26/01/2012 Spotlight

'A' grade or fail? As school league tables are published how useful are

they in rural areas where there's little choice?

Good evening. We'll hear from one of the region's best-performing

schools and assess the merits of performance tables.

Also tonight: The hunt for a conman - police believe this man is

tricking his way into the homes of the elderly and stealing their

money. It's a despicable crime because the suspect preys on the

elderly and vulnerable within that community.

Benefits for councillors - anger as some elected members join staff

pension schemes. And, the catwalk clergy - find out

why these vicars are strutting their stuff in some colourful

The exam results from schools across the region have been

published by the government today. The details, which are available on

the Department for Education website, allow parents to compare

how well local schools are performing.

But how useful is the information? In a moment we'll hear from the

former Chief Inspector of schools Sir Christopher Woodhead. First,

this report from David George. Year 10 students are in a maths

lesson working on how to calculate the surface area of a cylinder.

This is Callington Community College. Today's figures show it is

Cornwall's top performing state school with 68% of students

achieving five good GCSEs. The results have rapidly improved over

the last three years. How have you achieved it? First and foremost,

the hard work and dedication of the students. We also recognise the

essential part of excellent teaching and pastoral care and then

delighted it is delivered by everyone at the college. Teamwork

and partnership is vital with the parents and we enjoyed a strong

partnership with them on a daily basis. The teacher always tells us

we can do our best and that is why it is so good. They push us to the

best of our ability but they don't overwork As. This is the first time

the government has published almost all the results it holds about GCSE

results. The government says they up idea is to drive up standards,

but how useful is all this to parents? I think there is an

increasing amount of information with the internet. It can be hard

to decipher and I would say contacting the colleges and

visiting the schools, you get a clear feeling and the ethos which

is an easier way to make a judgement. Or to contact the school.

Teachers point out of the league tables don't point out the pupils

starting levels, difficulty of questions and variations in marking.

Earlier this evening, I spoke to Sir Christopher Woodhead, who was

Her Majesty's Chief Inspector of Schools In England from 1994 until

2000. He's currently the Chairman of Cognita, a company dedicated to

fostering private education, and is in Plymouth this evening at King's

School. In the past, he has held a post as

Deputy Chief Education Officer in Devon. He is particularly

associated with supporting traditional teaching message that -

- methods and once claimed there were 15,000 incompetent teachers.

His blunt approach made him unpopular with many in the teaching

profession. I asked him how important the tables are? They are

very useful because they give parents an impression of how well

the school is doing academically. A school that has a high percentage

of youngsters who get high grades in GCSEs, including English and

maths, is a successful schools and parents are intelligent enough to

interpret league tables. Some people say they are too crude but I

have always credited parents with the ability to look at the tables

and come to their own conclusions. Parents are being told they have

more choice with the creation of academies and free schools. Is that

true? I still think that we have a demand that exceeds supply for good

schools. And whilst there are more good schools than they once were, I

still think in many parts of the country, perhaps including Plymouth,

there is huge demand for places in those successful schools and there

is a way to go yet before the less successful schools are brought up

to a standard that is satisfactory to parents. The south-west as a

whole has one of the highest proportions in the country of

schools wanting to become academies. Is that a good thing? I am not

convinced that becoming an Academy necessarily means a school will

improve. In my book and in my experience as the former Chief

Inspector of Schools, what makes a good schools is the head teacher

not whether it is constitutionally and Academy or a local authority

schools. It is right that schools have maximum control over their

budgets and academies have that but essentially, it is not becoming an

academy that makes a school good, it is the quality of leadership and

teaching. The better the teacher, the more children will learn. It is

seed -- simple in practice but it is harder to achieve. There are

still grammar schools in Devon which are now allowed to increase

their numbers. Do you think we will see a resurgence in grammars?

would like to believe that is the case. I went to a grammar school

and I think the quality of the academic teaching I received

allowed me to go to Bristol University and no-one in my family

had gone to university before. I put what success I have had down to

the teaching in grammar school. It is a huge tragedy that more bright,

young children and 11 year-olds cannot have the academic education

they deserve. I don't know the statistics but, in my day, when I

worked in Devon, the boys' grammar school was hugely oversubscribed.

