder. One would have to say, what a ghastly response you have made there Mr Daniels. I can comprehend from your comments that you are getting your undergarments all tangled up (i.e. “Knickers in a twist” to you).

Righty-ho I have a pressing engagement of afternoon tea with my daddy to discuss my trust fund.

Toodle-pip.

See below. I understand it is now at 53%. Did the local authority manage to acheive this? Why were they forced to abandon this school and give it to TSA? Incompetent, incompetent, incompetent.

Where did the unions go at the time? Surely they could have helped the school. Where was Simon Jones at the time? Where was the LET at the time? Come on, LET journalists, be objective for once.

I have noticed that you have an anti-Muslim bias across your news stories. This organisation has been doing excellent work.

How many stories Tauheedul schools' charity efforts have you give coverage to? You give coverage to schools that raise a few hundred pounds. However, you have not given proper coverage to any of these excellent stories:

http://www.tauheedul
relief.org/latest-ne
ws/trt-working-toget
her-with-crisis-to-h
elp-homeless-people/


http://www.tauheedul
relief.org/latest-ne
ws/pupils-raise-4600
-for-homeless-charit
y/

http://www.tauheedul
relief.org/latest-ne
ws/tauheedul-girls-s
end-shoeboxes-to-orp
hans-in-somalia/

http://www.tauheedul
relief.org/latest-ne
ws/childrens-charity
-launches-100000-boo
ks-campaign/

Why does LET not run these stories? Can they not digest the good work the organisation is doing?

Look at the achievements of TSA.

TSA has already acquired extensive experience in improving and developing outstanding schools. It already leads a number of improvement partnerships, bringing together a number of secondary and primary schools in areas of significant deprivation.

For example, since early 2010, at the invitation of a local authority and under the approval of the Department for Education, TSA has been the lead education partner for a ‘National Challenge’ school, where only 11% of learners achieved 5A*-C with English and Mathematics in 2009.

TSA chairs the Trust and the Governing Body of the school, and has implemented a structured programme of school improvement, aimed at enhancing organisational management, academic achievement and parental engagement. Since the partnership began two years ago, the percentage of pupils in this challenging school achieving 5A*-C including English and Mathematics, has risen from 11% to 37%.

editor1988 wrote:

A Measured Response wrote:
As with any school that becomes an academy the buildings etc... move over to the the academy trust, this is standard practice. The timing of this is not ideal as the LA/government has indeed spent quite a lot of money on it, but as I've stated above, it's no different to any other academy in that respect. It's not Tauheedul getting some kind of special favour.
The level of paranoia demonstrated by some contributers simply beggars belief. I have followed Tauheedul's progress in this town for some time, and like many people I was slightly wary at first as to what their intentions were. It has to be said that the school's achievements are remarkable, and we now have one of the country's highest performing school's on our doorstep. We should all be proud of this. We are not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to being top of the league for anything around here, but by any measure Tauheedul is doing the business.
I don't know who 'Jack Daniels' is but I've been reading his doom-laden scribblings for years on these pages, but he is really is clutching at straws here. When Tauheedul entered into partnership with Blakewater some years ago, did the nature of the school change? No, it didn't. Did it become an Islamic school? No, it didn't. Did the results go up, did they get a good inspection report? Yes to both of those. A school in one of the toughest parts of town is now on the up, with better employment opportunities for all the young people. Why so churlish Jack?
This surely must be the reason why Witton wishes to work with Tauheedul; there is no way that Witton would wish to change its status and become a religious school, this is all about education and working with another school with a proven track record of collaboration. Would you rather the Witton students didn't get better grades Jack? I don't how how up to date you are with political and economic issues, but I hear there's a bit of a recession on around here Jack and employers are on the look out for young people with good GCSEs; why are you so anti-success and ambition Jack?

Spot on.

Important to stress the Board Members of TSA. The Chair and the majority of the Board are not from Tauheedul Girls school and are actually not Muslim.


+ Sue Barkway


Sue Barkway has extensive experience of education. She has been the headteacher of three primary schools, ranging in size from 350 pupils to 840 pupils plus a nursery department. She led two of the schools through Ofsted inspections and, on both occasions, overall effectiveness and leadership and management were judged to be outstanding. In 2000, Sue was appointed as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI). As an HMI, she inspected schools and initial teacher training and was also involved in the development of the 2005 and 2009 Ofsted school inspection frameworks. Sue became a divisional manager in Ofsted and then was Regional Director until her recent retirement. As Regional Director, she was responsible for the delivery and quality of all early years, school, learning and skills and social care inspections in the North region and for the management of HMI who carried out the inspections. Since her retirement, Sue has worked as an inspector on Ofsted inspections and an education consultant.


+ Professor Fiona Church


Prof. Church is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. The Faculty is one of the top 10 providers for Teacher Education in the Country - rated category 1 by the DfE and 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Her expertise is in employment law and she has published a range of texts and materials in both employment law and on current education topics.


+ Martyn Collin


Martyn Collin has extensive experience in school improvement having worked at a school, Local Authority, and National level over the past 30 years. Following ten years of successful primary headship he worked as Principal Adviser in Birmingham, and was a Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies from 2007 to 2011. Martyn has recently returned to primary headship, continues to provide independent consultancy to schools and trusts, and is Chair of Trustees for a Secondary Academy.


+ Ken Davis


Ken Davis is a strategy and change management consultant with a range of public sector experience. As well as a senior manager at the Audit Commission, he has been a director in local government and a consultant focusing on strategic management and performance improvement. At the Commission he was responsible for the delivery of value for money studies, assessments and inspections in London. He also managed the introduction of Comprehensive Area Assessment in the capital.

While he was a consultant he worked in a range of organisations, such as the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Independent Housing Ombudsman and the London Magistrates Courts Authority, along with local authorities on performance improvement. He also worked with the IDeA and the Commission on the Performance Management Monitoring and Information project. He has an MBA from the Open University Business School and has taught the Strategy module on this course for the past 15 years.


