SON OF BOMBER COMMAND
It had been raining very heavily in Swansea South Wales on the
19th October 1943 as I made my way home from Terrace Road Junior School Swansea. I was 6 years old at the time.
As I waded through the flood water at the bottom of the hill, I saw my Grandfather Captain Bill Woodman waiting for me at the end of the road. He had come to tell me that my father Flight Sergeant Haydn Davies VR 207 Squadron Lancaster Bombers had been shot down over Hannover Germany.
At the time I thought, I am sure he will have bailed out and was alright. As the time went by, I realised that he was never coming home. He was 26 years old at the time and he was destined to be one of the 55,000 Heroes of Bomber Command in World War 2. The spitfire pilots were to be known as The Few - my father was one of The Many.
For the past 75 years, I have missed having a father. I have never forgotten the few precious memories I have of him.. He used to bring home tins of orange juice and chocolates - he went without himself on the long flights to Germany from his Lincolnshire airfield for me to enjoy the delicacy.
Many years later, I flew with Baroness Lady Sue Rider whose husband was Group Captain Sir Leonard Cheshire, Commander of Group 5 Bomber Command in WW2 - my father's Chief, to Lourdes in France. I was a Business Adviser and I had given my services free to help Lady Ryder decide if she should create a Sue Ryder Home for the Disabled in Lourdes - one of her life's ambitions.
She was very proud of Bomber Command and had shown me her private museum dedicated to her husband at her Headquarters in Suffolk.
I advised her to go ahead and realise her dream. I prayed with her at St Bernadette's Grotto at Lourdes. Today, there is a Sue Ryder presence in Lourdes. What an amazing connection with Bomber Command.
I,too am proud of Bomber Command. We must never let future generations forget the significance of the role of The Many in defeating evil. It must inspire the RAF of today to continue to defeat evil.
In memory of people like my father and Veterans living today, I ask you to support the work of Bomber Command.
Raymond Williams
Son of Flight Sergeant Arthur Haydn Davies VR 207 Squadron RAF Lancaster Bombers
Killed in action 18 October 1943 Hannover Germany
Thursday, 10 December 2015
Wednesday, 11 November 2015
THE CAMERON WISH LIST FOR EU REFORM - The views of One British Citizen
THE CAMERON WISH LIST FOR EU REFORM - MY WISH LIST
So, at last Prime Minister has presented his demands to the EU to enable The United Kingdom to stay in the EU. He is trying. Already voices in the EU are raising objections.
As an ordinary British Citizen I too have a voice also.
Here are some of my Demands.
They do not have the right to claim Welfare Payments. Their Welfare Payments should be paid by their Country of Origin. That will mean no British Welfare payments to their wives and children back in countries like Poland, Romania, Bulgaria for example.
Why should British taxpayers have to subsidise foreign workers ?
These EU countries will not like this because they like to pass the buck to Britain.Work permits should only be issued to EU workers where they have got a job offer to fill positions which no British worker has applied for over a 3 months period.
EU workers who come to the UK for a job, then lose the job must not claim Welfare Payments in Britain but in their own country. This rule must also apply to British workers working in EU countries.
The cost of Asylum seekers must be paid for by a new UN budget.
Asylum seekers should also be directed to safe African States and countries who need more workers.
We are Europeans. We love Europe. We want peaceful relations within Europe. We want to protect our European Heritage.
CONCLUSION
I do not think for one minute that the EU will agree to these demands. The EU have failed to have their Accounts to be signed off by the Auditors for over 12 years. A disgrace.
I am getting convinced that the UK will leave the EU.
I predict that once the EU realises that the UK are going to leave they will offer the UK a new deal, watered down and ask the UK Government to have a second Referendum just like Ireland did.
ARE WE THAT STUPID ?
So, at last Prime Minister has presented his demands to the EU to enable The United Kingdom to stay in the EU. He is trying. Already voices in the EU are raising objections.
As an ordinary British Citizen I too have a voice also.
Here are some of my Demands.
- EU citizens have the right to free movement within the EU on temporary stay Visas.
They do not have the right to claim Welfare Payments. Their Welfare Payments should be paid by their Country of Origin. That will mean no British Welfare payments to their wives and children back in countries like Poland, Romania, Bulgaria for example.
Why should British taxpayers have to subsidise foreign workers ?
These EU countries will not like this because they like to pass the buck to Britain.Work permits should only be issued to EU workers where they have got a job offer to fill positions which no British worker has applied for over a 3 months period.
EU workers who come to the UK for a job, then lose the job must not claim Welfare Payments in Britain but in their own country. This rule must also apply to British workers working in EU countries.
- The principal of Free International Trade must apply to the UK and EU in the event that Britain votes to leave the EU in the 2017 Referendum. There must not be any restrictive practices from the EU which would restrict UK Trade with EU countries and the Rest of the World.
- The British Parliament is Supreme. Even if the UK remains in the EU, any Legislation from the EU must be approved by the British Parliament. .
- Asylum applications must only be granted a temporary stay Visa. They must return to their Country of Origin when it is deemed safe to do so by the United Nations.
The cost of Asylum seekers must be paid for by a new UN budget.
Asylum seekers should also be directed to safe African States and countries who need more workers.