The number of children whose parents wanted them to get into

that school showed the popularity of grammar schools so I think it is

wholly right back grammar schools are allowed to expand so more

youngsters can benefit from the education they provide. Thank you

"Despicable, callous and cowardly". That's how the police describe a

criminal who is tricking his way into the homes of vulnerable people

in Devon to steal their money. Two cases have so far been uncovered -

the victims in their late 80s and 90s - but detectives believe there

are others. Our home affairs correspondent, Simon Hall, reports.

The man suspected of tricking his way into the homes of the elderly

and vulnerable uses one of their cash cards to steal hundreds of

pounds. His crimes have angered even experienced detectives. It is

shallow and callous and I appeal for witnesses to come forward and

tell us, even if he is a family member, he does not deserve to be

on the streets. He hailed a taxi at the station and went to the home of

a woman in her Nineties. He took her with him to a bank where she

withdrew money for him. Bill Mancey was a taxi-driver. He called the

police when he led the woman behind. I said, don't give him any more

money or answer the door if he comes up and give the police a ring.

I also rang the office to say if anyone picks up someone with a

similar description, let people know. You are a good Samaritan.

Well I am a pensioner and I hate to see pensioners ripped off. A few

miles away, he took money from a cashpoint after tricking a man in

his eighties from his bankcard. The police advice is never to allow

anyone into your home unless you are completely sure you know them.

If you are not sure, call a friend, neighbour or relative for help and

if no one is available, call the police. Detectives believe there

may be more victims and ask them to come forward. Bill Mancey has

bought the woman he helped a gift in an attempt to comfort her. A man

and a woman have been injured and two horses have been killed after

an accident involving three cars. The two horses died at the scene,

after the incident on the road near St Agnes in Cornwall. The woman has

serious injuries and is being transferred to Derriford Hospital

in Plymouth. The road has been closed for most of the day.

Devon and Cornwall police force has seen one of the biggest reductions

in its officers in England and Wales. The number of officers has

fallen by 213, that is just over six per cent. Only two other forces

have seen greater reductions. Policing minister, Nick Herbert,

said in support of the cuts that nationally there were around 25,000

officers in backroom jobs, giving plenty of scope to save money while

protecting front line policing. Three Torbay schoolchildren have

been treated in hospital for meningitis. The Health Protection

Agency is working closely with St Cuthbert Mayne School after two

children in year 9 were confirmed with meningococcal B infection.

Both children were admitted to hospital. One has since been

discharged. The HPA has written to all parents and has offered

antibiotics to all year nine children. Separately, a child

attending Torquay Community College has been admitted to hospital with

suspected meningococcal infection. Joining me is Kate Rowland from

Meningitis UK. There will be worried parents in Torbay tonight.

What can you say to reach a sure them? It is a rare disease but when

it strikes it can be devastating. The bug that causes meningitis

lives in one in 10 of us naturally and just occasionally it can be

devastating. The most important thing is to no of the sentence and

trust their instincts, particularly parents. They know their children

best. What are the classic signs? The symptoms of meningitis are a

headache, stiff neck, so -- stiff - - dislike of bright lights and a

rash which rapidly develops into bruising. We have heard that some

antibiotics are being offered tonight. How a treatable is it it

noticed early? If it is caught quickly there is a good chance of

success but it is difficult to diagnose, which is why I campaign

to trust your instincts really urges people to trust their

instincts and voice their concerns MPs are campaigning for the

Government to spend �1 billion on affordable homes for first-time

buyers. House prices in parts of the South West are now almost 13

times the average income. MPs want more shared ownership homes where

people own part of the property and pay a subsidised rent on the rest.

John Danks reports. Finding a home to bring up baby.

This man and his partner had been looking in Cornwall for years, but

thanks to a shared ownership scheme they are about to get their own

place. We were looking at a hundred and �50,000, so that a parcel bomb

that was a lot of money. The park rent scheme really helps us out.

will be a proper to like one of the stable -- like one of these they

will hopefully be moving into. This development consists of 41 homes,

12 of which will be sold under a shared ownership scheme. So,

somebody could pay and share of this property and paid the rest of

the rented housing association. They can then increase the share

that be won until they own it out right. The property is �135,000.

