The New Conservative

Mary Gilleece

Kids running

The Dangers of ‘Safeguarding’

Bleak news for the 9,000 primary school children served by the Merton School Sports Partnership which has decided to ban parents and spectators from their sports events. As usual ‘safeguarding’ is used as justification: “Over the years we have sadly observed an increase in safeguarding concerns when parents/carers come to support their children at our […]

The Dangers of ‘Safeguarding’ Read More »

Little boy

White Working-Class Failure

The spider’s web was tattooed in greyscale across the gentleman’s face and shaven head. The spider itself was inked, crouching behind the right ear. It had fangs. The gentleman approached me in the playground of a down-at-heel primary school where my husband was Chair of Governors. He said: “What’s your man doing about this shithole?

White Working-Class Failure Read More »

Children using Ipad

Over-Labelling Children With ‘Special Needs’ has Failed a Generation

During the SEND spending debate a wide variety of MPs, celebrities, Times commentators and Mumsnet posters, will offer, like an animal sacrifice, the bodies of broken, neglected, state-abandoned children with ‘special educational needs and disabilities’ to an appalled public. The children will lie with sad eyes and frail limbs in the collective imagination as the

Over-Labelling Children With ‘Special Needs’ has Failed a Generation Read More »