A MAJOR upgrade at Caversham Valley Primary School was completed in time for the start of term one On January 30 Education Minister Tony Buti said the new $12.3 million two-storey teaching block included 10 new classrooms – providing space for an additional 300 students Dr Buti said included in the new two-storey teaching block was a science classroom The upgrade also adds a new landscaped courtyard and adjoining play area for students especially created to fit the surroundings including the local native flora and fauna “We are working hard to ensure all families in Western Australia have access to the best school facilities,’’ he said “It is fantastic to see this state-of-the-art teaching block completed on schedule ready for an exciting year of teaching and learning ahead “Caversham Valley Primary School is a popular choice for local families and this new double-storey classroom block will accommodate the growing enrolments.” Midland MLA Michelle Roberts said the school was one she had championed from the beginning and was thrilled to see the major upgrade delivered “The new classroom block will ensure families in Caversham continue to have access to a great local school close to home,’’ she said New affordable homes in Caversham have been turned over to a housing association whose builders have recently been accused of ‘shoddy’ brickwork at another site Building has been completed for 22 new homes at the Emmer Green Drive development which has transformed the former Reading Golf Course into an estate The development is being undertaken by Vistry Thames Valley a building consortium made up of Bovis Homes Linden Homes and affordable housing provider Abri Following the first completions in November last year 11 affordable rent homes and 11 shared ownership properties have now been handed over to Abri helping to address the urgent need for housing in the area managing director at Vistry Thames Valley said: “This milestone reflects our commitment to providing high-quality sustainable housing that meets the needs of the community “We are delighted to be working with Abri to help more people take their first steps onto the housing ladder or secure a home at an affordable rent in this sought-after location.” Abri has stirred controversy in Reading as building workers have been accused of ‘shoddy brickwork’ at its development in Great Knollys Street posted a video showing bricks whitened by efflorescence at Abri’s 40 home development that replaced the Avis Budget Car Rental business photos provided show no identifiable signs of efflorescence at the houses in Emmer Green Drive The news comes as Abri has opened its onsite marketing suite and show home which is available via appointment for aspiring owners to find out more about what is on offer at its collection of 83 properties in the development Abri has cited figures stating that rent has increased by 32 per cent as a result of its connections to the Elizabeth Line with Shared Ownership providing an affordable way for people to own a property with a low deposit sales and marketing director at Abri said: “As rental prices in Reading rise at a rapid rate aspiring buyers are finding it harder than ever to balance monthly costs while saving for a home of their own “This latest phase launch of Shared Ownership homes at Emmer Green Drive are providing an accessible way to make those all-important first steps onto the property ladder without the overwhelming financial barriers “Located on the outskirts of the town centre these homes give buyers the chance to stay in a place they love on a long-term basis with the option to staircase their way to full ownership.” Emmer Green Drive will consist of 156 private sales homes and 67 affordable homes The Emmer Green Drive development proved controversial with more than 4,000 people objecting to outline plans prior to its approval by Reading Borough Council’s planning applications committee in March 2022 A pre-application consultation on extending the development by 70 homes on land within South Oxfordshire District Council’s jurisdiction closed on April 13 Keep up to date by signing up for our daily newsletter We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people who have requested it RDG.Today – which is a Social Enterprise – provides Reading Borough with free Reading Today is dedicated to providing news online across the whole of the Borough of Reading existing to support the various communities in Reading Borough We don’t spam we only send our newsletter to people that have subscribed The Wokingham Paper Ltd publications are regulated by IPSO – the Independent Press Standards Organisation.If you have a complaint about a  The Wokingham Paper Ltd  publication in print or online If it is not resolved to your satisfaction you should contact IPSO by telephone: 0300 123 2220 Members of the public are welcome to contact IPSO at any time if they are not sure how to proceed or need advice on how to frame a complaint Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2021 - The Wokingham Paper Ltd - All Right Reserved Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time A WA not-for-profit and prominent botanist have together raised the alarm about an unfolding mass starvation crisis facing black cockatoos They say Perth black cockatoo