You can buy a share for as little as �25,000 -- you can buy a share

of as little as 25 %. House prices have increased three times faster

than incomes in the region over the last decade. Their pollen on the

Government to help deliver many more affordable homes. -- they are

calling on the Government. Well, Stephen Gilbert is MP for St

Austell and Newquay. He is campaigning for more shared

ownership housing. I asked him why he thought it was part of the

answer to Cornwall's housing crisis. We have got a housing crisis in

Cornwall. After crisis in the renting sector, that buying sector.

We need to meet Port Said meet the aspirations of people. Shared

ownership is a great way to start their journey. What about the idea

of council housing? A lot of people even if they went for shared

ownership could not get on that ladder. Council housing may be

another option. This will be the first government in 33 years to

leave office having delivered more social homes than any other

government, about 170,000 over the next four years. That is part of

the answer, but we need to meet people's aspirations to own their

own home. We are doing that to the Right to Buy scheme, making sure

that for every home that is sold another one is built. Shared

ownership is a very affordable way of starting their journey. With

council housing, with shared housing when people buy more and

more of that property, that takes it out of the market, whereas

council housing is available for generation after generation. We do

need both. It is not one or the other. That is what the Government

is delivering. I think affordable part home social housing is a way

that we can start to meet the aspirations of a whole section of

society that at the moment don't see any way of owning their own

home. We know how fragile the economy is now, where is the money

coming from? The National Housing Federation said that if the

Government is able to find �1 billion to invest in shared housing,

then we will unleash �7 billion extra which will create jobs across

the country and provide homes for people to move into. Is there at

billion pounds? I think it is a sensible plan and will make that

point to ministers over the coming weeks.

Councils in the South West are being criticised by pressure group

the Taxpayers' Alliance for allowing some of their councillors

to join its staff pension scheme. In Cornwall, 30 councillors are

members of the scheme, 21 in Plymouth, three in Exeter and 22 in

Somerset. Devon and Torbay councils at present have no councillors

taking part in their pension schemes.

Chris Coneybeer has been to Dorset to report on why the practice is

considered so controversial. Were every you are, the pressures

of the economic Glenn Skipp are never far away now. We need to ask

questions about why so many councillors are starting to enrol

into government pension scheme. And one year it increased by over 1000.

That is a 1000 more people that taxpayers are on the hope for their

pensions. The argument is that apart from being -- far from being

simple volunteers, they have considerable responsibilities.

think it is a non starter talking about volunteers, as they call it,

and elected members been pensioners because that is a minuscule amount

of money being spent on this. We are not talking about cold feet of

pensions. On Dorset County Council 14 councillors and members of the

pension scheme out of the total number of 45. The council's

contribution to the whole of the staff pension scheme, not including

staff in schools under fire service, is �72.5 million. That works out at

�179 per head of population. Across the county because the public

services including pensions is highly controversial. The question

of whether councillors should also receive public pensions has added

to the debate. In Dorset three county councillors started

receiving bears, the average �650 a year. In the present financial

climate even relatively modest -- relatively modest sums are being

called into question. Traders in Paignton are up in arms

over a railway level crossing being closed for two weeks. Businesses in

Torbay Road claim the work being carried out by Network Rail will

put a huge strain on trade as access to the street will be

difficult. Johnny Rutherford reports.

On Saturday these barriers will remain closed for two weeks.

Although the footbridge will remain open for able-bodied people to

cross, traders are worried about the loss of business. Parking meter

charges have elevated dramatically, which is affecting business. This

will be the male in the coffin for some retailers. We would like some

compensation. We don't mind where it comes from. Loss of earnings. It

isn't just us, it is the whole road. Traders feel that if they have had

more notice they would have arranged things like holiday leave

and changes to the order books. said to the railway meant this

morning, was on their telephone to them yesterday, and it has got to

be done. There is nothing else we can do about it, but to be told to

days before, that is pretty bad. Network will save the work is

essential to make the crossing safer and say they're sorry for any

inconvenience and say they will put into place short diversions for

motorists, pedestrians and wheelchair users. Diversions are OK,

but people like disabled people or blind people are going to find

these diversions very difficult and time-consuming, especially if they

have paid on a meter and they have got 20 minutes to get what they

have got to get to. The bridge will be closed from Saturday until

Monday 13th February. Plymouth Albion's worrying

financial position has eased slightly. They are on course to

raise enough capital to see them through until the end of the season,

as they try to escape relegation from rugby's Championship.

