|
Backwards in Boston – a warning from Lincolnshire parents |
 |
 |
 |
|
Written by Nick Seaton
|
|
Monday, 16 November 2009 21:24 |
|
Parents of pupils at St Bernard's Catholic Grammar School who think proposals to change the status of the school will not effect them should perhaps think again.
It is now more than 2 years since Boston Grammar School for boys and Boston High School for girls 'federated' into single school with a single headteacher and a single governing body.
This was done in accordance with the wishes of Conservative-controlled Lincolnshire County Council and CfBT, the educational charity LCC pays to run the County's schools.
Nothing has improved and most things are much worse.
There is still no funding available to build a new school on a single site as promised. Meanwhile, school budgets are in chaos, mainly because the numbers of admissions for 11-year-olds have been reduced. Also, the prospect of years of disruption is encouraging families to apply for places at other, more stable, local grammar schools. So the Boston grammar schools are suffering.
Due to the uncertainty and disruption, 11 well-qualified teachers have left and redundancies are sure to follow, if the schools eventually end up on one site as planned. This has an adverse effect on staff motivation and the possibility of attracting new teachers to the federated schools. Already, exam results are falling against the national trend.
None of this happened because of pressure from parents. In fact, parents strongly opposed the federation. It was all arranged by a small cabal comprising a few councillors, the two headteachers and the chairs of governors (see Levelling down in Lincolnshire). Since then, one of the heads has received a massive redundancy/retirement pay-off . The other has become head of the two combined schools with a commensurate salary increase. So unlike their students and staff, the heads have done quite well out of this.
Using guidelines from the Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF), parents have now formed a 'Parents Forum' hoping to influence the federation.
Yet despite all their efforts, within 3 years, two popular and successful grammar schools have been seriously undermined, thanks to a few self-seeking individuals and the dubious prospect of millions of taxpayers' pounds from central government's Building Schools for the Future programme.
Isn't it time to think again before yet more damage is done to St Bernard’s? How will pupils or parents be helped by unnecessarily destroying the autonomy of St Bernard's, along with its widespread popularity and long history of excellence? To discuss this article, join our mailing list. |