+ Harry Devonport


Harry Devonport, following a successful teaching career including a Headteacher post at a South East Manchester High School, went on to lead Blackburn with Darwen’s nationally recognised Education Action Zone. Harry has since held several Chief Officer positions within the local authority, most recently as Director of Education. He led focused work on school improvement and the raising of standards, with targeted work with vulnerable and underachieving groups. Harry led the development of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the CYPP Partnership. He managed the development of performance management, quality assurance and systems to support inspection and accountability; the Department’s resourcing strategy; workforce development; and its capital programme.


+ Neil Fletcher (Chair of Tauheedul Sponsored Academies)


Neil Fletcher has a wide experience of the public sector at national, regional and local levels. After qualifying as a school-teacher he taught in secondary schools and further education, before becoming a full-time trade union official and an elected councillor in London.

He became Deputy Leader of Camden Council, but also served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority for 11 years, chairing the Further and Higher Education Committee for 7 years and becoming Leader until its abolition in 1990.

He took on a national role as Executive Director of Education, Culture and Tourism for the Local Government Association, and represented these sectors in negotiations with ministers and permanent secretaries, as well as building and spreading best practice in diverse areas of delivery.

He has built a national and international consultancy drawing on his experience, executive networks and has acquired a substantial number of clients where he has developed change management, leadership, and improvement programmes.


+ Mohamed Isap


Mohamed Isap, established his business MPG, a print and document management company with headquarters in Manchester city centre, 13 years ago. The MPG group now has five business divisions operating nationally and has been listed in the Financial Times 100 fastest growing companies. Mohamed has also founded 2 Social Enterprise companies Business Plus and Create Plus.

He is Vice Chair of Blackburn with Darwen’s Local Strategic Partnership, the town’s largest and most influential partnership body which is made up of representatives from the public sector, local business and the faith, community and voluntary sector. Mohamed has previously been a non-executive director of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and for six years served on the Department for Trade and Industry’s Ethnic Minority Business Forum. He was instrumental in bringing a significant amount of national funding into the region to support business and entrepreneurship. He is on the Corporation board at Blackburn College, is the Chairman of Governors at Wensley Fold Church of England School, is the Vice-chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islamic Girls’ High School, and is on the Trust Board at Blakewater College.


+ Kevin Massey


Kevin Massey has extensive and successful experience in leading and managing school improvement teams and programmes at regional, local authority and school level. Before working as an independent consultant he was the Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies in Yorkshire and Humberside and also worked with the Strategies in the North West. Kevin has focused on supporting LAs and school leaders to recover schools from below the floor targets, in category or causing concern, improving attendance and raising standards in all phases, including Early Years. Previously Kevin was Principal Adviser in Halton. He has worked as an Ofsted Inspector with LAs and for private contractors.


+ Kevin Jaquiss


Kevin received the Financial Times Innovative Lawyer of the Year 2010 award for his work in developing new structures for the delivery of community services, focusing most recently on new methods of funding. His experience covers both the design of appropriate governance and management structures and the implementation of new enterprise projects across a range of public services, including education and health.

Kevin’s original background is in employment law and he offers advice on human resource strategy, including change management and collective bargaining issues. He is a qualified mediator and a regular speaker at conferences and seminars in his areas of expertise.


+ Kamruddin Kothia


With a strong background experience in telecommunications, Kam established eBusiness UK Ltd in 1998 to supply e-commerce, e-marketing and web site design solutions to SMEs in the North West. eBusiness UK is now renowned as one of Lancashire’s premier digital agencies; it specialises in helping businesses generate great investment returns from their online channels. With over a dozen years of frontline digital experience, eBusiness UK have delivered over 300 online solutions and won numerous awards along the way.

Kam is currently the Chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, Blackburn; Chair of East Blackburn Learning Community Trust and a Member of the Guardian Angels Network (a Voluntary Group of Business Mentors). His previous commitments have included being a Director of Business Link; the Vice Chairman and Director of the Asian Business Federation and a Director of the East Lancashire Partnership. Kam was also a founder member and Chair of the NWDA’s NW Ethnic Minority Business Forum and founder Member of the DTI Ministerial Ethnic Minority Business Forum.


+ Hamid Patel


Currently Principal of TIGHS and Chief Executive of the Tauheedul Trust, (Mufti) Hamid is a National Leader for Education and Chair of the Governing Body at Blakewater College. He was previously Vice Principal at Bradford College and Head of Workforce Development at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council.

He has a vast experience of national and international education gained through study and further professional qualifications, as well as from serving on a variety of boards and committees in the UK and elsewhere.

Blackburn and Witton should be proud of this team.

I suggest the Council and the Church of England consider giving more schools in the borough to TSA.

They have a very strong team and ultimately if my child receives better education, irrespective of who provides it, this is what the vast majority of parents want.

The vast majority of people in Blackburn support Witton's decision. Good luck.

editor1988 wrote:
See below. I understand it is now at 53%. Did the local authority manage to acheive this? Why were they forced to abandon this school and give it to TSA? Incompetent, incompetent, incompetent.

Where did the unions go at the time? Surely they could have helped the school. Where was Simon Jones at the time? Where was the LET at the time? Come on, LET journalists, be objective for once.

I have noticed that you have an anti-Muslim bias across your news stories. This organisation has been doing excellent work.

How many stories Tauheedul schools' charity efforts have you give coverage to? You give coverage to schools that raise a few hundred pounds. However, you have not given proper coverage to any of these excellent stories:

http://www.tauheedul

relief.org/latest-ne

ws/trt-working-toget

her-with-crisis-to-h

elp-homeless-people/



http://www.tauheedul

relief.org/latest-ne

ws/pupils-raise-4600

-for-homeless-charit

y/

http://www.tauheedul

relief.org/latest-ne

ws/tauheedul-girls-s

end-shoeboxes-to-orp

hans-in-somalia/

http://www.tauheedul

relief.org/latest-ne

ws/childrens-charity

-launches-100000-boo

ks-campaign/

Why does LET not run these stories? Can they not digest the good work the organisation is doing?