- We must seek closer ties with Europe for NATO, Policing, Cultural and Social interaction such as holidays, music, Joint Ventures and all normal peaceful activities. Free movement for holidays.
- No Healthcare Migrants unless their treatment is paid by Medical Insurance. No entry into the UK without valid Health Insurance. The NHS is losing £ Millions from unpaid bills.
- Diplomats who do not pay fines for one reason or not must be expelled.
- The Government must promote to the citizens of Europe that we are not against Europeans.
We are Europeans. We love Europe. We want peaceful relations within Europe. We want to protect our European Heritage.
CONCLUSION
I do not think for one minute that the EU will agree to these demands. The EU have failed to have their Accounts to be signed off by the Auditors for over 12 years. A disgrace.
I am getting convinced that the UK will leave the EU.
I predict that once the EU realises that the UK are going to leave they will offer the UK a new deal, watered down and ask the UK Government to have a second Referendum just like Ireland did.
ARE WE THAT STUPID ?
Thursday, 29 October 2015
THE CHILCOT INQUIRY - THE IRAQ WAR
The Chilcot Inquiry - The Iraq War
So, Sir John Chilcot has announced that he hopes their Report into the Iraq War will be published maybe in July 2016.
It started in 2009 and it will have taken 7 years to complete the Report of millions of pages. The cost ? £ Multi Millions.
It looks like we will finally get the conclusions which most ordinary citizens already know !
There has been much debate in the Media and within Parliament in the UK and within Congress in the USA.
Let's see if The Chilcot Report says anything different to what we already know -
President George Bush of the USA and Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK thought that President Saddam Hussain of Iraq was a threat to its neighbours and the sources of Oil for the West. They knew he had used chemical weapons to kill 5,000 of his own villagers.
They received bad intelligence from opposition members in Iraq and misinterpreted their own intelligence feedback. They decided to go to war with Iraq - but it was sanctioned by their Parliament and Congress and the UN.
Conclusion One
President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair are not to blame for the Iraq War because they acted in good faith on the Intellegence Reports from their Support Staff and Satellite photos.
Conclusion Two
President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, The Military High Commands of all the Coalition Nations are guilty of a lack of understanding of the Political and Social complications of the Religous Rivalry within the Iraq Society and they were lacking in a post War Strategy.
They also failed to recognise that Saddam Hussain was the lesser of evils in the Middle East. He kept a balance with Iran, he stopped Terrorist Groups from growing in Iraq, he kept peace within Iraq. He was a ruthless leader but nevertheless, his rule might have been better that the chaotic aftermath of the Iraq War.
Conclusion Three
All parties - Leaders in the USA, UK, UN, Congress, UK Parliament were duped by the intelligence services. This was more a case of bad management in the Intelligence Services and not a deliberate series of misleading information.
It was a case of bad Judgement.
In Conflicts and Wars there is always a danger of bad judgements.
War is an imperfect state of Mankind. Positive Outcomes are often
laced with Negative Outcomes.
Conclusion Four
It was wrong to not accept the Reports of the Inspection Teams that they found no chemical weapons.
They were given free access by the Iraq Government to many sites and they found no evidence of chemical weapons.
Conclusion Five
In future, it is imperative that Leaders and their Political Institutions receive much better Intelligence.
Lessons should be learnt from the Iraq War.
The Iraq War was not illegal. It was sanctioned by the UN, the USA Congress, the Parliaments of Coalition Nations.
Conclusion Six
No person in the Political Rulers class is guilty of War Crimes.
Bad Judgement is part of the fabric of Warfare. It is a risk that Democracies have to take. The history of the World has seen many poor Generals and Politicians. Fortunately, the good Leaders over time have outnumbered the failures !
Conclusion Seven
The cost of the Eurekys Report is.... £ 0 taking 1 hour.
The cost of the Chilcot Report is..... £ Millions taking 7 years.
Let us await and see what Conclusions The Chilcot Inquiry comes up with and what it will add to our knowledge and understanding of the reasons for going to war with Iraq which was opposed by millions of citizens. I wonder.........
So, Sir John Chilcot has announced that he hopes their Report into the Iraq War will be published maybe in July 2016.
It started in 2009 and it will have taken 7 years to complete the Report of millions of pages. The cost ? £ Multi Millions.
It looks like we will finally get the conclusions which most ordinary citizens already know !
There has been much debate in the Media and within Parliament in the UK and within Congress in the USA.
Let's see if The Chilcot Report says anything different to what we already know -
President George Bush of the USA and Prime Minister Tony Blair of the UK thought that President Saddam Hussain of Iraq was a threat to its neighbours and the sources of Oil for the West. They knew he had used chemical weapons to kill 5,000 of his own villagers.
They received bad intelligence from opposition members in Iraq and misinterpreted their own intelligence feedback. They decided to go to war with Iraq - but it was sanctioned by their Parliament and Congress and the UN.
Conclusion One
President George Bush and Prime Minister Tony Blair are not to blame for the Iraq War because they acted in good faith on the Intellegence Reports from their Support Staff and Satellite photos.
Conclusion Two
President Bush, Prime Minister Blair, The Military High Commands of all the Coalition Nations are guilty of a lack of understanding of the Political and Social complications of the Religous Rivalry within the Iraq Society and they were lacking in a post War Strategy.