rehabilitation centres and Perth Zoo are dealing with an influx of starving and emaciated specimens of the endangered species Black cockatoos photographed foraging in Caversham recently the remaining banksia woodlands of Perth have failed to set seed this spring following the city’s hottest ever summer and the ensuing long delay in the onset of winter rainfall They say this has decimated food sources for black cockatoos and greatly affected breeding season with breeding effectively not happening as usual this year They have said the government needs to be coming out with a major planting program and an interim taskforce to create a short term survival plan and provide food for the birds until plantings can mature Dean Arthurell founded Carnaby’s Crusaders in consultation with Birdlife WA in response to the crisis Arthurell named the clearing of banksia woodland for housing and the prescribed burning of banksia woodland as contributing to this against a background of climate change He said over the past week rehab centres and Perth Zoo staff had confirmed an influx of underweight cockatoos in distress Karaakin Black Cockatoo Conservation centre has reported recently it has dealt with five in a day Arthurell said the clearing of almost all the northern suburbs pine plantations and further clearing of banksia woodland for housing had made the birds heavily reliant on the remaining banksia woodland and its failure to set seed had caused the latest start to breeding in 54 years of record-keeping He said one of the major breeding sites north of the Swan Coastal Plain was visited three weeks ago and of the nearly 200 artificial and natural hollows only 11 breeding pairs were recorded as opposed to last year’s more than 100 “That’s all traced back to food availability,” he said “There is no action from [Environment Minister] Reece Whitby or any comment; these birds are starving to death in Perth’s urban landscape “There needs to be a conversation about short-term survival.” He said supplementary feeding should be looked at across the Swan Coastal Plain in contravention of government policy “If they don’t do that these birds will starve And [the department] is doing nothing,” he said Prominent Perth botanist Professor Kingsley Dixon said the Carnaby’s black cockatoo had evolved for four million years eating the banksia woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain He said what Perth was now witnessing with the drying climate was “a catastrophic failure of the banskias to be setting seed leading to the mass starvation of the bird.” He said the banksias’ poor and irregular flowing and very low seed set was attributable to two key factors: climate change and the largest remaining areas experiencing large prescription scrub burning, scuppering reproductive efforts He said this fragmentation and inappropriate management compounded by climate change had led to this extraordinary and unprecedented situation “This reproductive failure has never before been seen … they are just shutting down,” he said “The Carnaby’s are now refugees in their own country.” Dixon said 2 million banksias must be planted as soon as possible and meanwhile the government should set up an urgent multidisciplinary taskforce Environment Minister Reece Whitby said he had asked the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions to examine these issues and report back to him at the soonest opportunity the Cook Labor government would always do what was right for the environment It had undertaken the state’s largest-ever conservation drive through its Plan for Our Parks ended native forest logging and retained 1800 hectares of pine forest in Perth’s north-east for black cockatoos He said the government stood by the value and importance of prescribed burning and the department’s research in this area A DBCA spokesperson confirmed there had been an increase in underweight cockatoos brought to the Zoo and the start to the breeding season was delayed all likely due to the climatic conditions affecting food sources They said while the department had collaborated with Murdoch University scientists to better understand vegetation die-off it did not consider setting up feeding stations feasible due to the extensive range of their breeding habitat They said they would continue to examine these issues as the breeding season continued and consider any action that might be feasible DBCA says the immediate priority is to support black cockatoos already affected Report sick or injured cockatoos to the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055 Kaarakin on 9390 2288 or Native Animal Rescue on 9249 3434 Note: providing food to wild animals requires careful consideration to ensure it can provide greater benefits than risks (of disease increased predation and aggression between wild animals and avoiding increases in pest and feral animals being attracted to the feed sites.) Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter. A WA not-for-profit and prominent botanist have together raised the alarm about an unfolding mass starvation crisis facing black cockatoos. They say Perth black cockatoo rehabilitation centres and Perth Zoo are dealing with an influx of starving and of the endangered species. They say in an unprecedented catastrophe, the remaining banksia woodlands of Perth have failed to set seed this spring following the city\\u2019s hottest ever summer and the ensuing long delay in the onset of winter rainfall. They say this has decimated food sources for black cockatoos and greatly affected breeding season with breeding effectively not happening as usual this year. They have said the government needs to be coming out with a major planting program, and an interim taskforce to create a short term survival plan and provide food for the birds until plantings can mature. Dean Arthurell founded Carnaby\\u2019s Crusaders in consultation with Birdlife WA in response to the crisis. Arthurell named the clearing of banksia woodland for housing and the prescribed burning of banksia woodland as contributing to this against a background of climate change. He said over the past week rehab centres and Perth Zoo staff had confirmed an influx of underweight cockatoos in distress. Karaakin Black Cockatoo Conservation centre has reported recently it has dealt with five in a day, multiple times. Arthurell said the clearing of almost all the northern suburbs pine plantations, and further clearing of banksia woodland for housing had made the birds heavily reliant on the remaining banksia woodland and its failure to set seed had caused the latest start to breeding in 54 years of record-keeping. He said one of the major breeding sites north of the Swan Coastal Plain, near Cervantes, was visited three weeks ago and of the nearly 200 artificial and natural hollows, only 11 breeding pairs were recorded as opposed to last year\\u2019s more than 100. \\u201CThat\\u2019s all traced back to food availability,\\u201D he said. \\u201CThere is no action from [Environment Minister] Reece Whitby or any comment; these birds are starving to death in Perth\\u2019s urban landscape. \\u201CThere needs to be a conversation about short-term survival.\\u201D He said supplementary feeding should be looked at across the Swan Coastal Plain in contravention of government policy. \\u201CIf they don\\u2019t do that these birds will starve. And [the department] is doing nothing,\\u201D he said. Prominent Perth botanist Professor Kingsley Dixon said the Carnaby\\u2019s black cockatoo had evolved for four million years eating the banksia woodlands of the Swan Coastal Plain. He said what Perth was now witnessing with the drying climate was \\u201Ca catastrophic failure of the banskias to be setting seed, leading to the mass starvation of the bird.\\u201D He said the banksias\\u2019 poor and irregular flowing and very low seed set was attributable to two key factors: climate change and the largest remaining areas experiencing large prescription . He said this fragmentation and inappropriate management compounded by climate change had led to this extraordinary and unprecedented situation. \\u201CThis reproductive failure has never before been seen \\u2026 they are just shutting down,\\u201D he said. \\u201CThe Carnaby\\u2019s are now refugees in their own country.\\u201D Dixon said 2 million banksias must be planted as soon as possible and meanwhile the government should set up an urgent multidisciplinary taskforce. Environment Minister Reece Whitby said he had asked the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to examine these issues and report back to him at the soonest opportunity. Meanwhile, he said, the Cook Labor government would always do what was right for the environment. It had undertaken the state\\u2019s largest-ever conservation drive through its Plan for Our Parks, ended native forest logging and retained 1800 hectares of pine forest in Perth\\u2019s north-east for black cockatoos. He said the government and the department\\u2019s research in this area. A DBCA spokesperson confirmed there had been an increase in underweight cockatoos brought to the Zoo, and the start to the breeding season was delayed, all likely due to the climatic conditions affecting food sources. They said while the department had collaborated with Murdoch University scientists to better understand vegetation die-off, it did not consider setting up feeding stations feasible due to the extensive range of their breeding habitat. They said they would continue to examine these issues as the breeding season continued and consider any action that might be feasible. Start the day with a summary of the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. . DBCA says the immediate priority is to support black cockatoos already affected. Report sick or injured cockatoos to the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055, Kaarakin on 9390 2288 or Native Animal Rescue on 9249 3434. Note: providing food to wild animals requires careful consideration to ensure it can provide greater benefits than risks (of disease, increased predation and aggression between wild animals, appropriate locations and food types, and avoiding increases in pest and feral animals being attracted to the feed sites.) CONSTRUCTION has started on two major school projects in Perth’s north-eastern suburbs, which are seeing some of the fastest population growth in the nation. Works have begun on a new two-storey teaching block to accommodate more students at the growing Caversham Valley Primary School, as well as works on Stage 2 of the Brabham Primary School kindergarten