Look at the achievements of TSA.

TSA has already acquired extensive experience in improving and developing outstanding schools. It already leads a number of improvement partnerships, bringing together a number of secondary and primary schools in areas of significant deprivation.

For example, since early 2010, at the invitation of a local authority and under the approval of the Department for Education, TSA has been the lead education partner for a ‘National Challenge’ school, where only 11% of learners achieved 5A*-C with English and Mathematics in 2009.

TSA chairs the Trust and the Governing Body of the school, and has implemented a structured programme of school improvement, aimed at enhancing organisational management, academic achievement and parental engagement. Since the partnership began two years ago, the percentage of pupils in this challenging school achieving 5A*-C including English and Mathematics, has risen from 11% to 37%.

This is really interesting ....

I have done a google search. Lancashire Telegraph has run stories on schools raising funds, but these stories are not run.

It seems as though LET has a role in the failed attempts to undermine TSA.

LET needs to get its act right.

About time, LET supports TSA's efforts and exposes the failures of the local authority. (unless both are committed to the failure of our children)

To return to the subject of discussion...

Most parents are intelligent enough to base their choice of school on how well it will serve the needs and aspirations of their children. They will also want to be assured that their children will be safe, free from bullying and therefore able to thrive.

Tauheedul has demonstrated a track record in this (confirmed by OFSTED)and also in the other (non-Muslim) schools it has supported.

So this has to be the best way forward for Witton Park and its pupils within the Academies policy which the government is implementing.

I think that the conspiracy theories that some correspondents are promoting are clearly serving their own ends rather than contributing to a constructive debate.

Stephiee wrote:
This has got to be good news. All schools will become Academies eventually, so what's important is that Blackburn schools have the best sponsor. Far better that this is a local organisation which, as others have said, also has an outstanding track record in supporting other schools in the town. If another sponsor, such as one of the big national Academy chains came in, Witton would not retain its character but woudl be remodelled with ther corporate branding. Tauheedul has demonstrated both integrity and a commitment to Blackburn and so the real beneficiaries will be the pupils - isn't that what schools are all about?

Excellent points you make ... except that for the LET, the Unions, the Council and some Islamophobes, schools about serving their own interests and not the interests of the children.

The good work of TSA and Witton should be commended.

bmurtaja wrote:

editor1988 wrote:

A Measured Response wrote: As with any school that becomes an academy the buildings etc... move over to the the academy trust, this is standard practice. The timing of this is not ideal as the LA/government has indeed spent quite a lot of money on it, but as I've stated above, it's no different to any other academy in that respect. It's not Tauheedul getting some kind of special favour. The level of paranoia demonstrated by some contributers simply beggars belief. I have followed Tauheedul's progress in this town for some time, and like many people I was slightly wary at first as to what their intentions were. It has to be said that the school's achievements are remarkable, and we now have one of the country's highest performing school's on our doorstep. We should all be proud of this. We are not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to being top of the league for anything around here, but by any measure Tauheedul is doing the business. I don't know who 'Jack Daniels' is but I've been reading his doom-laden scribblings for years on these pages, but he is really is clutching at straws here. When Tauheedul entered into partnership with Blakewater some years ago, did the nature of the school change? No, it didn't. Did it become an Islamic school? No, it didn't. Did the results go up, did they get a good inspection report? Yes to both of those. A school in one of the toughest parts of town is now on the up, with better employment opportunities for all the young people. Why so churlish Jack? This surely must be the reason why Witton wishes to work with Tauheedul; there is no way that Witton would wish to change its status and become a religious school, this is all about education and working with another school with a proven track record of collaboration. Would you rather the Witton students didn't get better grades Jack? I don't how how up to date you are with political and economic issues, but I hear there's a bit of a recession on around here Jack and employers are on the look out for young people with good GCSEs; why are you so anti-success and ambition Jack?

