Page 8

East_End_Life_03Feb2014

For your information Parking to pest control, housing to hate crime turn to pages 14 & 15 Useful information Adoption ‘brings joy into your life’ News from the council’s education, social care and wellbeing directorate THE GCSE results for 2013 have finally been published by the Department for Education and Tower Hamlets shines out as amongst the best. We should all be proud that 65 per cent of students achieve five grades A*-C including English and maths. This is better than inner London (63 per cent) and nationally (59.2 per cent for all schools, 60.8 per cent for state-funded schools). Also, Tower Hamlets pupils make better progress in English and in maths than other schools nationally. Our English Baccalaureate results are now in line with national performance. This is a terrific achievement by Tower Hamlets schools and is the result of a huge amount of work by everyone concerned: teachers, head teachers, parents, councillors, council education officers, school support staff and the young people themselves. Tower Hamlets, once the worst performing education authority in the country, now has a reputation for educational excellence which is recognised internationally. In December an independent academic report, Transforming Education for All: the Tower Hamlets Story, analysed how the council had developed its schools from being the worst in 1997 to achieving the kind of impressive results we have highlighted above. The turnaround has been due to a whole range of factors, including a relentless focus on data for individual students, attracting and retaining high quality teachers and improving literacy at primary school so standards would therefore later improve at secondary school. This long-term vision is paying dividends for our young people today, and the report authors said Tower Hamlets now has some of the best urban schools in the world. Yet there is more to helping children than just offering great education. We have a duty to help children to fulfil their potential, and on occasion this can mean intervening even before they reach school age. Unfortunately it is sometimes necessary to find adoptive parents for a child because it is not safe or in the child’s best interests for them to stay with their birth family. In such instances, our social work team steps in to offer that most fundamental of all requirements – a loving home. Everyone reading this will recognise the need for a child to grow up surrounded by love and support, and this is why we have recently launched the Muslim adoption campaign. This particular initiative is aimed at addressing a specific need within the Muslim community, but the adoption and fostering team is always delighted to hear from anyone who wants to find out more about offering a home to a child who needs one. Our corporate director Robert McCulloch-Graham has adopted two children and he says: “These kids have had a rotten start in life, giving them a second chance in your family throws them a lifeline. It also brings joy to your own life, for us and our grown up kids it’s been fantastic getting Christmas back with two very excited youngsters! “Our staff and I are ready to answer any questions you might have, so if you are contemplating adoption, pick up the phone for a chat.” To find out more about the adoption process, contact the council’s experienced and friendly advisers on 0800 279 9850 or www.fosteringandadoption. co.uk Bengali-speaking advisers are available. Finding children a loving home It is sometimes necessary to find adoptive parents for a child. In such instances, our social work team steps in to offer that most fundamental of all requirements – a loving home.s see below Chemist rota Pharmacists in Tower Hamlets with extended opening hours. E1 ABC Drug Stores, 12-14 Montague Street: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5.30pm, Sun 10am-2.30pm. Beck & Sherman, 197 Whitechapel Road: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5.30pm, bank holidays 11am-1pm. Sainsbury’s, The Albion Brewery: Mon-Fri 8.30am- 10pm, Sat 7.30am-10pm, Sun 11am-5pm. Chapel, 139 Cannon Street: Mon-Fri 9am-8pm, Sat 9am-6pm. E2 Fairdale, 360 Bethnal