Spotlight's Dave Gibbins has the story. 2012 started with Plymouth

Albion needing �250,000 to make up the shortfall in their Budget.

Shareholders were summoned to a meeting and they heard how serious

the situation was. Four weeks later and Albion have made giant strides

with their fund-raising. It helped immediately. I get us through

January and February, but we need working capital to get us through

to the end of this season. It takes the immediate pressure off, but

there is still the need for additional working capital.

Championship clubs like Albion received �320,000 from the Rugby

Football Union, the Premiership and Sky Television. There is no

parachute payment for a team relegated down, so if Albion see-

through this season, what about the long-term future? What we have been

doing is working with our accountants and advisers, looking

in a lot of detail at the medium term and get into this season is

the urgent challenge, but also then getting through next season. It is

looking good. An open meeting for shareholders and supporters will be

held next Tuesday evening. There will be told the outline plans to

save card the club as a professional club in the next few

years. Colourful cassocks and coffins are

on display at a major show in Devon. Thousands have turned up for what's

described as the "Ideal Church Show" at Westpoint in Exeter.

Unusual hearses and a vast array of religious robes are on display and,

as Andrea Ormsby reports, members of the clergy have even taken to

the catwalk to parade the latest in ecclesiastical fashion.

It is it biggest regional shows so far. A hundred and 75 stands seen

by up to 4000 people. The highlights? Clergy on the catwalk.

For the latest ecclesiastical must- haves, this is the place to come.

It is very hard as a woman trying to work at how to dress and not

look like a man. I have been having a clerical fashion crisis since I

was ordained. It is beautiful artistry. Not just a bit of

clothing. You can see the quality of the workmanship. Very lovely

garments to be able to wear. much do you reckon it would set you

back? Over �2,000. Sadly, I can get one. Coffins of all varieties,

hearses of every kind. People thought it would just be row after

row of just text, but they show this far from that. There is so

much to look at. Did try and do it all in a day might be hard. Lots of

activities, lots of speaking, meals. This has inspired us all. I saw a

coffin it like a tart us, and my son is very much into Dr Who. It

was of interest to me! The ideal church show, everything you could

need. For Christians, it is heaven. Time now for the weather.

You will need to wrap up warmly. It is almost a surprise for us to see

someone to reach hours today. In addition to some clear sky,

potentially some frost and the risk of some ice. Possibly there will be

summer round tomorrow. The showers have been fairly beefy today and

they have given some heel, sleet and snow. We still have low

pressure and a cold wind direction, coming from the north-west, so the

possibility of further showers overnight. For a time the skies

will clear and the temperatures will drop. By tomorrow lunchtime it

will be quite similar to how it is now. Still the risk of showers and

some of them could be quite heavy and wintery. The best day of the

next few will be Saturday with a weather front try to come in off

the Atlantic but not making much progress. Saturday looks like a

frosty start and are mainly fine day. Here is the picture in more

detail. There has been some sunshine today. This picture was

earlier today. Quite blustery winds from the north-west, but you can

see on the horizon showers were We have some showers across the

north of Devon moving into Somerset, but there will become more isolated

tonight. After midnight, the shower macro activity will all right down.

Temperatures will fall down to freezing. Overnight temperatures

will range from four degrees down to zero. A cold, bright start

tomorrow, but with the risk of showers developing again. I've the

middle of the afternoon, the showers will be at their peak.

Temperatures will struggle up to seven degrees tomorrow, but the

temperatures will drop when the showers, long. The winds will not

be a strong. For the Isles of Scilly, we will see some showers in

the morning, but will be fine in Saturday will be a fine day, but

cold. Sunday is rather cloudy with the best of any brightness across

Dorset and Somerset. Monday will not see much change, but maybe

slightly colder air. Devon County Council had told us