and pre-primary centre. The $12.3 million facility at Caversham Valley Primary School will include 10 general classrooms and a science classroom, staff offices, learning spaces, toilets and storage. There will also be a new landscaped courtyard and adjoining play area for students. The new state-of-the-art facilities will accommodate an additional 300 students and are currently anticipated to be completed next year. Construction of stage 2 of the Brabham Primary School offsite kindergarten and pre-primary centre is also underway and is currently scheduled to open for the commencement of the 2025 school year. These two projects will complement the other education infrastructure projects that are underway to support the population growth in the region. The $37.36m stage 2 of the permanent accommodation at Brabham Primary School is scheduled to open in 2025 and will include a double-storey teaching block, kindergarten and pre-primary block, education support centre, and car park modifications. The $39.9m Brabham East Primary School, currently in construction, will accommodate 540 students from Kindergarten to Year 6 and will open for the start of the 2025 school year. The facilities will include administration block, kindergarten and pre-primary block, two double-storey teaching blocks, library and staffroom block, covered assembly with canteen and music room, an oval, hardcourts, car parking and landscaping. The $16.6m new double storey building at Anne Hamersley Primary School will include two pre-primary and 12 general classrooms, internal activity areas, staff study areas, offices, storerooms, toilets, car parking and landscaping. The facility will accommodate 380 students and is anticipated to be open in the 2025 school year. Planning for new facilities at Caversham Primary School has commenced. The new facilities will accommodate up to 300 students to replace long-term transportable buildings. The $26.5m facility will include a double-storey teaching block with internal activity areas, storerooms, staff study areas, toilets and car parking. These projects are part of a massive education infrastructure program in the rapidly growing area. Henley Brook Primary School and Stage 1 of the Brabham Primary School offsite were opened at the start of this year, while new primary schools have recently been built in Brabham and Dayton. Planning continues for a new high school in Brabham, to be located close to the soon to be opened Whiteman Park Metronet Station, with an initial $15m allocation. West Swan MLA Rita Saffioti said as the north-eastern suburbs continued to grow rapidly, the sgovernment was continuing to do everything they could to ensure local families have access to state-of-the-art education facilities close to home. Thames Valley Police is appealing for witnesses to an incident of robbery in Caversham at around 8.30pm on Thursday THAMES Valley Police is appealing for witnesses to an incident of robbery in Caversham a man in his twenties was shopping in the Co-op store on South View Avenue when the offender bumped into him the offender grabbed him by his coat and pushed him against a fence The offender has produced a knife and told the victim to pay him £50 The victim has refused to pay and the offender thrust the knife with force towards the victim’s stomach in an attempt to stab him The offender has been described as a white man He was wearing a grey high visibility jacket and blue jeans Investigating officer Detective Constable Josh Gillespie of the Reading Priority Crime Team said: “I’m appealing to anybody who witnessed this incident or who may have dash-cam or CCTV footage which has captured it to please get in touch with Thames Valley Police “You can do so by reporting online via our website or by calling 101 you can also call the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.” You are not permitted to download, save or email this image. Visit image gallery to purchase the image The incident unfolded after police and other emergency services were called to a two-vehicle crash in South Rd at 4.35pm yesterday said an 18-year-old driver has accidentally had his indicator on to turn left causing a 40-year-old woman to pull out from Playfair St Nobody was injured in the crash but while emergency services were at the scene a black vehicle sped past on the wrong side of the road and pulled into a driveway A firefighter went to speak to the 43-year-old driver The man followed the firefighter to the fire truck and attempted to drag him out Other firefighters then managed to pull the man away and he went into a nearby address laine.priestley@odt.co.nz Police swooped on a Dunedin workplace to arrest a man over the assault of an on-duty firefighter during a crash that closed both lanes of a road in Caversham said police arrested the 43-year-old man at 2pm yesterday and charged him with assault the man became frustrated during a road closure after two vehicles crashed in South Rd The man allegedly sped past the road closure and emergency services on the wrong side of the road before pulling into a driveway The firefighter then attempted to walk back to his firetruck and the man followed before allegedly attempting to physically drag him out The man was bailed to appear in court at a later date fly-out worker has