They also failed to recognise that Saddam Hussain was the lesser of evils in the Middle East. He kept a balance with Iran, he stopped Terrorist Groups from growing in Iraq, he kept peace within Iraq. He was a ruthless leader but nevertheless, his rule might have been better that the chaotic aftermath of the Iraq War.
Conclusion Three
All parties - Leaders in the USA, UK, UN, Congress, UK Parliament were duped by the intelligence services. This was more a case of bad management in the Intelligence Services and not a deliberate series of misleading information.
It was a case of bad Judgement.
In Conflicts and Wars there is always a danger of bad judgements.
War is an imperfect state of Mankind. Positive Outcomes are often
laced with Negative Outcomes.
Conclusion Four
It was wrong to not accept the Reports of the Inspection Teams that they found no chemical weapons.
They were given free access by the Iraq Government to many sites and they found no evidence of chemical weapons.
Conclusion Five
In future, it is imperative that Leaders and their Political Institutions receive much better Intelligence.
Lessons should be learnt from the Iraq War.
The Iraq War was not illegal. It was sanctioned by the UN, the USA Congress, the Parliaments of Coalition Nations.
Conclusion Six
No person in the Political Rulers class is guilty of War Crimes.
Bad Judgement is part of the fabric of Warfare. It is a risk that Democracies have to take. The history of the World has seen many poor Generals and Politicians. Fortunately, the good Leaders over time have outnumbered the failures !
Conclusion Seven
The cost of the Eurekys Report is.... £ 0 taking 1 hour.
The cost of the Chilcot Report is..... £ Millions taking 7 years.
Let us await and see what Conclusions The Chilcot Inquiry comes up with and what it will add to our knowledge and understanding of the reasons for going to war with Iraq which was opposed by millions of citizens. I wonder.........
Sunday, 4 October 2015
EUREKYS WARNED YOU - READ MY ARTICLE - TRUST THE TEACHERS
READ EUREKYS ARTICLE - TRUST THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS
I WARNED YOU
More than half of teachers in England (53%) are thinking of quitting in the next two years, a 2015 survey has suggested.
The survey, conducted by the National Union of Teachers, found 61% of those wanting to leave blamed workload and 57% desired a better work/life balance.
Two thirds of the 1,020 primary and secondary school teachers questioned felt morale in the profession had declined over the past five years.
Schools minister Nick Gibb pledged to tackle excessive workloads.
The findings of the survey are timely, because last month the five main teaching unions warned of a crisis in recruitment and retention, although the government maintains the vacancy rate has stayed stable at about 1%.
The survey, undertaken with a representative sample of teachers, also suggested many were unhappy with some of the government's plans.
76% said forcing schools that require improvement to become academies would damage education
62% said the plans for 500 new free schools would also damage education
54% were not confident the new baseline test for four-year-olds would provide valid information about a child's ability
General secretary of the NUT, Christine Blower, said: "This survey demonstrates the combined, negative impact of the accountability agenda on teacher workload and morale.
READ EUREKYS ARTICLE BELOW
TRUST THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS
In Britain Today, there is total distrust of the Professional Teacher - like there is total distrust of Hospital Professionals and other Professionals in our Society.
This distrust is manifested by the Government who have imposed masses of rules, standards and regulations whereby every tiny action by the Teacher is supervised, monitored and checked by the Head and Deputy Teachers, Ofsted and Government Education Departments.
It seems to the Teaching Staff, that there is total distrust of their abilities to perform well in class. Every move must. be assessed. The Teacher must be pressed for more and more higher standards regardless of the impact on the mental health of the teacher. Government appears to think that Teachers are Robots and not Human Beings.
Of course the justification is the objective to raise standards of performance by pupils and the school.
Is that not what all parents want ?
Standards, standards and more standards with reports, reports and more reports. The teacher is made accountable for everything in the classroom according to what the Government Standards are written into the Laws of Standards !
The lesson preparation work is checked, the individual students work is checked, the class performance checked. Why has the teacher done that, why is this or that result so low. why has not the teacher not included this. Why has the teacher failed to reach the standard in this subject or that subject, why has the teacher failed to complete the write up report in time ? Why ?; Why? Why ?
A variation on the old song should be - Hey Government, l.eave that teacher alone.
The Government needs more information, the parents need better results for their children, the Head Teacher wants a better rating for the School.
There is endless pressure on the Teacher In Britain Today to prepare lessons in their own private time but to be continually assessed and re-assessed on their achievement levels against standards and report writing. An Unbearable pressure leading to breakdowns in Teacher Health, pressure on Marriage Relations and Teachers leaving the profession. Government supervision of the Teaching Profession has gone too far.
Take for example the views of one experienced teacher -
We are required to plan and document in advance every single thing we say, do or teach. On one instant of Observance in class by officials I was criticised because I had not pre-written all the questions on my lesson plan.
My experienced years counted for nothing.
I have to prove my words in advance in writing
I must write up that I am going to make my lesson more challenging and how.
I can not longer speak to my teaching assistant about her role in the lesson - I must define it on paper in advance, Yes , more paperwork
I have to prove specific marking of every piece of work every child does in every lesson. With 32 in the class, that can be 96 - 128 written comments.
