Holley wanted to sack school governors 18 months ago
THE leader of Swansea Council has said he wanted to sack a failing school's governors 18 months ago.
Chris Holley made the comments at a meeting to decide the fate of Daniel James School in Treboeth.
He said he laid the blame for the school's problems with the governors, who were responsible for the hiring and firing of teachers and the curriculum.
"Eighteen months ago I asked the director of education (Richard Parry) to sack the governing body," he said. "The school wasn't improving. It wasn't giving the quality of education you would expect and that the authority demands through the Welsh Assembly and Estyn, and that is that all our children have the same standard (of education)."
Mr Holley said he still stood by his comments and called on the governors to apologise to the school, which could close by August 2012.
Following the meeting, he added: "The director asked if he could work with the governors to make improvements, and to be fair, he worked very hard, but it didn't happen."
"One thing we haven't seen from the governing body is an apology," Mr Holley told the cabinet meeting. "I haven't seen anything from the governing body to say they are sorry that the school has slipped into special measures and that's a disgrace."
Speaking after the meeting, chairwoman of the governors, Councillor Ceinwen Thomas, labelled Mr Holley's comments "slanderous" and said she would take legal action.
The meeting to decide whether to close Daniel James was packed with current and former pupils and supporters.
They called on the council to keep the school open and also said it had not been given enough of an opportunity to improve after being placed in special measures in April.
Mr Holley said: "If we continue, we allow a school in special measures to cont- inue to give education which isn't up to a standard Estyn tells us we must have."
He said closing the school was a tough decision, adding: "We have to give education to our children which is second to none. If as a council we feel that isn't good enough, we do something about it."
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by Jane, Swansea
Monday, December 06 2010, 7:42AM
“dai evans
it is because childrens education is a priority that the council want to close Daniel James and move these kids into better learning environments”
by dai evans, swansea
Sunday, December 05 2010, 10:00PM
“Mys T Fied--There only appears to be you who are being insulting in your comments, no where in my comments have i personally attacked or insulted you, unless you take my criticism about the Lib/Dem led council as a personnel attack if this is so i certainly do not apologize, because as a local-tax-payer i just dislike to see my hard earned money being wasted. Children's education must be a priority and school closures is Not the way forward.”
by Jan Deacon aka Realist, Swansea
Sunday, December 05 2010, 9:19PM
“E Hu, Chez la Bendy
I'd like to tell you your post is humorous but that would be a lie.
I'd like to compliment you on your perspicacity but if did that I'd be lying too.
Re your assumptions
1.) Totally Incorrect but I take it as a compliment because unlike you MysTFied talks sense.
2.) You may be right about that but whoever 'observer' may be his/her comments are as valid as yours and infinitely more interesting and intriguing.”
by E Hu, Chez la Bendy
Sunday, December 05 2010, 6:51PM
“Here's an idea for an EP competition: Correctly identify the real names of "Realist, Swansea", "Mys T Fied" and "observer, swansea local".
Clues: -
1.) "Realist" and "Mys T Fied" are the same person.
2.) "observer" is a Cllr. at CCS.
Tie-breaker if more than one reader is correct: -
Translate Holley's letter to Vince Cable into coherent english.
btw: If Holley is so good at identifying problems, why did it take him so long to sack Fitzgerald from Social Services?”
by Mys T Fied, Swansea
Sunday, December 05 2010, 5:50PM
“Dai Evans
I think Independents is the term you are looking for not Independence.
Just because someone does not post rude and ignorant comments/rants doesn't follow that they support either Lib/Dem or Independents. Anyone with half a brain would realise that you can disagree with someone's politics and actions while remaing polite and civilised.
Agree with Dorothy that empty vessels make the most noise.”
by Ray Welsby, Clase Morriston
Sunday, December 05 2010, 5:16PM
“Having read the comments of Cllr,Holley, surely he can not mislead the people of Swansea into believing that he could do nothing to remove govornors who he states were failing the school. The leader of the council is Cllr, Holley, and he and his cabinet have the right to remove a person or persons from thier positions as govornors as these same cabinet members decide who will be govornors of schools. May I remind Cllr, Holley that when the councillors, and govornors of Daniel James School his chosen panel with nomination from oposition parties decided who would be govornors,so please Cllr, Holley do not try to shift the blame,"You," your coalition and oposition councillors have to take the blame for failing the Children of Daniel James and I speak as a former govornor because I spoke to you as an independent councillor of the school was failing and politics was playing a big part in this but because I was outspoken I was removed from the board of govornors when my term expired and I re-applied for a second term.”
by dai evans, swansea
Sunday, December 05 2010, 5:04PM
“Observer & realist-- either one or two of you are obvious either Lib/Dem's or their off-shoots, the puppets indepenence-- Who voted to take over £5 million out of the education budget, thus obeying your master's holley's orders--Why hide behind aliases”
by Dorothy, Somewhere over the rainbow
Sunday, December 05 2010, 4:35PM
“Interesting to read this article and some of the reader's comments following it. Can't comment on the whys and wherefores of the proposed school closure but have to say the calibre and tone of the offerings from the more mouthy individuals is crass. There are a few sensible contributors who put over some valid points with direct bearing on the story.
When commentators make derogatory personal remarks and launch an irrelevant diatribe it invalidates their argument and demeans them.
Empty vessels make the most noise!”
by Holly, Swansea
Sunday, December 05 2010, 1:19PM
“Realist!!!
Touchy, touchy catch a monkey.”
by Realist, Swansea
Sunday, December 05 2010, 12:39PM
“@ Holly Swansea
Maybe you could point out where in any of my posts I have 'stood up for Holley', made any 'personal' insults and how you reach the conclusion that I have 'lost the argument' just because my point of view differs from yours?
The people who have 'lost the argument' are people who cannot give a reasoned comment and who resort to personal insults and name calling to try to get their point over.
You need to get your facts right and also stop make incorrect assumptions as to my political affiliations when in fact I have none.”