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College principal Frank McLoughlin |
11-plus failure who heads college
AN 11-plus failure who went on to become principal of London’s biggest further education college has been awarded the CBE in the New Year’s honours list.
Frank McLoughlin, 52, head of City and Islington College, said this week that he has never forgotten his humble beginnings or the importance of state education. From a large Irish family – his father was a builder and mother a nurse – he attended secondary modern school in Harlesden before going on to study A-levels at evening class and later winning a place at Leeds University.
Both his two children went to state schools, one to Parliament Hill in Camden and the other to Highgate Wood in Crouch End.
The CBE marked the finale to a year in which the college, with five centres across north London, was rated outstanding in all areas by Ofsted inspectors.
When Mr McLoughlin, who lives in Finsbury Park, receives his CBE it will be the second time in just over 12 months he will have visited Buckingham Palace to accept an award from the Queen. Last February he received the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for exceptional achievement when the college became the first general further education college to win the prestigious award twice.
Not bad for a former part-time lecturer in history and politics who began his teaching career at what was then North London FE college 29 years ago.
Of his CBE, Mr McLoughlin, said: “This is a great honour for me and the college. It is recognition of the huge contribution that colleges make to their communities and a tribute to the hard work and dedication of our exceptional staff.”
A typical example of the dedication of college staff is that teams were working tirelessly over the Christmas holidays to provide unemployment advice and support to workers from Woolworths who lost their jobs in the store closures.
“Just before the end of term it was clear that Woolworths was going to fold,” Mr McLoughlin said. “We discovered, for example, that in some London Woolworths stores three generations of family worked together. They never thought they would ever need to find another job.
“We helped them think about developing new skills and write CVs. With the local JobCentres we helped them look for potential vacancies.”
City and Islington employs 1,000 staff, has 5,000 full-time students and 10,000 taking part-time courses. Last year, it was the only London college judged outstanding in all measures by Ofsted. It was awarded beacon status by the Learning and Skills Council. Its A-level pass rate in 2008 was 98 per cent, above the national average.
The college is a major provider of foundation degree programmes, with more than 500 students studying programmes in conjunction with universities and employers.
Mr McLoughlin is a trustee of the Helena Kennedy Foundation, a board member of Action Aid UK, a member of All Souls Group and a fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Psychiatrist pioneers help for parents
ISLINGTON is uniquely equipped to assess disturbed parents like those of Baby P, an eminent psychiatrist has claimed
Yvonne Millar, a consultant clinical psychiatrist for Islington Primary Care Trust, was speaking after being awarded an MBE for her services to child psychology.
In her 22 years at the PCT, she has pioneered a walk-in psychotherapy service. The 55-year-old said: “One of the most difficult aspects that the Baby P case brought to life is that parents have to be motivated to come in for assessment. In the Baby P story, it may be that the services were less available to the parents.
“There is also a stigma surrounding psychological assessment. People are less likely to look for help if they think they will have to go to hospital or be referred for help by a GP.”
Baby P died despite more than 60 visits from social services in Haringey. At no stage were the baby’s parents referred for psychiatric assessment.
Ms Millar said: “We have a centre based in Holloway Road with 30 weekly clinics where parents can walk in and talk about any behavioural problems they might have. It may be simply that the baby is not sleeping or that their young children are fighting.
“Of course, we cannot see everyone we need to, but I believe we see more of the needy than the rest of London, where this service is not available.”
Ms Millar will receive her MBE at Buckingham Palace later this year. She said: “What is especially good this year about the honours system is that they have raised the profile of community work. That is why I accepted it. It was a total shock when I got the letter – I thought my son was playing a joke on me.”
Awards tonic: Palace dates for hospital chairman, cancer nurse and retired microbiologist
A NURSE, a microbiologist and the chairman of University College London Hospital have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year honours list.
Chairman Peter Dixon, ward sister Alison Finch and Dr Geoff Ridgway were honoured for their outstanding achievements and service.
Sir Peter, a former chairman of the Housing Corporation, was made a knight for work in the affordable housing sector.
He has been chairman at UCLH since 2001 and was appointed chairman of the Housing Corporation in 2003.
Sir Peter said: “Health and housing go hand in hand and for the last five years I’ve considered them to be two components of one job.
“You nearly always find if someone is in rotten housing, they have rotten health. Good housing and good healthcare are fundamentally important to a civilised society.”
In the last year the Housing Corporation, a government agency, was responsible for the delivery of nearly half the new homes in England.
Ms Finch, a ward sister in
the haematology department
and acting senior nurse in children and young people’s cancer services at UCLH, received an MBE for services to healthcare.
She said: “I never expected it. I do work hard. I try my best but I am surrounded by colleagues who also work very hard and give way over 100 per cent commitment so it was very humbling to receive the honour.
“I am quietly delighted though!”
UCLH’s lead cancer nurse Stephen Rowley said: “Alison isn’t the type of person to court the limelight so it’s brilliant that she has been recognised for the quality of care she has given cancer patients over many years.”
UCLH specialist Dr Ridgway, who has retired after 32 years
but continues as a consultant for the hospital, was awarded an OBE for his services to microbiology.
He said: “It was my first post – and became my life.
“I particularly enjoyed a good working relationship with clinical staff.
“UCLH pioneered microbiology as a clinical-based science rather than a lab-based science.” |
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