In December 2008, in mutual co-operation with the Local Authority, the Governing Body appointed Tim Boyes - the substantive Head Teacher of neighbouring Queensbridge School as the Interim Head Teacher for Moseley School for two terms. Under new and representative leadership the Governing Body, parents and members of the community - over the previous two years - had been concerned about historical low attainment at Moseley School.
Within weeks of his appointment, Tony Howell issued the Governing Body with a Statutory Warning Notice (SWN). The SWN contained unsubstantiated and seriously misleading allegations that would not stand up in the court of law and were based on feedback received from Tim Boyes and Local Authority officers who had attended a couple of meetings.
One of the requirements of the SWN was a commitment to publish a joint proposal with the Governing Body of Queensbridge School to establish a National Challenge Federation.
The Governing Body lodged an Appeal to OFSTED. OFSTED rejected the Appeal and used evidence that was not only submitted late by the Local Authority but was not made available to the Governing Body to contest. Tony Howell then re-issued the SWN. Having seen the National Challenge Adviser's Visit Reports and the School Improvement Partner's Visit Reports - which had not been previously available to the Governing Body, the Governing Body decided to comply in full with the re-issued SWN in July 2009.
Within weeks of doing so, the Moseleians Association published a webpage which contained highly contentious factual inaccuracies. These included:
- The announcement of the establishment of a hard federation with Queensbridge School.
- Association members may be concerned at the possibility that Moseley's unique identity may be subsumed into a blandly anonymous amalgamation.
- Moseley School was fortunate to secure the inter regnum services of another highly regarded City school Head, in Tim Boyes (from Queensbridge), whose appointment as head of the enlarged school has now been made permanent.
What Hard Federation, what establishment of a hard federation, what permanent appointment and what enlarged School? A commitment to publish a joint proposal with Queensbridge School to establish a National Challenge Hard Federation is not fait accompli. It is subject to the Queensberry rules namely Queensbridge Governing Body responding to requests for meetings with the Moseley School Governing Body, negotiation, consultation with all stakeholders including parents, teachers and of course, credible GCSE pass rate for five GCSEs including English and Maths over a reasonable length of time.
None of this was true and it begs the question who an earth told the Moseleians Association these patent untruths?
The webpage is so incriminating that it has now been withdrawn by the Moseleians Association.
http://www.moseleians.co.uk/index.asp?id=120
http://www.moseleians.co.uk/index.asp?id=122&Title=Changes
While Tim Boyes was busy politicking, he took his eye off the ball in respect to Queensbridge. In 2009, GCSE results for Queensbridge School - A High Performing Specialist Status School - plummeted to 30% while GCSE results for Moseley School - A National Challenge School - increased to 33% for five GCSEs A*-C including English and Maths.
Thereafter, the Governing Body had second thoughts about establishing a Hard Federation with Queensbridge School. The Office of the Schools Commissioner (OSC) expressed consternation at Queensbridge's 2009 GCSE results and felt that the Hard Federation was no longer a viable option.
Tim Boyes saw himself as the self-styled permanent Head Teacher of the now aborted Hard Federation between Moseley School and Queensbridge School.
It is in this light that the removal of the Moseley School Governing Body and the proposed radical National Challenge Trust status for Moseley School should be viewed. This is what all the fuss is about regarding Moseley School. Will Tim Boyes or Queensbridge School feature in any shape or form in the proposed radical National Challenge Trust for Moseley School?