Green Road: Mon, Tues, Weds, Fri 9am-6.30pm, Thurs 9am-1pm, Sat 9am-6pm, bank holidays 11am-2pm. Florida, 307 Bethnal Green Road: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-6pm, bank holidays 11am-2pm. E3 Bell, 534 Roman Road: Mon- Sat 7am-11pm, Sun 10am-2pm. Forward, 648 Mile End Road: Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am- 6pm, Sun and bank holidays 10am-6pm. Green Light, St Andrew’s Health Centre, 2 Hannaford Walk: 8am-8pm, seven days a week, including bank holidays. Lincoln, 60 St Paul’s Way: Mon, Tues, Weds 8am-8pm, Thurs, Fri, 8am-8pm, Sat 9am- 5pm. Tesco, Hancock Road: Mon 8am-10.30pm, Tues-Fri 6.30am-10.30pm, Sat 6.30am- 10pm, Sun 11am-4pm. E14 Boots, Unit 15, Jubilee Place: Mon-Fri 7am-midnight, Sat 9am-6pm, Sun 12pm-6pm. Britannia (Perimart), Asda Precinct, East Ferry Road: Mon- Sat 9am-8pm, Sun 11am-4pm, bank holidays 11am-6pm. Doctors Please ring your doctor’s surgery for an appointment, but if it’s the weekend or late at night, call 7377 7151 (only for people in Tower Hamlets who are registered with a doctor). To find a doctor, dentist or help to quit smoking call the health hotline on 7364 5016, Mon-Fri 8am-8pm and Sat 8am-4pm. Advice Family Information Service (FIS) The Family Information Service provides information for people from birth to age 19 (or 25 for those with additional needs) including helping parents and carers find high quality childcare, advice on tax credits and childcare vouchers. Open Mon-Fri, 8am-6pm. Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, Poplar, E14. fis@towerhamlets.gov.uk 7364 6495 Tower Hamlets Home Birth Support Group Last Thurs of each month, 8pm. 31 Ridgdale Street, E3. 8981 1159 Parents Advice Centre (PAC) Offers impartial advice around special educational needs (SEN). 30 Greatorex Street, E1. Drop-in sessions every Tues, 9.30am- 3.30pm & Fri, 9:30am-1pm. 7364 6489 LinkAge Plus Toynbee Hall is one of five network centres that co-ordinates services and activities provided. Mon-Fri from 9am-5pm, dropin session for advice on benefits, pensions, employment and housing. Appointments necessary. Mon 9am-5pm, Bangladeshi group. Toynbee Hall, Commercial Street, E1 7392 2914 www.toynbeehall.org.uk Welfare advice All the organisations listed below can help you with welfare benefits, housing and general debt problems. Account 3 1-9 Birkbeck Street, E2. 7739 7720 www.account3.org.uk Bangladesh Youth Movement 21-23 Henriques St, E1. 7488 1831/2 Bromley by Bow Centre St Leonard’s Street, E3. 8709 9737 www.bbbc.org.uk Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) 32 Greatorex Street, E1. 7247 1050 www.adviceguide.org.uk Island Advice Centre Island House, Roserton Street, Isle of Dogs, E14. 7987 9379 www.island-advice.org.uk Legal Advice Centre University House, 104 Roman Road, E2. 8980 4205 www.legaladvicecentre.org.uk Limehouse Project Cheadle Hall, Cheadle House, Copenhagen Place, E14. 7538 0075 www.limehouseproject.org.uk Praxis (New Residents Service) Pott Street, E2. 7729 7985 www.praxis.org.uk Tower Hamlets Law Centre (specialist advice by appointment and evening legal advice sessions). 214 Whitechapel Road, E1. 7247 8998 www.thlc.co.uk Debt advice Toynbee Hall Advice Service 28 Commercial Street, E1. 7392 2953 advice@toynbeehall.org.uk www.toynbeehall.org.uk Fair Money Advice 530 Commercial Road, E1. 7702 8032 www.fairfinance.org.uk Island Advice Centre Island House, Roserton Street Isle of Dogs, E14. 7987 9379 www.island-advice.org.uk National Debt line 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.co.uk Step Change Debt Charity 0800 138 111 www.stepchange.org Photo order form Copies of pictures published in East End Life taken by council photographers are available to readers. To request a copy, email eastendlife.news@tower hamlets.gov.uk and we can send it straight away. If you do not have access to email fill in this form and send it to Photos, East End Life, Town Hall, Mulberry Place, 5 Clove Crescent, Poplar, E14 2BG. This service does take longer. Name Address Issue no. Page no. 8 NEWS FROM TOWER HAMLETS COUNCIL AND YOUR COMMUNITY 3 – 9 FEBRUARY 2014


East_End_Life_03Feb2014
To see the actual publication please follow the link above