admitted his role in the kidnapping and torture of a Chinese national during a failed extortion plot in Perth’s north-eastern suburbs earlier this year The 68-year-old victim was lured to Australia to discuss a business deal he was taken to an Airbnb property in Caversham where three men restrained him and bound his arms and legs with chains and padlocks Te Putu Hawkings has admitted his role in the kidnapping and torture of a Chinese man lured to Perth under the false pretense of a business deal A police prosecutor said the men carried out the torture of the man for money “He was detained by the [trio] for the purpose of attempting to extort some money from various family members and associates of the victim with threats being made to the victim,” he said During an appearance in Perth Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday demanding property by written threats and doing an act to endanger the life Cheng Xin and Zhaohe Ge had already entered pleas of guilty The police prosecutor said Hawkings booked the Airbnb and punched the man in the stomach as he was being restrained in the property’s theatre room the victim had his eyes and mouth covered with black tape before the men later attempted to force tablets and cannabis down his throat The victim struggled and refused to swallow the items The trio then covered his mouth with a pillow to prevent him screaming as they attacked him with a hammer striking him multiple times to his arms and feet They then got out a camera and placed an electric shock collar on him and took turns pressing a remote control button to give him a shock It’s understood the Chinese man suffered a cardiac arrest following the torture The victim was eventually rescued by police who raided the Caversham property arresting the men and then taking the man to hospital for treatment of his injuries It is not yet clear how long the victim was held against his will Magistrate Andrew Maughan removed his home detention requirement he is not permitted to leave the state or have contact with his co-accused or victim Hawkings’ lawyer said his client had been receiving counselling since being charged The police prosecutor said it was expected he would be imprisoned for the offences due to the serious nature of the matter The trio will be sentenced at a later date The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up here fly-out worker has admitted his role in the kidnapping and torture of a Chinese national during a failed extortion plot in Perth\\u2019s north-eastern suburbs earlier this year \\u201CHe was detained by the [trio] for the purpose of attempting to extort some money from various family members and associates of the victim with threats being made to the victim,\\u201D he said During an appearance in Perth Magistrate\\u2019s Court on Tuesday and punched the man in the stomach as he was being restrained in the property\\u2019s theatre room It\\u2019s understood the Chinese man suffered a cardiac arrest following the torture Hawkings\\u2019 lawyer said his client had been receiving counselling since being charged The Morning Edition newsletter is our guide to the day\\u2019s most important and interesting stories Fairways Family Gold Centre Picture: Change.org A huge housing development at a former golf course in Caversham is set to be expanded with a total of nearly 300 new homes The Emmer Green Drive housing development is currently being constructed at the former Reading Golf Course site off Kidmore End Road in Emmer Green it will provide 223 new homes for people in Caversham Now developers want to add 70 new homes to the estate on land north of the current Emmer Green Drive site with the development as a whole totalling 293 homes if given the go-ahead The land was briefly home to Fairways Family Golf disc golf and foot golf when it opened in May 2021 Despite a petition calling for the family golf course to be saved being signed by 952 people Fairways was permanently closed last February The closure of Fairways clears the way for the developers to add 70 homes to the estate with 40 per cent of these homes being designated affordable The plans have been by Fairfax Acquisitions which secured planning permission to build homes on the golf course despite the project receiving more than 4,000 objections in March 2022 The planning permission was then sold to Vistry Thames Valley a consortium of housebuilders made up of Bovis Homes Linden Homes and the housing association Abri Early designs of the project show the homes being contained in a mix of detached These new homes would be accessed from the new roads created by the Emmer Green Drive development with entry and exit from the existing junction with Kidmore End Road Stated benefits include providing new publicly accessible green spaces and a play area provision of electric vehicle charging points and achieving a 25 per cent biodiversity net gain Fairfax is engaging in a pre-application consultation process ahead of a planning application being submitted Neighbours are invited to take part in the consultation by emailing mail@your-feedback.co.uk completing the feedback form on rgc.your-feedback.co.uk or calling 0800 099 6712 The deadline for consultation responses is Sunday The site is within South Oxfordshire District Council’s jurisdiction as