Let there be light

Have spent the week recovering from my operation last week. Frankly felt very poorly most of the week. I found that if I sat on the sofa and didn't move to the left or to the right I was alright. Any movement and....

Despite this the ward work still piled up. I was in Newtown of an evening and noticed a lot of street lights out of order, so this necessitated some calls to the council to get the lights fixed. Once I had started the lights seemed to be out everywhere, so lots of phone calls to get them fixed.

Monday evening we brought the PCSO petition to the Council. Kelly, the Labour Candidate in Redlands made a very good speech to the Cabinet about the importance placed by residents and students on the PCSO's. I couldn't stay to late to hear the whole Cabinet as I was feeling a bit sore. As you can imagine my wife is very supportive to what I do but she has pointed out that I am supposed to be recouperating. Monday evening I thought she had a point.

I got a phone call on Wednesday to remind me that there was a governor meeting that I needed to go to. A couple of painkllers later then I appeared at the Community Committee meeting and ended up as Chair. I have to say it wasn't the best meeting I have chaired I am looking forward to the work we have to do. The painkillers were really strong and I felt quite strange at the meeting. Then to bed.

By the middle of the week I was fading again and so reverted to my sofa to try and feel better.

Education, Education, Edukation

This week has seen the Ofsted Inspectors at Alfred Sutton Primary School, where I am a Parent Governor.

The staff have all looked stressed and strained. I have been talking to the staff as I am in every day to try and assess their stress levels. They seemed to be bearing up well.

As a parent education is very important to me. My youngest daughter has just finished at Alfred Sutton and her year managed to post spectacular SATS results. I understand that her year's results were amongst the best ever. This is a testiment to how hard the school had worked over the last few years to build up the layers of knowledge that she needed to go on to Senior school. I have always been a fan of Alfred Sutton. It really reflects the community in which it is based and seems to give all children a good education.

My eldest daughter has just finished at Maiden Erlegh, where I have been less happy. She decided that she wanted to do her A Levels at Henley and I can understand her reasons. It seemed to me that Maiden Erlegh did not really capitalise on the good grounding that my daughter had received at Alfred Sutton.

So good luck to Alfred Sutton, ok I am biased as a Governor and Parent. I hope that the strain is bearable and that all the staff get to celebrate once the experience is over.

If you don't know anything about Alfred Sutton here's a link to the school website.