I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.

On 2007-09-10 20:01:22 +0100, "John" said:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.

It's the same people who are berating their employers that they are not
paid enough.

In message , John
wrote
I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.


A couple of grand for the heating and 18 grand for the health and safety
risk assessment.

--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

"Alan" wrote in message
...
In message , John
wrote
I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin
type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.


A couple of grand for the heating and 18 grand for the health and safety
risk assessment.

--
Alan
news2006 {at} amac {dot} f2s {dot} com

Good thinking - and don't forget the site office and administrator!

On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:01:22 GMT, "John"
wrote:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.


Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...

"Owain" wrote in message
...
John wrote:
I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin
type (two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000
for installing central heating!
I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.
Amazing how they can come up with such costings.

Did it include a new or uprated gas or electricity supply to the building?

Also, as the work possibly couldn't be done during the day when the
classroom was in use, or if pupils had to be excluded from the area of
excavations, it might have to be done at weekends, at which case overtime
will apply. In simplistic internal accounting terms, if the Works Dept
charges £100 per hour for a digger + driver, the overtime rate will be
£200 per hour, even though only the wage rate will rise from c. £8 to £16;
the digger itself doesn't cost more.

It's not real money, it's only council money. The only time there is any
relationship to the real thing is when the council tax bill goes up every
year.

After all, compared to the cost of a shower cubical for a senior police
officer, central heating for two classrooms for only £20k is a bargain.

Owain

School for one
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/news/int/customisation/1.0/-/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/6986828.stm
that must be cheap.

Adam

LaserMark wrote in message
...

Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...

Ah well, there's been a stunning cockup with procurement for schools, and
probably other stuff too.

The rules say publically funded organisations with a budget over X have to
put everything out to competitive tender, or use a "Framework aggreement".
See http://www.freesteel.co.uk/wpblog/?p=102 for an explanation - follow the
links to the FOI request letter and the contract.

Unfortunately despite the good intent of putting it out to tender -
competition meaning lower prices, better service, etc - the rules which
accompany this make it work in the opposite way, such that the contracts end
up being more restrictive and less competitive.

cheers,
clive

In message ,
ARWadsworth writes

It's not real money, it's only council money. The only time there is
any relationship to the real thing is when the council tax bill goes
up every year.

After all, compared to the cost of a shower cubical for a senior
police officer, central heating for two classrooms for only £20k is a
bargain.


Bugger all compared with the millions that Sebastian Coe is making out
of the brit olympics - its only taxpayers money

School for one
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/news/int/cu...i/england/sout
h_yorkshire/6986828.stm
that must be cheap.

Faith schools, eh ?

--
geoff

On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:01:22 GMT, John wrote:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.

All council costs seem to be the same, you often see that 800K of S106
money has bought all of 2 dropped curbs and a pedestrian island.

Steve

In article , LaserMark
?@?.? scribeth thus
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:01:22 GMT, "John"
wrote:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.


Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...


At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....

and its doing very well, very well indeed)
--
Tony Sayer

On 2007-09-11 09:26:28 +0100, tony sayer said:

In article , LaserMark
?@?.? scribeth thus
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:01:22 GMT, "John"
wrote:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.


Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...


At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....

and its doing very well, very well indeed)

Mmm...

This is how private schools do it as well. Zero to minimum government
involvement.

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation. Of course the
problem there is that anybody with genuine ability will leave and get a
proper job, leaving ever worsening dregs.

In article , Andy Hall
scribeth thus
On 2007-09-11 09:26:28 +0100, tony sayer said:

In article , LaserMark
?@?.? scribeth thus
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:01:22 GMT, "John"
wrote:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.


Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...


At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....

and its doing very well, very well indeed)

Mmm...

This is how private schools do it as well. Zero to minimum government
involvement.

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation. Of course the
problem there is that anybody with genuine ability will leave and get a
proper job, leaving ever worsening dregs.


Ummm... This is a state school;!...
--
Tony Sayer

tony sayer wrote:
In article , LaserMark
?@?.? scribeth thus
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:01:22 GMT, "John"
wrote:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.

Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...