There is way too much emphasis on assuming what is measurable is the most valuable information
We have lost sight of good teaching and replaced it with lots of paperwork
I have to work most weekends to keep up with paperwork
The Head is more interested in my paperwork than teaching ability. Yes, he is under pressure for paperwork too
One Head Teacher who has recently resigned in 2014 from the Teaching Profession because he could not suffer the stress any more of the excessive burden of administration and lack of respect from Government and Parents alike. said -
Some excellent valid points have been made in this article.
He is not alone. Many more Head Teachers have buckled under the strain of Paperwork, Reports and unduly Scrutiny from the Civil Servants and Government.There will be many more if Policies do not change for the better.
No wonder Classroom Teachers and Head Teachers are disgruntled and upset. This is crazy Management of the Educational Profession and Schools System in the United kingdom.
One Parent suggested -
Tell the Government to impose the same stringent criteria for judging the performance of Teachers onto the Members of Parliament, The Civil Service and The House of Lords. Perhaps they are already committing this fundamental mistake of paperwork overload.
Children are very sensitive and observant to the mood of their teacher in the classroom. They can easily detect if a teacher is not well, moody, tired, irritable and short tempered. All the signs of stress. This is not good for the children and certainly not good for the teacher.
The Government seems to have forgotten that Teachers have undertaken some 3 years of intensive training, they are dedicated people and that they care for the children that they teach. Teachers are the Salt of the Earth. Teachers are people of good character and the majority of teachers are inspirational people. Of course there will always be some black sheep in any profession. It is the duty of Head Teachers to root them out. Head Teachers are responsible for standards in their school not Civil Servants in Whitehall London. I am in favour of Ofted regular visits to schools but I reject the excessive amount of Report Writing that the Teacher is currently subjected to. I am also against the mass of Targets and Sub Targets. imposed on the teacher. Let them spend more time teaching and less time completing reports.
So what can we do about this distrust of Teachers ?
Make the Head Teacher responsible in full for the standards of performance of his / her teaching staff by classroom observance - and more freedom from report writing.
Let the Governors review performance at the school but not to blame the teachers for every poor individual performance.
Let Government accept the principle that the Teaching Profession know best for what is good teaching practice and not Civil Service and Government Mandarins.
The NUT - National Union of Teachers know what is best for the good education of our children - they have the practical experience and not the Government. Their advice is worth more credence than the high ground perspective of the Civil Service and the Department of Education in Whitehall. The Government should listen to the NUT viewpoint and implement more of their recommendations. I am not a Member of the NUT nor am I a Member of any political party. This is my independent view.
Recognise that the individual pupil has the responsibility to learn and that the teacher must not be blamed always for poor results. Also, accept the fact of life that some children are late starters.
Reduce the amount of subject matter in some of the courses. Do not over fill the curriculum with subject matter placing extra pressure on the teacher.Education and Subject overload is not a good thing for our children. Excessive homework is one example. A child needs to enjoy home time and not have to worry about homework all the time. Is this because the curriculum is top loaded ? Is this because homework must be regular or the teacher will never cover the subjects and therefore will be black marked for under performing.
Remember that personal character development is just as important as academic achievement.
Physical activities are important in the school curriculum. Do not sell off any more sports grounds.
Start to treat the teacher with respect once more, lift the administrative burden and let us have happy, healthy teachers and not overstressed, irritable, depressed teachers.
Trust the Teacher not the Civil Service. Set the Teacher free of red tape. Let us have a healthier Teaching Profession.
Trust the Teacher to look after our children. The Teaching Profession know best.
Warning for the future Government - Teachers are under exceptional stress and strain. There is a danger that many will seek a different Career Pathway and leave the Teaching Profession..
You have been warned.
The Government has carried out its own research in 2014. Here are some of their findings which they published in a 2015 Report.-
Table 4: Most common unproductive work areas. “Tell us about the unnecessary and unproductive
tasks which take up too much of your time. Where do these come from?” Workload Challenge
survey, 2014 (sample base = 1645 respondents).
Percentage of
respondents
Lesson planning and policies, assessment and reporting
administration 82%
School administration and management 76%
Accountability 73%
Behaviour management 13%
Administrative planning and policies 12%
Pupil support 10%
*Note that those not responding are not included. Base is number of respondents who gave at least one
response across all categories.
The Conservative Government are trying to tackle these problems but they must act fast.
Otherwise, we are going to lose many of our best teachers forever.
We need a radical overall of Education Policy and I hope that the new Minister of Education will take URGENT note of the research findings.
I WARNED YOU
More than half of teachers in England (53%) are thinking of quitting in the next two years, a 2015 survey has suggested.
The survey, conducted by the National Union of Teachers, found 61% of those wanting to leave blamed workload and 57% desired a better work/life balance.
Two thirds of the 1,020 primary and secondary school teachers questioned felt morale in the profession had declined over the past five years.
Schools minister Nick Gibb pledged to tackle excessive workloads.
The findings of the survey are timely, because last month the five main teaching unions warned of a crisis in recruitment and retention, although the government maintains the vacancy rate has stayed stable at about 1%.
The survey, undertaken with a representative sample of teachers, also suggested many were unhappy with some of the government's plans.
