The Ambigous Relationship Between the SES & St James

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bonsai
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The Ambigous Relationship Between the SES & St James

Postby bonsai » Tue Aug 21, 2007 3:48 pm

I was randomly searching around today and notice on the SES's web page, http://www.schooleconomicscience.org/index.php, the following statement:

Welcome to the School of Economic Science's website wrote:The School seeks not only to raise the intellectual understanding of its students but also encourages them to put what they have learned into practice. The aim is to lead a balanced life and to serve society to the best of one’s ability through work in the arts, literature, sciences and education (particularly through the St James’s Independent Schools).


I'm not sure when this was edited but I have never noticed it before. To me the statement "(particularly through the St James’s Independent Schools)" would imply to me that the SES is admitting that it has an influence, agenda and control over the St James's schools.

This would seem to imply a contradiction to the statement on the St James Website, http://www.stjamesschools.co.uk/v2/about6.htm:

St James School Governance page wrote:The Head Teachers report to the Governing Body, which cares for all the St James Schools in London, and which is entirely independent of any other Charity or organisation. The Head Teachers are responsible for all curriculum and daily management matters.


Of course the statement above from the St James about independence is entirely irrelevant because how can it be when all but one of the governors are active members of the SES and the heads and the majority of the teaching staff of St James are active members of the SES?

I wish that St James would admit in straightforward English that it subscribes to the philisophical teachings of the School of Economic Science and detail straightforwardly the numbers of governors and teaching staff that are members of the SES. It is not possible for a group of people to claim independence of an organisation when the majority of those people are active members of that organisation.

Bonsai

Free
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Postby Free » Sun Nov 18, 2007 12:39 am

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Last edited by Free on Wed Oct 05, 2011 10:29 pm, edited 2 times in total.

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bonsai
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Postby bonsai » Sun Nov 18, 2007 2:47 pm

These changes in governors are most welcome, though I think it would be fair to say that they are not far reaching enough.

The fact that Roger Pincham remains a governor and I presume also chairman of the governors is a major concern. Whilst I believe he is the only governor who is not a member of the SES, he has been and he has been the chairman of the governor for the lifetime of the St James and St Vedast schools. It is my opinion that Roger Pincham's position as a governor is entirely untenable.

The other governor of concern is Jeremy Sinclair. Jeremy is a trustee of the School of Economic Science and if there is to be clear demarkation between the two organisations then I do not see how you can have one person sitting on the boards of both without there being a conflict of interest.

It is interesting that they have appointed three old boys to the governors. It is a shame that there are no longer any women amongst the governors nor any old girls.

Bonsai

RobMac
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Postby RobMac » Sun Nov 18, 2007 6:29 pm

Given Roger Pinchams involvement since day one is it really belivable that he is anything other than an undeclared member of SES ?
I entirely agree that his position is untenable given that he has been at the helm throughout and failed utterly in his responsibilities both then and now.

I may be predjudiced but the appointment of any old boy or girl who is a current member of SES probably concerns me the most. These are surely people that are so utterly brainwashed by the SES that despite their experiences at the schools they remain "devoted" to the SES and can be no more than puppets to the masters higher up the SES food chain.

The only safe stewardship of these schools can be an entire board of governors who are not members of SES.

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Postby bonsai » Mon Nov 19, 2007 12:33 pm

RobMac wrote:Given Roger Pinchams involvement since day one is it really belivable that he is anything other than an undeclared member of SES ?


Roger Pincham was in the SES when the St James and St Vedast schools were first set up. Despite not being an active paid up member of the SES it is impossible for him to claim to be independent or be free of any conflicts of interest. Pincham is one of the people who takes a pasting in the Secret Cult for two reasons, one that he is the chairman of the board of governors of the day schools and secondly because of his involvement with the Liberal party. As a result of the secret cult Pincham left the SES presumably to carry on with his political career.

Pincham should have fallen on his sword many years ago back in 1985 when the secret cult was first published. The fact that the governors claim to have one governor who is not an SES member, which happens to be Pincham is just plain ludicrous. Pincham should resign just to allow the next generation of governors to have some credibility in sorting the schools out for the future.

RobMac wrote:...the appointment of any old boy or girl who is a current member of SES probably concerns me the most. These are surely people that are so utterly brainwashed by the SES...


Because of the nature of the SES as an organisation and the incestuous nature of the relationship between the St James and the philosophy school your concerns are well founded. I think it is also interesting that the three old boys concerned have been heavily involved the seventh form old boys and old girls association. I don't know whether they still are involved with the seventh form organisation but they were at pains to distance themselves when the inquiry process first started.