it sits just north of the borough boundary Another of the stated benefits is that it would help the district council meet housing targets set by the ministry of housing South Oxfordshire’s target doubled from 579 to 1,179 new homes to be built per year Reading Borough Council has acknowledged the project in a report on its Local Plan Partial-Update from October last year Although any decision would be made by South Oxfordshire District Council’s planning department Reading Borough would be consulted on the impacts any future development may have This picturesque Swan Valley suburb is a hotspot for families after a slice of the good life And it’s proving popular with property investors as well. Caversham is one of the suburbs to make it into the latest edition of Smart Property Investment’s FAST 50 report The report and ranking drew on the insights of a 12-strong investment expert panel and recent housing performance gathered from open-source data and aims to give unparalleled insights into the Australian suburbs which are set for future growth If you check the box above before you log in you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return even if you close your browser and come back later Located just 14 kilometres north of the Perth city centre Caversham offers residents an ideal mix of natural beauty and urban convenience Despite seeing double-digit price growth in the past 12 months Caversham is still relatively affordable compared to east coast cities For those after quick connections to the city and is located a short 12-minute drive from Midland Station which is currently undergoing a brand new $330 million rebuild residents will be able to reach the Perth CBD in under 30 minutes But for those in search of a slower pace of life Caversham also offers an abundance of opportunities for rest and relaxation The suburb is home to a multitude of vineyards as part of the Swan Valley wine region with scenic parks and walking trails also on offer a short walk into the nearby bushland reserve of Whiteman Park takes you to Caversham Wildlife Park a local institution that has been up and running for nearly 40 years Caversham Wildlife Park prides itself on being the “largest privately owned collection of native wildlife in Western Australia” Caversham offers a mix of established 20th-century homes and generous residential and rural land parcels ripe for development Three- and four-bedroom homes dominate the market though a more select number of townhouses and units are also available for buyers with an eye for a bargain Caversham isn’t the only Perth suburb to make it into Smart Property Investment’s FAST 50 report with Western Australia taking out over 50 per cent of the top spots Check out the full FAST 50 2025 report here Copyright © 2007-2025 Smart Property Investment Beaconsfield-based Sorbon Estates has acquired St Martin’s Centre in Caversham for around £16 million which has been refurbished with new cladding The centre has 92,000 sq ft of commercial accommodation including 19 shops and is anchored by a 40,000 sq ft Waitrose and a 13,000 sq ft Iceland account for around 50 per cent of the income Other notable tenants include Costa Coffee alongside local occupiers which include longstanding picture-framing and household goods store Terry’s vegan restaurant Vegivores and The Caversham Butcher The four-acre site includes a 254-space car park and Caversham Health Club as well as 10 flats and one office suite In total the centre produces an annual net income of around £1.3m which was approved in 2015 but not implemented includes an extension to the Waitrose store and adding 7,000 sq ft of ground floor retail / restaurant space to the centre decking of the car park and a further 40 apartments said: “The pricing and level of interest achieved on this sale shows that the shopping centre market continues to improve “This is especially true for South East food anchored centres where the rents have been re-based and there is a strong tenant trading story.” © Thames Tap (powered by ukpropertyforums.com) Sign up to receive our weekly free journal, The Forum here and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" UK Property Forums enable forums and events in the property sector which help to create business development opportunities Office Address:UK Property Forums Ltd is located in Reading 0203 478 7340info@ukpropertyforums.com We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings we will not be able to save your preferences This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again it isn't clear Ofsted has learned any real lessons from Ruth Perry's death The Affable Design Company and Caversham Primary parent it is not difficult for me to recall Ruth Perry – the coat she wore to defend herself from harsh inclement weather at the start and the end of the school day talking to staff and parents in those days before Covid when parents were still free to roam and were not corralled into designated zones (a habit the school maintained after the end of the pandemic because it made things flow more easily) At the back of the hall grinning at the Christmas production or leading the final applause at the end of a school concert Operating the popcorn stand at the summer barbecue or announcing the raffle at the winter fair