http://www.rtaylor.co.uk/carrie-herbert-red-balloon-learner-centre-group.html

I don’t think that education policy should be set by children. I think that’s a matter for society as a whole to set, democratically through our elected representatives.

I have read many articles from children, and their parents, which have been published on the Red Balloon websites and elsewhere; I’m aware of what the centres do and of how highly they are valued by those who use them.

My concerns mainly relate to openness, transparency and honesty as well as if public money is being spent in a moral and effective manner.

I think that all schools should be more open to the public, and more part of the community. I think there’s a big problem that schools have become separated from the communities in which they are situated. I’d like all schools to be more open about what they’re doing.

http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/Home/Huppert-enlisted-to-help-beat-the-bullies-07062011.htm

I think his judgement here is wrong. I note his comments on appointment refer only to bullying which leads me to wonder if he has been duped by the organisation.

I wrote a tweet in response containing a link to this article:

.@JulianHuppert if you meet @RedBalloonLCG I’d suggest trying to get them to be more open about what they’re doing

If bullying is actually a secondary problem for many of their pupils then they should be clear about that, particularly when raising money.

I also think they ought openly explain the rational behind raising money to buy their property outright and make clear to those donating that their money is being spent in that way.

It is a great pity that public Council meetings are not more widely attended. I cannot believe it is not possible these days to make them available to a wider public on webcam or via local community radio. (Of course, at least City residents only have to make their way into town, whereas South Cambridgeshire residents would have to go many miles across county to Cambourne);

I agree that Red Balloon schools should have become outdated by now (and I am still unclear how their pupils are selected), but I think it is a mistake to assume that all bullying is down to individual bullies - in my experience, the worst bullying is by groups against outsiders and I have always assumed it is those “outsiders” that Red Balloon might be designed to help;

If Red Balloon want to buy premises to house their centre, couldn’t they find somewhere much cheaper and better suited than a house in Warkworth Terrace?

My sister was bullied really badly at school, but it would have been a disaster if she (and our family) had admitted defeat and put her in a special school. She is now a hugely confident person unrecognisable from the bullying victim she was years ago.

Schools now have pretty robust systems to stop bullying, so I wouldn’t be surprised if this was a neat way for teachers to educate children without stigmatizing them with the tag of ’special needs’. But then it is publically funded so people need to know exactly what we’re paying for