RobMac wrote:The only safe stewardship of these schools can be an entire board of governors who are not members of SES.


My personal view is that belief systems have no place in education. From my experience of St James I think that the relationship with the SES stifles everything good that St James has to offer. In that sense yes I agree with that stewardship of the school should be in the hands of people who are not members of the SES.

The school has made it fairly clear however that the relationship with the SES is something that it values and wishes to maintain. From that point of view if they wish to maintain a connection then they should have SES members represented on the board of governors. They can not however claim that the organisations are entirely separate when the majority of St James governors are members of the SES because in that case there is no objectivity. And someone who is a governor of St James and a Trustee of the SES presents a real conflict of interest.

Again the biggest trouble with the SES and St James is that both organisations governance is entirely perfunctory. The SES is entirely in control of one man being Donald Lambie and the day schools are entirely in control of the Head teachers and because of the Head Teachers' standings in the SES, I think it would be fair to say that they outrank most of the board of governors.

I cannot see that the governors as it exists today would have the clout to sack any of the head teachers.

I do however welcome the changes to the board of governors because now the majority of them have no association with the governance during the time of the alleged abuses. In that sense they can be held responsible for anything that occurs from here on in and if they have any sense at all they will institute significant change that will ensure that the mistakes of the past can not occur in the future. If they want to do this they should do this publicly and visibly.

bonsai

Abel Holzing
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Postby Abel Holzing » Tue Nov 20, 2007 2:01 am

bonsai wrote:Pincham should resign just to allow the next generation of governors to have some credibility in sorting the schools out for the future.

There has been an announcement that Roger Pincham is retiring. The new chairman of the board will be Jeremy Sinclair. I don't know the exact date of the changeover.

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Postby bonsai » Tue Nov 20, 2007 9:42 am

Abel Holzing wrote:There has been an announcement that Roger Pincham is retiring. The new chairman of the board will be Jeremy Sinclair. I don't know the exact date of the changeover.


Well here we go. The opportunity to make significant change squandered. Jeremy Sinclair has a huge conflict of interest as he is a trustee of the SES and being chairman of the board of governors of St James does hardly anything to demarcate the boundaries of the two organisations.

Wasn't Jeremy Sinclair the trustee of the SES that got wheeled out on the Channel 4 piece to say that SES and St James were separate from the organisational point of view?

bonsai

Free
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Postby Free » Tue Nov 20, 2007 1:05 pm

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Postby bonsai » Wed Nov 21, 2007 9:50 am

Thanks Free for the clarification.

Bonsai

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Postby bonsai » Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:02 am

IAE 2006 Accounts submitted to charity commission wrote:Relationships
The Association actively supports the attainment of the highest standards in the Independent Schools sector, partly through the Headteachers participating in the inspection of schools, and through promoting links and networking with other schools by attendance at Seminars and events. We also endeavour to widen public access to the schooling we can provide, the facilities and to awaken in our pupils an awareness of the social context ofthe allround education they receive.
The Association was founded by members of the Fellowship of the School of Economic Science as a separate legal and financial entity to provide education for children and young people. Members of the Fellowship continue to support the Association professionally, financially and in many practical ways. One governor is a Trustee of the Fellowship.
The aims of the Fellowship are "to promote the study of natural laws governing the relations between men in society". This concern with the essential nature of Man and the natural steps by which the child will grow, in body, mind and spirit, to full adulthood inspires and illuminates the conduct ofthe Schools under the aegis of the Association. There is good evidence that a School can do no greater service to its pupils than to help them understand themselves and broaden their horizons - as the basis of full and happy lives and good citizenship ofthe world at large.
The Governors are especially grateful to the Fellowship ofthe School of Economic Science for the continuing interest free loan of £1,650,000 which was made originally to assist with the acquisition of the Earsby Street property which is also used by the Fellowship for evening activities as a modest quid pro quo.


I just spotted the above in the 2006 accounts submitted to the charity commission. It would seem that this makes the connection between the SES and St James abundantly clear and it is a shame that this statement is not reflected on the St James websites.

Bonsai

trubleshtr
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Re: The Ambigous Relationship Between the SES & St James

Postby trubleshtr » Tue Feb 17, 2009 7:13 pm

I am writing simply to say that whilst the activity on this site has reduced over the years the presence of the Forum is valuable - and I found this topic very helpful.


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