76% said forcing schools that require improvement to become academies would damage education
62% said the plans for 500 new free schools would also damage education
54% were not confident the new baseline test for four-year-olds would provide valid information about a child's ability
General secretary of the NUT, Christine Blower, said: "This survey demonstrates the combined, negative impact of the accountability agenda on teacher workload and morale.
READ EUREKYS ARTICLE BELOW
TRUST THE PROFESSIONAL TEACHERS
In Britain Today, there is total distrust of the Professional Teacher - like there is total distrust of Hospital Professionals and other Professionals in our Society.
This distrust is manifested by the Government who have imposed masses of rules, standards and regulations whereby every tiny action by the Teacher is supervised, monitored and checked by the Head and Deputy Teachers, Ofsted and Government Education Departments.
It seems to the Teaching Staff, that there is total distrust of their abilities to perform well in class. Every move must. be assessed. The Teacher must be pressed for more and more higher standards regardless of the impact on the mental health of the teacher. Government appears to think that Teachers are Robots and not Human Beings.
Of course the justification is the objective to raise standards of performance by pupils and the school.
Is that not what all parents want ?
Standards, standards and more standards with reports, reports and more reports. The teacher is made accountable for everything in the classroom according to what the Government Standards are written into the Laws of Standards !
The lesson preparation work is checked, the individual students work is checked, the class performance checked. Why has the teacher done that, why is this or that result so low. why has not the teacher not included this. Why has the teacher failed to reach the standard in this subject or that subject, why has the teacher failed to complete the write up report in time ? Why ?; Why? Why ?
A variation on the old song should be - Hey Government, l.eave that teacher alone.
The Government needs more information, the parents need better results for their children, the Head Teacher wants a better rating for the School.
There is endless pressure on the Teacher In Britain Today to prepare lessons in their own private time but to be continually assessed and re-assessed on their achievement levels against standards and report writing. An Unbearable pressure leading to breakdowns in Teacher Health, pressure on Marriage Relations and Teachers leaving the profession. Government supervision of the Teaching Profession has gone too far.
Take for example the views of one experienced teacher -
We are required to plan and document in advance every single thing we say, do or teach. On one instant of Observance in class by officials I was criticised because I had not pre-written all the questions on my lesson plan.
My experienced years counted for nothing.
I have to prove my words in advance in writing
I must write up that I am going to make my lesson more challenging and how.
I can not longer speak to my teaching assistant about her role in the lesson - I must define it on paper in advance, Yes , more paperwork
I have to prove specific marking of every piece of work every child does in every lesson. With 32 in the class, that can be 96 - 128 written comments.
There is way too much emphasis on assuming what is measurable is the most valuable information
We have lost sight of good teaching and replaced it with lots of paperwork
I have to work most weekends to keep up with paperwork
The Head is more interested in my paperwork than teaching ability. Yes, he is under pressure for paperwork too
One Head Teacher who has recently resigned in 2014 from the Teaching Profession because he could not suffer the stress any more of the excessive burden of administration and lack of respect from Government and Parents alike. said -
Some excellent valid points have been made in this article.
He is not alone. Many more Head Teachers have buckled under the strain of Paperwork, Reports and unduly Scrutiny from the Civil Servants and Government.There will be many more if Policies do not change for the better.
No wonder Classroom Teachers and Head Teachers are disgruntled and upset. This is crazy Management of the Educational Profession and Schools System in the United kingdom.
One Parent suggested -
Tell the Government to impose the same stringent criteria for judging the performance of Teachers onto the Members of Parliament, The Civil Service and The House of Lords. Perhaps they are already committing this fundamental mistake of paperwork overload.
Children are very sensitive and observant to the mood of their teacher in the classroom. They can easily detect if a teacher is not well, moody, tired, irritable and short tempered. All the signs of stress. This is not good for the children and certainly not good for the teacher.
The Government seems to have forgotten that Teachers have undertaken some 3 years of intensive training, they are dedicated people and that they care for the children that they teach. Teachers are the Salt of the Earth. Teachers are people of good character and the majority of teachers are inspirational people. Of course there will always be some black sheep in any profession. It is the duty of Head Teachers to root them out. Head Teachers are responsible for standards in their school not Civil Servants in Whitehall London. I am in favour of Ofted regular visits to schools but I reject the excessive amount of Report Writing that the Teacher is currently subjected to. I am also against the mass of Targets and Sub Targets. imposed on the teacher. Let them spend more time teaching and less time completing reports.
So what can we do about this distrust of Teachers ?
Make the Head Teacher responsible in full for the standards of performance of his / her teaching staff by classroom observance - and more freedom from report writing.
Let the Governors review performance at the school but not to blame the teachers for every poor individual performance.
Let Government accept the principle that the Teaching Profession know best for what is good teaching practice and not Civil Service and Government Mandarins.
The NUT - National Union of Teachers know what is best for the good education of our children - they have the practical experience and not the Government. Their advice is worth more credence than the high ground perspective of the Civil Service and the Department of Education in Whitehall. The Government should listen to the NUT viewpoint and implement more of their recommendations. I am not a Member of the NUT nor am I a Member of any political party. This is my independent view.
Recognise that the individual pupil has the responsibility to learn and that the teacher must not be blamed always for poor results. Also, accept the fact of life that some children are late starters.