At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....

and its doing very well, very well indeed)

What did they do with the wrong pupils? It's easy to do very well indeed
if you cream off the middle class kids. It's the other lot that cost the
money in the long term

In article , Stuart Noble
scribeth thus
tony sayer wrote:
In article , LaserMark
?@?.? scribeth thus
On Mon, 10 Sep 2007 19:01:22 GMT, "John"
wrote:

I heard of a school that acquired a double classroom of the portacabin type
(two rooms and entrance ). The council's Works dept charged £20,000 for
installing central heating!

I expect that when the summer comes they will need to install Air
Conditioning.

Amazing how they can come up with such costings.

Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...


At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....

and its doing very well, very well indeed)

What did they do with the wrong pupils? It's easy to do very well indeed
if you cream off the middle class kids. It's the other lot that cost the
money in the long term

Nooo... This "was" a sink school, its just that the right management
came along...


Even some no hopers have done very well given the right encouragement
and help and environment!....
--
Tony Sayer

On 2007-09-11 10:01:50 +0100, tony sayer said:

At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....

and its doing very well, very well indeed)

Mmm...

This is how private schools do it as well. Zero to minimum government
involvement.

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation. Of course the
problem there is that anybody with genuine ability will leave and get a
proper job, leaving ever worsening dregs.


Ummm... This is a state school;!...

yes, I realise that. It's simply that the HM has figured out that
government involvement isn't useful and has done much better managing
the setup herself as is done in the private sector.

On 2007-09-11 10:36:31 +0100, Huge said:

On 2007-09-11, Andy Hall wrote:

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahaha[gasp]...
...hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahaha

[Wipes tears from eyes]

Thanks for that.

Glad to have brightened your day.

Let's be realistic. The miserable Gordon wasn't going to have done it, was he?

LaserMark wrote:
My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439.

I fully take your point, however does the "purchase" include software ,
technical backup, replacement if broken etc etc ?


--
'S rioghal mo dhream
Ciamar a tha sibh
www.cheesesoup.myby.co.uk

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-09-11 10:36:31 +0100, Huge said:

On 2007-09-11, Andy Hall wrote:

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahaha[gasp]...
...hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahaha

[Wipes tears from eyes]

Thanks for that.

Glad to have brightened your day.

Let's be realistic. The miserable Gordon wasn't going to have done it,
was he?

I think Gordon is fabulous.

In article , Andy Hall
scribeth thus
On 2007-09-11 10:01:50 +0100, tony sayer said:

At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....

and its doing very well, very well indeed)

Mmm...

This is how private schools do it as well. Zero to minimum government
involvement.

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation. Of course the
problem there is that anybody with genuine ability will leave and get a
proper job, leaving ever worsening dregs.


Ummm... This is a state school;!...

yes, I realise that. It's simply that the HM has figured out that
government involvement isn't useful and has done much better managing
the setup herself as is done in the private sector.




Yes...quite!...
--
Tony Sayer

On 2007-09-11 11:20:00 +0100, "Doctor Drivel" said:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message ...
On 2007-09-11 10:36:31 +0100, Huge said:

On 2007-09-11, Andy Hall wrote:

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahaha[gasp]...
...hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahaha

[Wipes tears from eyes]

Thanks for that.

Glad to have brightened your day.

Let's be realistic. The miserable Gordon wasn't going to have done it, was he?

I think Gordon is fabulous.

Well, yes, you would. You also thought that his predecessor was. Now
what was his name? Blurr? Something like that. Easily forgotten.

On 2007-09-11 11:19:51 +0100, soup said:

LaserMark wrote:
My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439.

I fully take your point, however does the "purchase" include software ,
technical backup, replacement if broken etc etc ?

£1500 buys an *awful* lot of support and software.

In article , soup
scribeth thus
LaserMark wrote:
My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439.

I fully take your point, however does the "purchase" include software ,
technical backup, replacement if broken etc etc ?



Noooo... its not a problem, they'll spend a few bob more on a support
contract!..
--
Tony Sayer

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 10:19:51 GMT, soup wrote:

LaserMark wrote:
My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439.

I fully take your point, however does the "purchase" include software ,
technical backup, replacement if broken etc etc ?