Spot on. Important to stress the Board Members of TSA. The Chair and the majority of the Board are not from Tauheedul Girls school and are actually not Muslim. + Sue Barkway Sue Barkway has extensive experience of education. She has been the headteacher of three primary schools, ranging in size from 350 pupils to 840 pupils plus a nursery department. She led two of the schools through Ofsted inspections and, on both occasions, overall effectiveness and leadership and management were judged to be outstanding. In 2000, Sue was appointed as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI). As an HMI, she inspected schools and initial teacher training and was also involved in the development of the 2005 and 2009 Ofsted school inspection frameworks. Sue became a divisional manager in Ofsted and then was Regional Director until her recent retirement. As Regional Director, she was responsible for the delivery and quality of all early years, school, learning and skills and social care inspections in the North region and for the management of HMI who carried out the inspections. Since her retirement, Sue has worked as an inspector on Ofsted inspections and an education consultant. + Professor Fiona Church Prof. Church is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. The Faculty is one of the top 10 providers for Teacher Education in the Country - rated category 1 by the DfE and 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Her expertise is in employment law and she has published a range of texts and materials in both employment law and on current education topics. + Martyn Collin Martyn Collin has extensive experience in school improvement having worked at a school, Local Authority, and National level over the past 30 years. Following ten years of successful primary headship he worked as Principal Adviser in Birmingham, and was a Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies from 2007 to 2011. Martyn has recently returned to primary headship, continues to provide independent consultancy to schools and trusts, and is Chair of Trustees for a Secondary Academy. + Ken Davis Ken Davis is a strategy and change management consultant with a range of public sector experience. As well as a senior manager at the Audit Commission, he has been a director in local government and a consultant focusing on strategic management and performance improvement. At the Commission he was responsible for the delivery of value for money studies, assessments and inspections in London. He also managed the introduction of Comprehensive Area Assessment in the capital. While he was a consultant he worked in a range of organisations, such as the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Independent Housing Ombudsman and the London Magistrates Courts Authority, along with local authorities on performance improvement. He also worked with the IDeA and the Commission on the Performance Management Monitoring and Information project. He has an MBA from the Open University Business School and has taught the Strategy module on this course for the past 15 years. + Harry Devonport Harry Devonport, following a successful teaching career including a Headteacher post at a South East Manchester High School, went on to lead Blackburn with Darwen’s nationally recognised Education Action Zone. Harry has since held several Chief Officer positions within the local authority, most recently as Director of Education. He led focused work on school improvement and the raising of standards, with targeted work with vulnerable and underachieving groups. Harry led the development of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the CYPP Partnership. He managed the development of performance management, quality assurance and systems to support inspection and accountability; the Department’s resourcing strategy; workforce development; and its capital programme. + Neil Fletcher (Chair of Tauheedul Sponsored Academies) Neil Fletcher has a wide experience of the public sector at national, regional and local levels. After qualifying as a school-teacher he taught in secondary schools and further education, before becoming a full-time trade union official and an elected councillor in London. He became Deputy Leader of Camden Council, but also served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority for 11 years, chairing the Further and Higher Education Committee for 7 years and becoming Leader until its abolition in 1990. He took on a national role as Executive Director of Education, Culture and Tourism for the Local Government Association, and represented these sectors in negotiations with ministers and permanent secretaries, as well as building and spreading best practice in diverse areas of delivery. He has built a national and international consultancy drawing on his experience, executive networks and has acquired a substantial number of clients where he has developed change management, leadership, and improvement programmes. + Mohamed Isap Mohamed Isap, established his business MPG, a print and document management company with headquarters in Manchester city centre, 13 years ago. The MPG group now has five business divisions operating nationally and has been listed in the Financial Times 100 fastest growing companies. Mohamed has also founded 2 Social Enterprise companies Business Plus and Create Plus. He is Vice Chair of Blackburn with Darwen’s Local Strategic Partnership, the town’s largest and most influential partnership body which is made up of representatives from the public sector, local business and the faith, community and voluntary sector. Mohamed has previously been a non-executive director of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and for six years served on the Department for Trade and Industry’s Ethnic Minority Business Forum. He was instrumental in bringing a significant amount of national funding into the region to support business and entrepreneurship. He is on the Corporation board at Blackburn College, is the Chairman of Governors at Wensley Fold Church of England School, is the Vice-chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islamic Girls’ High School, and is on the Trust Board at Blakewater College. + Kevin Massey Kevin Massey has extensive and successful experience in leading and managing school improvement teams and programmes at regional, local authority and school level. Before working as an independent consultant he was the Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies in Yorkshire and Humberside and also worked with the Strategies in the North West. Kevin has focused on supporting LAs and school leaders to recover schools from below the floor targets, in category or causing concern, improving attendance and raising standards in all phases, including Early Years. Previously Kevin was Principal Adviser in Halton. He has worked as an Ofsted Inspector with LAs and for private contractors. + Kevin Jaquiss Kevin received the Financial Times Innovative Lawyer of the Year 2010 award for his work in developing new structures for the delivery of community services, focusing most recently on new methods of funding. His experience covers both the design of appropriate governance and management structures and the implementation of new enterprise projects across a range of public services, including education and health. Kevin’s original background is in employment law and he offers advice on human resource strategy, including change management and collective bargaining issues. He is a qualified mediator and a regular speaker at conferences and seminars in his areas of expertise. + Kamruddin Kothia With a strong background experience in telecommunications, Kam established eBusiness UK Ltd in 1998 to supply e-commerce, e-marketing and web site design solutions to SMEs in the North West. eBusiness UK is now renowned as one of Lancashire’s premier digital agencies; it specialises in helping businesses generate great investment returns from their online channels. With over a dozen years of frontline digital experience, eBusiness UK have delivered over 300 online solutions and won numerous awards along the way. Kam is currently the Chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, Blackburn; Chair of East Blackburn Learning Community Trust and a Member of the Guardian Angels Network (a Voluntary Group of Business Mentors). His previous commitments have included being a Director of Business Link; the Vice Chairman and Director of the Asian Business Federation and a Director of the East Lancashire Partnership. Kam was also a founder member and Chair of the NWDA’s NW Ethnic Minority Business Forum and founder Member of the DTI Ministerial Ethnic Minority Business Forum. + Hamid Patel Currently Principal of TIGHS and Chief Executive of the Tauheedul Trust, (Mufti) Hamid is a National Leader for Education and Chair of the Governing Body at Blakewater College. He was previously Vice Principal at Bradford College and Head of Workforce Development at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. He has a vast experience of national and international education gained through study and further professional qualifications, as well as from serving on a variety of boards and committees in the UK and elsewhere.

Blackburn and Witton should be proud of this team. I suggest the Council and the Church of England consider giving more schools in the borough to TSA. They have a very strong team and ultimately if my child receives better education, irrespective of who provides it, this is what the vast majority of parents want. The vast majority of people in Blackburn support Witton's decision. Good luck.

'The vast majority of people in Blackburn support Witton's decision'.

and you can prove this I take it?

Stephiee wrote:
To return to the subject of discussion...

Most parents are intelligent enough to base their choice of school on how well it will serve the needs and aspirations of their children. They will also want to be assured that their children will be safe, free from bullying and therefore able to thrive.

Tauheedul has demonstrated a track record in this (confirmed by OFSTED)and also in the other (non-Muslim) schools it has supported.

So this has to be the best way forward for Witton Park and its pupils within the Academies policy which the government is implementing.

I think that the conspiracy theories that some correspondents are promoting are clearly serving their own ends rather than contributing to a constructive debate.

Could not agree with you more ...

Surely the Headteacher and Chair of Witton are intelligent enough to have made the correct decision ...