Reduce the amount of subject matter in some of the courses. Do not over fill the curriculum with subject matter placing extra pressure on the teacher.Education and Subject overload is not a good thing for our children. Excessive homework is one example. A child needs to enjoy home time and not have to worry about homework all the time. Is this because the curriculum is top loaded ? Is this because homework must be regular or the teacher will never cover the subjects and therefore will be black marked for under performing.
Remember that personal character development is just as important as academic achievement.
Physical activities are important in the school curriculum. Do not sell off any more sports grounds.
Start to treat the teacher with respect once more, lift the administrative burden and let us have happy, healthy teachers and not overstressed, irritable, depressed teachers.
Trust the Teacher not the Civil Service. Set the Teacher free of red tape. Let us have a healthier Teaching Profession.
Trust the Teacher to look after our children. The Teaching Profession know best.
Warning for the future Government - Teachers are under exceptional stress and strain. There is a danger that many will seek a different Career Pathway and leave the Teaching Profession..
You have been warned.
The Government has carried out its own research in 2014. Here are some of their findings which they published in a 2015 Report.-
Table 4: Most common unproductive work areas. “Tell us about the unnecessary and unproductive
tasks which take up too much of your time. Where do these come from?” Workload Challenge
survey, 2014 (sample base = 1645 respondents).
Percentage of
respondents
Lesson planning and policies, assessment and reporting
administration 82%
School administration and management 76%
Accountability 73%
Behaviour management 13%
Administrative planning and policies 12%
Pupil support 10%
*Note that those not responding are not included. Base is number of respondents who gave at least one
response across all categories.
The Conservative Government are trying to tackle these problems but they must act fast.
Otherwise, we are going to lose many of our best teachers forever.
We need a radical overall of Education Policy and I hope that the new Minister of Education will take URGENT note of the research findings.
Friday, 2 October 2015
STOPPNIG WORLD CONFLICT - ONE SUGGESTION
STOPPING WORLD CONFLICT AND THE THE ILLEGAL FLOW OF ARMS
What is it about some people in many World Regions that makes them want to take up arms and revert to violence and destruction to settle their differences? What makes them want to force change through conflict ? Why are they prepared to accept the destruction of homes civilians and their Society like in Syria ?
Most Religions in the World, whether you believe in God, Buddha, Islam and Allah or preach other life after death versions or atheism - preach Love, Order, Respect, Family Unity, Understanding and Peace. In other words, To Live Life in a Civilised Manner. Civilisation is based on moral principles not killing of human beings.
Why then do we have in the World today such carnage ?
Who supplies weapons to people who have a grievance ?
Are there any solutions?
I am an ordinary British Citizen and I confess - I do not have solutions to all the conflicts. I wish I did.
However, on the positive side, I have one practical suggestion -
The United Nations should try and identify all the Arms Manufacturers in the World. All Member States in the UN should be obliged to search and check for Manufacturers of weapons however large or small including bucket shop manufacturers in third world countries.
All arms / weapons manufacturing is BANNED and will be ILLEGAL unless the manufacturer has a United Nations PERMIT and is regularly monitored and checked.
Obviously, weapons for self defence must be allowed but only to legitimate Governments who are Members of the UN. But, who are the legitimate Governments ?
This is the big challenge. Should a Big Power be allowed to supply arms to an opposition who do not like their Government ?
No is the answer. Peaceful solutions may take time but the outcome is better than winning and leaving your Country in ruins with millions of its citizens dead like in Syria.
We either strive harder to make the United Nations work or we allow death,fear and destruction to destroy Civilisation. It is a question of Civilisation or Anarchy. I prefer Civilisation.
However, here is the big problem - CORRUPTION.
Is there a solution? Yes.
Recognised UN Agencies after vetting supported by Observers from Decent, Peace loving Nations should do the checking.
I know some Nations will cheat but surely the World can try and stop the constant flow of arms and weapons ?
Third Parties who sell arms against the approval of the UN should face lengthy jail sentences.
If this dangerous flow of weapons is stopped, so MIGHT conflict.
After World War 2, the United Nation Charter seemed to be the panacea to stop armed conflict.
I certainly believed it would. How wrong was I ? Korea, Egypt, Israel, Vietnam, Iraq, Syria. Ukraine and many many more. A terrible legacy. When will it stop ? How can it stop ?
Member States of the United Nations must start again to respect The United Nations Charter.
The General Assembly and the Security Council must reaffirm their support of and PRACTISE of The UN Charter.
Am I a dreamer ? No. We must find some peaceful solution.
Does anyone have a better idea ?
What is it about some people in many World Regions that makes them want to take up arms and revert to violence and destruction to settle their differences? What makes them want to force change through conflict ? Why are they prepared to accept the destruction of homes civilians and their Society like in Syria ?
Most Religions in the World, whether you believe in God, Buddha, Islam and Allah or preach other life after death versions or atheism - preach Love, Order, Respect, Family Unity, Understanding and Peace. In other words, To Live Life in a Civilised Manner. Civilisation is based on moral principles not killing of human beings.
Why then do we have in the World today such carnage ?
Who supplies weapons to people who have a grievance ?
Are there any solutions?
I am an ordinary British Citizen and I confess - I do not have solutions to all the conflicts. I wish I did.