Fair point, but afaik there's a telephone 'support hotline', but I'd
get that anyway with my £439 laptop, a screen protector for each
laptop and some front end software to 'hide' windows. Not £1750 worth
in my opinion. Plus they purchased a 'special trolley' to wheel the
laptops from class to class, but I didn't have the heart to ask how
much this was...

On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 09:26:28 +0100, tony sayer
wrote:


Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...


At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....


At my daughters school ...

The LEA got the HM out, (replaced by a management stooge).

The new HM got the long standing staff out, and closed the shared
community facilities funded by community money.

Then the Gov got the LEA out, (Replaced by a Quango).

Now the kids who live in the nice new houses on "School Street" (where
the old village school used to be) can not rely on getting a place in
the new village school at all.

and its doing very well, very well indeed)


8-((

Whilst we get fed more Management Speak than you can shake a stick at.

"All Leeds schools will be improving schools.

They will demonstrate continuous, year on year improvement against key
measures of success and world class benchmarks. They will have
innovative curriculum programmes. Curriculum enhancement, accelerated
learning, key skills and work-related learning will be set in a rich,
relevant and rewarding environment that meets the needs of children
and young people, but also underpins the social, economic and
environmental ..."

"All Leeds schools will be inclusive schools.

They will celebrate diversity of heritage and the uniqueness of each
individual, adopt a flexible approach which seeks to adopt provision
to the needs of all pupils in their neighbourhood with a particular
focus on more vulnerable groups, work in partnership with parents,
carers and neighbouring schools to offer quality information and
services on site ..."

"Education will be at the heart of the Vision for Leeds.

Education and learning are central to the achievement of the Vision
for Leeds. Learning is vital to equip the citizens of Leeds with the
skills to drive economic and cultural growth, and schools will be
vital as centres of their community supporting community and economic
regeneration ..."

"About Education Leeds

Education Leeds is a not-for-profit company, formed in April 2001 and
wholly owned by Leeds City Council. From 2001 to 2006, the company was
a unique partnership between Leeds City Council and Capita and
operated under a direction from the Secretary of State for Education
and Skills. Education Leeds had a five-year contract with the council
making it responsible for providing all education support services
that relate to children and young people of statutory school age.

In April 2006 the Secretary of State withdrew their powers of
direction and Leeds City Council decided to continue the contract with
Education Leeds. This ended the five-year strategic partnership with
Capita."

I think this means that the Quango that was foisted upon us in 2001
(for what reason ???) has now become the new LEA."

BICBW.

DG

Andy Hall wrote:
On 2007-09-11 11:19:51 +0100, soup said:

LaserMark wrote:
My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439.

I fully take your point, however does the "purchase" include software
, technical backup, replacement if broken etc etc ?

£1500 buys an *awful* lot of support and software.

Not if you have to buy it from RML! :-{

(not sure how much of a strangle hold (if any) they still have on the
educational market).

--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

Whilst we get fed more Management Speak than you can shake a stick at.

"All Leeds schools will be improving schools.

They will demonstrate continuous, year on year improvement against key
measures of success and world class benchmarks. They will have
innovative curriculum programmes. Curriculum enhancement, accelerated
learning, key skills and work-related learning will be set in a rich,
relevant and rewarding environment that meets the needs of children
and young people, but also underpins the social, economic and
environmental ..."

"All Leeds schools will be inclusive schools.

They will celebrate diversity of heritage and the uniqueness of each
individual, adopt a flexible approach which seeks to adopt provision
to the needs of all pupils in their neighbourhood with a particular
focus on more vulnerable groups, work in partnership with parents,
carers and neighbouring schools to offer quality information and
services on site ..."

"Education will be at the heart of the Vision for Leeds.

Education and learning are central to the achievement of the Vision
for Leeds. Learning is vital to equip the citizens of Leeds with the
skills to drive economic and cultural growth, and schools will be
vital as centres of their community supporting community and economic
regeneration ..."

"About Education Leeds

Education Leeds is a not-for-profit company, formed in April 2001 and
wholly owned by Leeds City Council. From 2001 to 2006, the company was
a unique partnership between Leeds City Council and Capita and
operated under a direction from the Secretary of State for Education
and Skills. Education Leeds had a five-year contract with the council
making it responsible for providing all education support services
that relate to children and young people of statutory school age.