Let us all unite in our support for TSA and Witton.

jack daniels wrote:

bmurtaja wrote:

editor1988 wrote:

A Measured Response wrote: As with any school that becomes an academy the buildings etc... move over to the the academy trust, this is standard practice. The timing of this is not ideal as the LA/government has indeed spent quite a lot of money on it, but as I've stated above, it's no different to any other academy in that respect. It's not Tauheedul getting some kind of special favour. The level of paranoia demonstrated by some contributers simply beggars belief. I have followed Tauheedul's progress in this town for some time, and like many people I was slightly wary at first as to what their intentions were. It has to be said that the school's achievements are remarkable, and we now have one of the country's highest performing school's on our doorstep. We should all be proud of this. We are not exactly spoilt for choice when it comes to being top of the league for anything around here, but by any measure Tauheedul is doing the business. I don't know who 'Jack Daniels' is but I've been reading his doom-laden scribblings for years on these pages, but he is really is clutching at straws here. When Tauheedul entered into partnership with Blakewater some years ago, did the nature of the school change? No, it didn't. Did it become an Islamic school? No, it didn't. Did the results go up, did they get a good inspection report? Yes to both of those. A school in one of the toughest parts of town is now on the up, with better employment opportunities for all the young people. Why so churlish Jack? This surely must be the reason why Witton wishes to work with Tauheedul; there is no way that Witton would wish to change its status and become a religious school, this is all about education and working with another school with a proven track record of collaboration. Would you rather the Witton students didn't get better grades Jack? I don't how how up to date you are with political and economic issues, but I hear there's a bit of a recession on around here Jack and employers are on the look out for young people with good GCSEs; why are you so anti-success and ambition Jack?

Spot on. Important to stress the Board Members of TSA. The Chair and the majority of the Board are not from Tauheedul Girls school and are actually not Muslim. + Sue Barkway Sue Barkway has extensive experience of education. She has been the headteacher of three primary schools, ranging in size from 350 pupils to 840 pupils plus a nursery department. She led two of the schools through Ofsted inspections and, on both occasions, overall effectiveness and leadership and management were judged to be outstanding. In 2000, Sue was appointed as one of Her Majesty's Inspectors (HMI). As an HMI, she inspected schools and initial teacher training and was also involved in the development of the 2005 and 2009 Ofsted school inspection frameworks. Sue became a divisional manager in Ofsted and then was Regional Director until her recent retirement. As Regional Director, she was responsible for the delivery and quality of all early years, school, learning and skills and social care inspections in the North region and for the management of HMI who carried out the inspections. Since her retirement, Sue has worked as an inspector on Ofsted inspections and an education consultant. + Professor Fiona Church Prof. Church is Executive Dean of the Faculty of Education, Law and Social Sciences at Birmingham City University. The Faculty is one of the top 10 providers for Teacher Education in the Country - rated category 1 by the DfE and 'Outstanding' by OFSTED. Her expertise is in employment law and she has published a range of texts and materials in both employment law and on current education topics. + Martyn Collin Martyn Collin has extensive experience in school improvement having worked at a school, Local Authority, and National level over the past 30 years. Following ten years of successful primary headship he worked as Principal Adviser in Birmingham, and was a Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies from 2007 to 2011. Martyn has recently returned to primary headship, continues to provide independent consultancy to schools and trusts, and is Chair of Trustees for a Secondary Academy. + Ken Davis Ken Davis is a strategy and change management consultant with a range of public sector experience. As well as a senior manager at the Audit Commission, he has been a director in local government and a consultant focusing on strategic management and performance improvement. At the Commission he was responsible for the delivery of value for money studies, assessments and inspections in London. He also managed the introduction of Comprehensive Area Assessment in the capital. While he was a consultant he worked in a range of organisations, such as the Chartered Institute of Environmental Health, the Independent Housing Ombudsman and the London Magistrates Courts Authority, along with local authorities on performance improvement. He also worked with the IDeA and the Commission on the Performance Management Monitoring and Information project. He has an MBA from the Open University Business School and has taught the Strategy module on this course for the past 15 years. + Harry Devonport Harry Devonport, following a successful teaching career including a Headteacher post at a South East Manchester High School, went on to lead Blackburn with Darwen’s nationally recognised Education Action Zone. Harry has since held several Chief Officer positions within the local authority, most recently as Director of Education. He led focused work on school improvement and the raising of standards, with targeted work with vulnerable and underachieving groups. Harry led the development of the Children & Young People’s Plan and the CYPP Partnership. He managed the development of performance management, quality assurance and systems to support inspection and accountability; the Department’s resourcing strategy; workforce development; and its capital programme. + Neil Fletcher (Chair of Tauheedul Sponsored Academies) Neil Fletcher has a wide experience of the public sector at national, regional and local levels. After qualifying as a school-teacher he taught in secondary schools and further education, before becoming a full-time trade union official and an elected councillor in London. He became Deputy Leader of Camden Council, but also served as an elected member of the Inner London Education Authority for 11 years, chairing the Further and Higher Education Committee for 7 years and becoming Leader until its abolition in 1990. He took on a national role as Executive Director of Education, Culture and Tourism for the Local Government Association, and represented these sectors in negotiations with ministers and permanent secretaries, as well as building and spreading best practice in diverse areas of delivery. He has built a national and international consultancy drawing on his experience, executive networks and has acquired a substantial number of clients where he has developed change management, leadership, and improvement programmes. + Mohamed Isap Mohamed Isap, established his business MPG, a print and document management company with headquarters in Manchester city centre, 13 years ago. The MPG group now has five business divisions operating nationally and has been listed in the Financial Times 100 fastest growing companies. Mohamed has also founded 2 Social Enterprise companies Business Plus and Create Plus. He is Vice Chair of Blackburn with Darwen’s Local Strategic Partnership, the town’s largest and most influential partnership body which is made up of representatives from the public sector, local business and the faith, community and voluntary sector. Mohamed has previously been a non-executive director of the Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce and for six years served on the Department for Trade and Industry’s Ethnic Minority Business Forum. He was instrumental in bringing a significant amount of national funding into the region to support business and entrepreneurship. He is on the Corporation board at Blackburn College, is the Chairman of Governors at Wensley Fold Church of England School, is the Vice-chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islamic Girls’ High School, and is on the Trust Board at Blakewater College. + Kevin Massey Kevin Massey has extensive and successful experience in leading and managing school improvement teams and programmes at regional, local authority and school level. Before working as an independent consultant he was the Senior Regional Director for the National Strategies in Yorkshire and Humberside and also worked with the Strategies in the North West. Kevin has focused on supporting LAs and school leaders to recover schools from below the floor targets, in category or causing concern, improving attendance and raising standards in all phases, including Early Years. Previously Kevin was Principal Adviser in Halton. He has worked as an Ofsted Inspector with LAs and for private contractors. + Kevin Jaquiss Kevin received the Financial Times Innovative Lawyer of the Year 2010 award for his work in developing new structures for the delivery of community services, focusing most recently on new methods of funding. His experience covers both the design of appropriate governance and management structures and the implementation of new enterprise projects across a range of public services, including education and health. Kevin’s original background is in employment law and he offers advice on human resource strategy, including change management and collective bargaining issues. He is a qualified mediator and a regular speaker at conferences and seminars in his areas of expertise. + Kamruddin Kothia With a strong background experience in telecommunications, Kam established eBusiness UK Ltd in 1998 to supply e-commerce, e-marketing and web site design solutions to SMEs in the North West. eBusiness UK is now renowned as one of Lancashire’s premier digital agencies; it specialises in helping businesses generate great investment returns from their online channels. With over a dozen years of frontline digital experience, eBusiness UK have delivered over 300 online solutions and won numerous awards along the way. Kam is currently the Chair of Governors at Tauheedul Islam Girls’ High School, Blackburn; Chair of East Blackburn Learning Community Trust and a Member of the Guardian Angels Network (a Voluntary Group of Business Mentors). His previous commitments have included being a Director of Business Link; the Vice Chairman and Director of the Asian Business Federation and a Director of the East Lancashire Partnership. Kam was also a founder member and Chair of the NWDA’s NW Ethnic Minority Business Forum and founder Member of the DTI Ministerial Ethnic Minority Business Forum. + Hamid Patel Currently Principal of TIGHS and Chief Executive of the Tauheedul Trust, (Mufti) Hamid is a National Leader for Education and Chair of the Governing Body at Blakewater College. He was previously Vice Principal at Bradford College and Head of Workforce Development at Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council. He has a vast experience of national and international education gained through study and further professional qualifications, as well as from serving on a variety of boards and committees in the UK and elsewhere.