However, on the positive side, I have one practical suggestion -
The United Nations should try and identify all the Arms Manufacturers in the World. All Member States in the UN should be obliged to search and check for Manufacturers of weapons however large or small including bucket shop manufacturers in third world countries.
All arms / weapons manufacturing is BANNED and will be ILLEGAL unless the manufacturer has a United Nations PERMIT and is regularly monitored and checked.
Obviously, weapons for self defence must be allowed but only to legitimate Governments who are Members of the UN. But, who are the legitimate Governments ?
This is the big challenge. Should a Big Power be allowed to supply arms to an opposition who do not like their Government ?
No is the answer. Peaceful solutions may take time but the outcome is better than winning and leaving your Country in ruins with millions of its citizens dead like in Syria.
We either strive harder to make the United Nations work or we allow death,fear and destruction to destroy Civilisation. It is a question of Civilisation or Anarchy. I prefer Civilisation.
However, here is the big problem - CORRUPTION.
Is there a solution? Yes.
Recognised UN Agencies after vetting supported by Observers from Decent, Peace loving Nations should do the checking.
I know some Nations will cheat but surely the World can try and stop the constant flow of arms and weapons ?
Third Parties who sell arms against the approval of the UN should face lengthy jail sentences.
If this dangerous flow of weapons is stopped, so MIGHT conflict.
After World War 2, the United Nation Charter seemed to be the panacea to stop armed conflict.
I certainly believed it would. How wrong was I ? Korea, Egypt, Israel, Vietnam, Iraq, Syria. Ukraine and many many more. A terrible legacy. When will it stop ? How can it stop ?
Member States of the United Nations must start again to respect The United Nations Charter.
The General Assembly and the Security Council must reaffirm their support of and PRACTISE of The UN Charter.
Am I a dreamer ? No. We must find some peaceful solution.
Does anyone have a better idea ?
Saturday, 19 September 2015
THE FUTURE OF SCOTLAND AND THE UNITED KINGDOM
SCOTLAND and the UNITED KINGDOM
I am grateful that I was born in the United Kingdom, in fact in Wales.
First and foremost I am British but I am proud to be Welsh as well - in that order.
Being British means that I love and respect England, I have great admiration for Scotland, I love the Irish North and Eire. Naturally, I support WALES in Rugby matches but I support England when they play overseas teams, Scotland and Ireland when they play overseas teams.
I feel a strong link with all the people who live and work in the British Isles.
I have had holidays in all countries in the the British Isles. I love the people, customs, the countryside, the food and drink and the ancient monuments. I also have studied the History of the British Isles - wars between England and Scotland, England and Wales, England and Ireland. I never want to see wars and strife between these countries ever again.
The trouble with blind Nationalism is that it is selfish. Bergar my neighbour attitude - I am alright Jack !
Personally, I never want to see Scotland become a foreign Nation.
The World today is so challenging to peace and prosperity. Weaknesses are exploited in commerce and terrorism.
Scottish Nationalists seem to be Hell bent on severing their membership of the United Kingdom with all the uncertainties that would bring. They are the epitome of selfishness.
One of their driving forces is their presumed ownership of Oil.
This is such a fallacy. The ownership of the North Sea Oil fields is shared with International Investors and Companies, the capital equipment is owned by International Companies, the Pipelines have been laid and owned by Consortia, the British Government have financial stakes and the legal right to tax revenues, the British Government has invested £ Billions.
No, the Scottish Government do not own the Oil Fields or the Oil Revenues !
In an unsettled World we must be on our guard against Foreign aggression and terrorism. A weak Independent Scotland would be vulnerable. Together, we remain strong.
It is a truism that some if not all Politicians love Power. Sometimes the driving force for change by some Leaders is to gain Personal Power. Who would not like to be President or Prime Minister?
I am suspicious of personal motives.
By now, the Reader will realise that I am against Scotland becoming an Independent Nation severing political links with the United Kingdom. I am against a second a Referendum. The first Referendum was unfair.. How could they negate Scottish Nationals living in England or elsewhere outside Scotland from a vote ?
Why? Because all of them would vote No. They like living in one United Kingdom.
My main objection is an emotional one. Scottish people are part of my family. They are my National identity just as much as Wales, England and Ireland are part of my identity.
In history, we are all mongrels ! We are a mix of Danes, Romans, Anglo Saxons, the Vikings, the Celts and ancient tribes.
We are a family mix of English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and International Immigrants - A Multi- Cultural Society.
As an United Kingdom we should be outward looking and not inward looking advocates of separation for Scotland, putting selfish interests before a United Kingdom that had brought so many benefits to the Nation such as freedom, religious tolerance, prosperity and peace. Yes, there is room for improvement.
Future prosperity will be gained from Unity not Fragmentation.
I am grateful that I was born in the United Kingdom, in fact in Wales.
First and foremost I am British but I am proud to be Welsh as well - in that order.
Being British means that I love and respect England, I have great admiration for Scotland, I love the Irish North and Eire. Naturally, I support WALES in Rugby matches but I support England when they play overseas teams, Scotland and Ireland when they play overseas teams.
I feel a strong link with all the people who live and work in the British Isles.