On the numerous video assemblies she created during those long months of lockdown home-schooling while collating images to share with the yearbook editors it was nice to see the familiar silhouette of Ruth Perry appearing again and again in the background and on the edge of so many photographs of all the landmark events in my youngest child’s primary school journey – the sports days Others will be familiar with another image of Ruth a photograph of her looking happy and professional in a school setting I find that image difficult to look at now because it has taken on a different meaning News media use this image as a totem to represent the ideological battle over Ofsted reform I have seen it used in articles that have nothing to do with Caversham Primary or Ruth but as a representation of Ofsted ‘issues’ in general to try to ensure that what happened to Ruth will not happen to anybody else Since Julia spoke out about the effect an Ofsted inspection had on Ruth Watching Sir Martyn Oliver address the new education select committee yesterday high accountability is a core part of this but we’ve got to do it in a way which is proportionate Ofsted still appears to be institutionally complacent If Sir Martyn’s high ideals were matched by the actions of the organisation he oversees then Ofsted would no longer be a concern for Julia and me But for all the good that is being done there are still things that undermine my confidence in Ofsted’s program of reform As much as Sir Martyn may have adopted the language we have used to articulate our hopes for reform, as much as he may say he has addressed the issues highlighted by Christine Gilbert’s review, the select committee inquiry and the regulation 28 prevention of future death report issued by the coroner there is still a disparity between the faults identified and the fixes proposed and this was clearly in evidence at yesterday’s hearing There continues to be an alarming lack of intellectual curiosity in learning anything from events at Caversham Primary and an ongoing failure to accept that any part of the inspection was ‘wrong’ Trust remains a significant issue as Ofsted has essentially the same staff and has even promoted personnel involved in the Caversham Inspection to roles meant to lead reform initiatives which further undermines confidence in the promised changes The regional director in charge of the Caversham Primary inspection is now in charge of inspector training at the ‘Ofsted Academy’ and chairs the ‘teacher wellbeing’ steering group Helen Hayes evoked another institution that failed those it should have protected when she reminded Sir Martyn of the mess the Church of England has got itself into by resisting independent scrutiny in its complaints process Ofsted’s commitment to transparency and independence in handling complaints is completely hollow Independent oversight is restricted to reviewing random cases There can be no confidence in the system if there is no possibility for challenge to be independently assessed and to result in a change of inspection outcome Ofsted is still “marking its own homework” Merope Mills spoke so movingly on Radio 4 recently about the impact on patient outcomes for hospitals that have implemented Martha’s Rule the mechanism by which which patients or their advocates can have their treatment independently reviewed if they suspect that something has been missed Merope pointed out that her pride was tinged with regret that it needed someone to continually relive the worst thing that ever happened to them in order to affect common sense change and Julia Waters has to relive the worst thing that ever happened to her She will undoubtedly continue to regard every eighth of January in this way she will not be forced to relive the events of that day for the rest of the year as well I hope that common sense change will come sooner for her than it did for Merope Mills Today I think about Ruth and the difference she made to my children’s lives I am thankful for all those memories she made and I look forward to a time when I can celebrate her life without being forced to deal with the reason she died Richmond and Hillcroft Adult & Community College In today’s outcome-driven education landscape Finding new teaching talent for your school can be time consuming and costly the Inspiring Leadership Conference enters its eleventh year and to mark the occasion the conference not only.. Catch Up® is a not-for-profit charity working to address literacy and numeracy difficulties that contribute to underachievement Introducing a new school grading system also brings new risks that outcomes won’t reliably measure school quality · Strong core values that are lived and breathed in school and explicitly linked with RRSA · Pupils reported feeling safe in school and could list a wide range of ways that staff kept them safe Become a subscriber and stay up to date with the latest breaking news and industry discussion Website by Creative Sponge address at 1.55am yesterday after residents reported masked men had kicked down their door demanding money and drugs They reported that two men wearing balaclavas smashed their way into the home armed with a hammer and gun The masked pair allegedly stole the resident’s money cellphones and car keys before fleeing on foot A resident