Blackburn and Witton should be proud of this team. I suggest the Council and the Church of England consider giving more schools in the borough to TSA. They have a very strong team and ultimately if my child receives better education, irrespective of who provides it, this is what the vast majority of parents want. The vast majority of people in Blackburn support Witton's decision. Good luck.

'The vast majority of people in Blackburn support Witton's decision'.

and you can prove this I take it?

Yes.

editor1988 wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote:
Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this.

shame on you for using them in this way

Give me one example of a school in Blackburn where 153 boys have raised this amount for charity.

Go on, give me one example Jack.

Go on Jack, give one example. The boys have raise nearly £10,000 since September for homeless young people in the UK .... Yes, in the UK ... not for Asians, for everyone!

bmurtaja wrote:

editor1988 wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote:
Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this.

shame on you for using them in this way

Give me one example of a school in Blackburn where 153 boys have raised this amount for charity.

Go on, give me one example Jack.

Go on Jack, give one example. The boys have raise nearly £10,000 since September for homeless young people in the UK .... Yes, in the UK ... not for Asians, for everyone!

Don’t be a money badgering imbecile bmurtaja. Remember It’s not how much these children get people to donate, it’s the taking part. Whatever children get people to donate to charity, whether it be big or small, remember that every little helps.

Some very simplistic analysis above, apparently taken by all-comers at face value. GCSE 5A-C pass rate may have risen as stated, but this is a less important measure than the value-added, which indicates how well students ultimately did compared with a measure of their aptitude at the time they started secondary school. For Blakewater College, which became Blackburn Central High School last year, those figures are:

Year / Value-added / % 5A*-C inc. Eng & Maths
2009 / 1036.3 / 11%
2010 / 1014.4 / 26%
2011 / 1014.2 / 36%
2012 / 1001.6 / 53%

(All figures can be found here: http://www.education
.gov.uk/schools/perf
ormance/ )

The value-added figure is calibrated on a national average of 1000, so numbers above that show that expectations have been exceeded. For Blakewater/Blackburn Central, the figure has fallen substantially over the past 4 years - the period over which the actual 5A*-C pass rate rose from 11% to 53%, and during which, we are told, TSA was assisting the school. In other words, the 2012 cohort certainly did well, but mostly because they were a smarter bunch of kids to begin with.

There are many other factors too that will affect attainment: the disruption of preparing for a new building, the turnover of staff, changes to funding, changes to examination boards and subjects taught, etc. To simply point at the exam results and attribute the improvement to TSA is unwise.

Interlocutor wrote:
Some very simplistic analysis above, apparently taken by all-comers at face value. GCSE 5A-C pass rate may have risen as stated, but this is a less important measure than the value-added, which indicates how well students ultimately did compared with a measure of their aptitude at the time they started secondary school. For Blakewater College, which became Blackburn Central High School last year, those figures are:

Year / Value-added / % 5A*-C inc. Eng & Maths
2009 / 1036.3 / 11%
2010 / 1014.4 / 26%
2011 / 1014.2 / 36%
2012 / 1001.6 / 53%

(All figures can be found here: http://www.education

.gov.uk/schools/perf

ormance/ )

The value-added figure is calibrated on a national average of 1000, so numbers above that show that expectations have been exceeded. For Blakewater/Blackburn Central, the figure has fallen substantially over the past 4 years - the period over which the actual 5A*-C pass rate rose from 11% to 53%, and during which, we are told, TSA was assisting the school. In other words, the 2012 cohort certainly did well, but mostly because they were a smarter bunch of kids to begin with.

There are many other factors too that will affect attainment: the disruption of preparing for a new building, the turnover of staff, changes to funding, changes to examination boards and subjects taught, etc. To simply point at the exam results and attribute the improvement to TSA is unwise.