In April 2006 the Secretary of State withdrew their powers of
direction and Leeds City Council decided to continue the contract with
Education Leeds. This ended the five-year strategic partnership with
Capita."

I think this means that the Quango that was foisted upon us in 2001
(for what reason ???) has now become the new LEA."

BICBW.

DG


Regretfully .. that just sez it all;(....
--
Tony Sayer

"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-09-11 11:20:00 +0100, "Doctor Drivel" said:


"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...
On 2007-09-11 10:36:31 +0100, Huge said:

On 2007-09-11, Andy Hall wrote:

Perhaps the public sector will take the hint that it is justifiably
going to be recompensed below the rate of inflation.

Bwahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahah ahahahaha[gasp]...
...hahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahaha

[Wipes tears from eyes]

Thanks for that.

Glad to have brightened your day.

Let's be realistic. The miserable Gordon wasn't going to have done it,
was he?

I think Gordon is fabulous.

Well, yes, you would.

Because he is.

You also thought that his predecessor was.

He was. Brilliant. I voted for Tone.

Now what was his name? Blurr? Something like that. Easily forgotten.

This affliction is common in Little Middle Englanders like yourself.

Derek Geldard wrote:
On Tue, 11 Sep 2007 09:26:28 +0100, tony sayer
wrote:

Just typical of how the education budget and our poll tax is wasted
with the nepotism, self interest, jobs for the boys, and inefficiency
in local authorities. My son's primary school just bought 10 laptops,
according to the head teacher the local eduacation authority
instructed them to purchase from an "approved supplier". They paid
£2200 each. I had a quick look at my favourite IT websites and the
very same laptops could be had for £439. I was left wondering at how
many books and other resources could have been purchased for the
difference in price. The sad thing is we're paying for it all...

At my daughters school the HM has got,

The right teachers in,

The right pupils in,

and the council out!....


At my daughters school ...

The LEA got the HM out, (replaced by a management stooge).

The new HM got the long standing staff out, and closed the shared
community facilities funded by community money.

Then the Gov got the LEA out, (Replaced by a Quango).

Now the kids who live in the nice new houses on "School Street" (where
the old village school used to be) can not rely on getting a place in
the new village school at all.

and its doing very well, very well indeed)


8-((

Whilst we get fed more Management Speak than you can shake a stick at.

"All Leeds schools will be improving schools.

They will demonstrate continuous, year on year improvement against key
measures of success and world class benchmarks. They will have
innovative curriculum programmes. Curriculum enhancement, accelerated
learning, key skills and work-related learning will be set in a rich,
relevant and rewarding environment that meets the needs of children
and young people, but also underpins the social, economic and
environmental ..."

"All Leeds schools will be inclusive schools.

They will celebrate diversity of heritage and the uniqueness of each
individual, adopt a flexible approach which seeks to adopt provision
to the needs of all pupils in their neighbourhood with a particular
focus on more vulnerable groups, work in partnership with parents,
carers and neighbouring schools to offer quality information and
services on site ..."

"Education will be at the heart of the Vision for Leeds.

Education and learning are central to the achievement of the Vision
for Leeds. Learning is vital to equip the citizens of Leeds with the
skills to drive economic and cultural growth, and schools will be
vital as centres of their community supporting community and economic
regeneration ..."

"About Education Leeds

Education Leeds is a not-for-profit company, formed in April 2001 and
wholly owned by Leeds City Council. From 2001 to 2006, the company was
a unique partnership between Leeds City Council and Capita and
operated under a direction from the Secretary of State for Education
and Skills. Education Leeds had a five-year contract with the council
making it responsible for providing all education support services
that relate to children and young people of statutory school age.

In April 2006 the Secretary of State withdrew their powers of
direction and Leeds City Council decided to continue the contract with
Education Leeds. This ended the five-year strategic partnership with
Capita."

You can't say fairer than that

Even some no hopers have done very well given the right encouragement
and help and environment!....

I expect the kids have benefited too.