on the street said it was just the latest chapter in myriad police callouts to the home over the past few months She said she was looking to move to a new address as the residents at the property were attracting all sorts of trouble to what was previously a quiet and pleasant street They’ve had the armed offenders squad there about four or five times in just the last couple of months." the house was taped off and police cars were "everywhere" She believed the latest incident was linked to a confrontation over a car sale last Friday police were called to the same Macbeth St address after an allegedly intoxicated man attacked the resident’s newly bought Subaru with a hammer and screwdriver Police said both parties believed they had bought the car The resident said most of the street was "absolutely lovely" police said inquiries were continuing to locate the masked men A police spokeswoman said the occupants were not injured but were shaken by what occurred She could not comment on whether the two incidents were related A gastropub in Caversham known for its traditional British cuisine and drinks selection could open earlier during the day and stay open past midnight if changes are accepted The pub is run by the Chef & Brewer collection owned by Greene King which has a pedigree for traditional pub food The Griffin currently closes at 11pm Monday to Saturday Opening hours differ throughout the week as well opening at 11am Monday to Thursday and at 9am on Fridays Chef & Brewer has applied to extend these hours past midnight The company has applied to sell alcohol from 8am to 12.30am on Friday and Saturdays with alcohol sales taking place until 11.30pm the rest of the week The changes would allow customers to have a boozy drink with their breakfast The extension of these sales has been submitted in a licensing application to Reading Borough Council A statutory consultation into the application is live You can respond to it by emailing licensing@reading.gov.uk There are a number of other Chef & Brewer pubs in the area such as The George & Dragon in Earley and Ye Olde Leathern Bottel at the outskirts of Wokingham With the ongoing publicity about South Dunedin and the so-called "flood zone" investors and home buyers are considering what other affordable property options are available in Dunedin particularly as the big infrastructure projects ramp up There are also many ageing baby boomers seeking to downsize from the typical 200sq m house with garage but struggling to find suitable modern options Caversham is the next cab off the rank for development but it still grapples with outdated perceptions — particularly from locals as we have seen in numerous New Zealand cities once-overlooked suburbs can bloom with the right vision I have witnessed the transformation of similarly "rundown" suburbs in other cities; I flatted in Ponsonby in Auckland in the 1990s when it was characterised by older That was when the once renowned Gluepot Tavern was in its heyday Fast forward to 2024 — Ponsonby is now a highly desirable trendy suburb where you will be lucky to find anything below $1 million In the early 2000s I also sold the first new town houses in Addington Addington was arguably perceived similarly to Caversham now It is one of New Zealand’s oldest suburbs and had been the site of the Addington Prison from 1874 to 1999 in 2021 it was voted New Zealand’s most desirable suburb — described as being ".. well-located and filled with inspired individuals wanting to create connections in their community" There are some persuasive reasons why I’m now picking Caversham as the new Ponsonby Proximity to the city and beaches — it’s the next suburb as you leave Dunedin city heading south and is also relatively handy to St Clair Beach numerous schools and other popular amenities This makes it particularly attractive for people who work in or near the city Convenience of commuting — there are established frequent bus routes and for those more active commuters being on the flat makes it relatively easy and quick to bike or even walk to the city rising fuel and transportation costs are making city-adjacent living more attractive especially to the younger demographic aiming to cut commuting costs and time It’s in the general residential 2 zone which permits higher-density development makes it cost-effective for developers and more affordable for homeowners Residential 2-zoned properties outside the designated flood zone most of the elevated and/or hill suburbs are primarily general residential 1 zoning; and sloped sections are typically more expensive to build on development-friendly property — the median sale price of Caversham properties for the last 12 months is $453,000 it is relatively cost effective to redevelop these sites Business development — an increasing number of new and/or relocated businesses — including Placemakers the revamped Hillside workshops and the Te Kaikā wellbeing hub — are contributing to the vitality and regeneration of the area We are already witnessing the start of Caversham’s transformation with new townhouses in David St It is only a matter of time before the halo effect results in new coffee bars restaurants and other services to support the needs of that population — Peter Gale is a property consultant with NZ Property Solutions