And the award for longest "copy and paste" goes to:

Open_Mind wrote:

bmurtaja wrote:

editor1988 wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote:
Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this.

shame on you for using them in this way

Give me one example of a school in Blackburn where 153 boys have raised this amount for charity.

Go on, give me one example Jack.

Go on Jack, give one example. The boys have raise nearly £10,000 since September for homeless young people in the UK .... Yes, in the UK ... not for Asians, for everyone!

Don’t be a money badgering imbecile bmurtaja. Remember It’s not how much these children get people to donate, it’s the taking part. Whatever children get people to donate to charity, whether it be big or small, remember that every little helps.

Exactly! How about LET and Jack acknowledging the efforts.

Open_Mind wrote:

Interlocutor wrote:
Some very simplistic analysis above, apparently taken by all-comers at face value. GCSE 5A-C pass rate may have risen as stated, but this is a less important measure than the value-added, which indicates how well students ultimately did compared with a measure of their aptitude at the time they started secondary school. For Blakewater College, which became Blackburn Central High School last year, those figures are:

Year / Value-added / % 5A*-C inc. Eng & Maths
2009 / 1036.3 / 11%
2010 / 1014.4 / 26%
2011 / 1014.2 / 36%
2012 / 1001.6 / 53%

(All figures can be found here: http://www.education


.gov.uk/schools/perf


ormance/ )

The value-added figure is calibrated on a national average of 1000, so numbers above that show that expectations have been exceeded. For Blakewater/Blackburn Central, the figure has fallen substantially over the past 4 years - the period over which the actual 5A*-C pass rate rose from 11% to 53%, and during which, we are told, TSA was assisting the school. In other words, the 2012 cohort certainly did well, but mostly because they were a smarter bunch of kids to begin with.

There are many other factors too that will affect attainment: the disruption of preparing for a new building, the turnover of staff, changes to funding, changes to examination boards and subjects taught, etc. To simply point at the exam results and attribute the improvement to TSA is unwise.

And the award for longest "copy and paste" goes to:

The long copy and paste is required for the ignorant minority on this forum who have been blinded by their sense of insecurity and jealousy along with hatred and bigotry.

If you're making an issue of it, what am I supposed to have copied, apart from the figures and the web address? (As contrast the numerous posts above that have copied swathes of info about TSA staff.) And what anyway would be the problem with pasting in information, if it were relevant?

(Ad hominem attacks, on the other hand, are plainly not relevant.)

A Measured Response wrote:
I shall be true to my name and not even attempt to respond to the above rantings.
Regarding DGower, well, who can say? Nearly all local authorities in Britain have challenges regarding fluctuating intakes and the emergence of new schools. Ultimately parents will want to send their children to schools that are likely to ensure the best possible grades. If parents are prepared to uproot their families and move elsewhere and be a part of 'white flight' that is of course their right, but the blame for this cannot be laid at the door of the local school. Over time house prices in the vicinity of outstanding schools tend to go up, so it might be better to stay put! Wanting the best for your children is something that unites people of all backgrounds and faiths. There are now numerous examples nationally of schools - both primary and secondary - with significant ethnic minority intakes that are performing well above national averages. 'Ethnic Minority' is no longer a synonym for 'challenging'. In the light of this I am sure that 'sickofthisrubbish' will wish to amend his comments...

it's not so much 'white flight' as you call it, it's being pushed out, singled out, if not enough different ethnics go to the school, things change, dinner time menu's etc, which already has happened at the school, we seem to adjust to the majority not as equal, and that's the problem.

Most students seem to welcome a more multi-cultural menu at a school, it's what they're used to eating. A return to pink custard and spotted dick? No thank-you! Non-traditional food - in other words food that most British people now happily enjoy - is to be found on the menus at schools containing either no or very few ethnic minority students. They like it.

I was not aware of the statistics that some others have posted regarding improvements at Blakewater, I knew things had improved, but didn't know how much, those are impressive figures. Thanks for that information, it explains the educational rationale for the governors at Witton wanting to work with the Tauheedul people. Is there a better reason?

Interlocutor wrote:
If you're making an issue of it, what am I supposed to have copied, apart from the figures and the web address? (As contrast the numerous posts above that have copied swathes of info about TSA staff.) And what anyway would be the problem with pasting in information, if it were relevant?

(Ad hominem attacks, on the other hand, are plainly not relevant.)

By the way they are not TSA staff. They are TSA Board Members who are volunteers.

You need to get with the party guys! The last thing some people who post here want to see are those irritating things called facts or details, and reasoned argument as opposed to wild exaggeration clearly brings some people out in a cold sweat.

A Measured Response wrote:
Most students seem to welcome a more multi-cultural menu at a school, it's what they're used to eating. A return to pink custard and spotted dick? No thank-you! Non-traditional food - in other words food that most British people now happily enjoy - is to be found on the menus at schools containing either no or very few ethnic minority students. They like it.

I was not aware of the statistics that some others have posted regarding improvements at Blakewater, I knew things had improved, but didn't know how much, those are impressive figures. Thanks for that information, it explains the educational rationale for the governors at Witton wanting to work with the Tauheedul people. Is there a better reason?

A Measured Response wrote: "Thanks for that information, it explains the educational rationale for the governors at Witton wanting to work with the Tauheedul people. Is there a better reason?"

If perchance you're referring to the figures I posted, you seem to have missed the point. The value-added figure is calculated to show the degree to which the school has improved student performance against expectations. Blakewater's achievement in this regard has declined over the last 4 years, from a level that was impressive down to merely ordinary.

bmurtaja, I thank you for your correction, while noting that you didn't answer my questions.