I have had holidays in all countries in the the British Isles. I love the people, customs, the countryside, the food and drink and the ancient monuments. I also have studied the History of the British Isles - wars between England and Scotland, England and Wales, England and Ireland. I never want to see wars and strife between these countries ever again.
The trouble with blind Nationalism is that it is selfish. Bergar my neighbour attitude - I am alright Jack !
Personally, I never want to see Scotland become a foreign Nation.
The World today is so challenging to peace and prosperity. Weaknesses are exploited in commerce and terrorism.
Scottish Nationalists seem to be Hell bent on severing their membership of the United Kingdom with all the uncertainties that would bring. They are the epitome of selfishness.
One of their driving forces is their presumed ownership of Oil.
This is such a fallacy. The ownership of the North Sea Oil fields is shared with International Investors and Companies, the capital equipment is owned by International Companies, the Pipelines have been laid and owned by Consortia, the British Government have financial stakes and the legal right to tax revenues, the British Government has invested £ Billions.
No, the Scottish Government do not own the Oil Fields or the Oil Revenues !
In an unsettled World we must be on our guard against Foreign aggression and terrorism. A weak Independent Scotland would be vulnerable. Together, we remain strong.
It is a truism that some if not all Politicians love Power. Sometimes the driving force for change by some Leaders is to gain Personal Power. Who would not like to be President or Prime Minister?
I am suspicious of personal motives.
By now, the Reader will realise that I am against Scotland becoming an Independent Nation severing political links with the United Kingdom. I am against a second a Referendum. The first Referendum was unfair.. How could they negate Scottish Nationals living in England or elsewhere outside Scotland from a vote ?
Why? Because all of them would vote No. They like living in one United Kingdom.
My main objection is an emotional one. Scottish people are part of my family. They are my National identity just as much as Wales, England and Ireland are part of my identity.
In history, we are all mongrels ! We are a mix of Danes, Romans, Anglo Saxons, the Vikings, the Celts and ancient tribes.
We are a family mix of English, Scottish, Welsh, Irish and International Immigrants - A Multi- Cultural Society.
As an United Kingdom we should be outward looking and not inward looking advocates of separation for Scotland, putting selfish interests before a United Kingdom that had brought so many benefits to the Nation such as freedom, religious tolerance, prosperity and peace. Yes, there is room for improvement.
Future prosperity will be gained from Unity not Fragmentation.
Monday, 14 September 2015
THE ROLE AND OBJECTIVES OF GOVERNMENT IN BRITAIN TODAY
THE ROLE and OBJECTIVES of GOVERNMENT in the BRITAIN
OF TODAY
Sometimes I wonder if the Political Parties in the United Kingdom have forgotten what Their Role is in Society and what their Objectives should be if they are in Government.
I am just one ordinary citizen and this is my personal view. Perhaps others would agree with me ?
Government needs to -
Maintain a civilised and peaceful Society and to protect all Citizens from harm, violence and attack from terrorism and foreign aggression.
To work tirelessly for Peace throughout the World without trying to thrust Democracy and Capitalism onto regimes who think otherwise.
Millions have lost their lives trying to do this. Peaceful Co- existence must be the key objective of Foreign Policy.
To maintain freedom of speech for everyone including the Press and Media.
To improve the lifestyle of all its citizens.
To provide free education for all its citizens.
To spend Public Money within sensible Budgets with the minimum of external borrowings - keep the deficit below £35 Billion per annum in the period 2020 - 2030.
To encourage a high level of Employment with incentives to Business to expand in the Domestic Market and Overseas Markets.
To provide homes for all families at affordable rates as a National Priority. Britain did this with pre- fabs and other schemes after World War 2.
To provide Healthcare free at the point of need.
To provide State Healthcare for all elderly and infirm people except for people with assets of £ 3 Millions at 2015 prices.
To reduce the size of the House of Lords and make it an elected second Chamber. Reduce the size of The House of Commons.
These should be the main Objectives. However, how can all these Objectives be achieved ?
It needs a major change of Attitudes. Here are some of the remedies that are needed.
Introduce a new Future State Pension Scheme which will need increased contributions during working life. Allow for inflation in Pension Projections. The present scheme is grossly underfunded and inadequate. It needs a major overhaul.
Set up a National Building Consortium to build affordable homes throughout the Country. Change taxation Policy for
Builders in this Consortium so that costs of building are drastically reduced. A Value Analysis is needed.
Use Quantitative Easing to fund shortfall in Healthcare Budgets and Care for the Elderly. If it worked for Banks then it should work for Healthcare.
Only participate in external conflicts as part of a United Nations
Coalition and funded by a General Assembly Budget.
Delay Projects such as HS2 and give priority to affordable housing.
Spend £100 Billions on this National Building Priority. Provide safeguards to prevent investor speculator gambling and fraud.
Be prepared to convert certain uneconomic farmland into
Eco Villages with affordable housing and landscaping.
Change attitudes to timescales and cannot be done Attitudes for example - Objectives to be achieved in 5 years and 10 years spans.
Make the period 2016 - 2026 a Golden Era for BRITAIN.
Only a radical new approach to New Attitudes and Actions will be sufficient to change the gridlock Policies of Today.
The present pathway will ensure that the problems In Britain Today WILL remain the problems In Britain Tomorrow !
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