A debate as to the success or otherwise of the Tauheedul partnership with Blakewater is always going to be a challenge as some people clearly have access to data that others do not, and you clearly have access to some very detailed information that the rest of us do not have. I think the Tauheedul partnership started in 2010, so we are looking at a doubling of 5A* - C in two years, which is not inconsiderable. Comparative VA data for three years or so is not so easy to come by, and I take your point about the over-simplistic attribution of success. It is though hard to argue against the fact that the collaboration has brought about some very positive outcomes for the school. The GB of Witton Park are the key players here; it is they who have chosen to join up with TSA, and when it comes to potential sponsors of academies there is a huge choice, some vastly more competent than others. TSA are local, have a proven track record with Tauheedul Girls and, let's be measured here, a very promising at the very least partnership with Blackburn Central. The choice actually seems fairly rational, given that nearly 60% of secondaries are academies anyway now and the figure is only going to get bigger. Some academies, particularly academy chains, are better than others, but TSA would appear to be a very safe bet. Once you remove the bizarre conspiracy theories from the equation it's not even that much of a news story to be honest. But two years of close collaboration with Tauheedul seems to have moved things on a lot quicker than any number of years with the local authority.

A Measured Response says: "Comparative VA data for three years or so is not so easy to come by..."

All that data and lots more can be found on the DfE site I linked to previously.

We should not forget the good Ofsted report which was not expected. TSA's role in this should be acknowledged.

Interlocutor wrote:

A Measured Response wrote:
Most students seem to welcome a more multi-cultural menu at a school, it's what they're used to eating. A return to pink custard and spotted dick? No thank-you! Non-traditional food - in other words food that most British people now happily enjoy - is to be found on the menus at schools containing either no or very few ethnic minority students. They like it.

I was not aware of the statistics that some others have posted regarding improvements at Blakewater, I knew things had improved, but didn't know how much, those are impressive figures. Thanks for that information, it explains the educational rationale for the governors at Witton wanting to work with the Tauheedul people. Is there a better reason?

A Measured Response wrote: "Thanks for that information, it explains the educational rationale for the governors at Witton wanting to work with the Tauheedul people. Is there a better reason?"

If perchance you're referring to the figures I posted, you seem to have missed the point. The value-added figure is calculated to show the degree to which the school has improved student performance against expectations. Blakewater's achievement in this regard has declined over the last 4 years, from a level that was impressive down to merely ordinary.

bmurtaja, I thank you for your correction, while noting that you didn't answer my questions.

It is really simple. Blakewater (Blackburn Central) was in special measures and the 3rd worst performing school in the country. As a result, TSA was invited to manage the school and the school was recently rated Good overall by Ofsted across all areas, a rating many secondary schools in the borough do not have. Additionally, moving from 11% to 53% is an achievement within a short period of time is commendable.

The facts speak for themselves and TSA's involvement in Witton will transform the educational landscape in the area. Well done Witton for choosing a good partner.

Third-worst performing school to 53%?!?!?! Well, that's it in a nutshell then. That's like Rovers appointing a manager and keeping him for more than three years and getting into Europe! Clearly the Witton GB want some of that for their own school, and let's hope it works for them. The more high-performing schools in Blackburn the better.

I do have some concerns for the long term future of the school where many of the parents have selected the school due to it not being faith based, and we now find that it is to be supported by a faith based charity. We must ask ourselves if there is a longer term strategy at play here.

bmurtaja wrote:

editor1988 wrote:

jack daniels wrote:

editor1988 wrote: Tauheedul is doing an excellent job. Look at this: http://www.crisis.or g.uk/news.php?id=597 http://www.tauheedul relief.org/current-a ppeals/uk-homelessne ss-campaign/ Pupils from Tauheedul Islam Boys' High School (TIBHS), Blackburn have raised £4,600 for Crisis. The pupils from years 7 and 8 raised the funds through the ‘Tauheedul Mile’ running activity that involved 153 boys undertaking a one mile run for the homeless people. Commenting on the achievements of the boys, Jacquie Petriaho, Principal of TIBHS said, “Although our schools only started a few months ago, our boys have demonstrated their commitment to community service and philanthropy. Through our partnership work with Crisis and Tauheedul Relief Trust (TRT), we aim to transform the lives of thousands of single homeless people in the UK.” The Chief Executive of Crisis, Leslie Morphy said, “At a time when homelessness is on the rise and our services are needed more than ever, the £4,700 raised by the pupils of Tauheedul Islam Boys’ School is all the more welcome. We would like to thank the pupils for their fantastic effort in raising such a significant amount.”

they ain't the only school kids that do this. shame on you for using them in this way

Give me one example of a school in Blackburn where 153 boys have raised this amount for charity. Go on, give me one example Jack.

Go on Jack, give one example. The boys have raise nearly £10,000 since September for homeless young people in the UK .... Yes, in the UK ... not for Asians, for everyone!

didn't realise that giving to charity was a competition

well done for proving my original comment correct

A Measured Response wrote:
Third-worst performing school to 53%?!?!?! Well, that's it in a nutshell then. That's like Rovers appointing a manager and keeping him for more than three years and getting into Europe! Clearly the Witton GB want some of that for their own school, and let's hope it works for them. The more high-performing schools in Blackburn the better.

Agree.

In response to 'Sick of Rip Off'; I can understand your concern, because on the face of it there is a faith-based charity working with a secular school. I'm sure I'm right in thinking though that the agreement between TSA and the school will be legally binding, some kind of constitution perhaps, in which the terms of reference are clearly laid out. It will be about raising standards, systems, governance, all that kind of thing, and if Witton don't want any reference to religion in it, there won't be any. There are numerous examples nationally of faith-based and secular organisations working together for the greater good, whether it's action against poverty, homelessness, domestic violence, a whole range of things. The common interest here is education and raising standards, simple.

in the next two to three years that school will be like beardwood

turd moor wrote:
in the next two to three years that school will be like beardwood

Figures from the 2011 census show that, there are now more polish immigrants in this country, than there are Pakistani immigrants. As a result more Caucasians have moved to this country than Asian in the last ten years.

The census also shows that 5% of the population is Muslim. That means 95% follows other faiths and religion, or no religion at all.

If this is the case then why are you getting your knickers so wound up that your face is starting to go red. You need to chill out and have a look around. Asians, Caucasians, Muslims and all the other migrants that are living in this country are here to stay. Deal with it or your just gonna end up throttling yourselves as your tighty whities (or chadees) get tighter and tighter.