Clilheroe 22324 (Editorial), 22323 (Advertising). Burnley 22331 (Classified) 6 Clitheroe Advertiser and Times, March 18th, 1982 Barrage of questions at schools* reorganisation meetings


Parents turn up in force to express their views


AFTER a packed public meeting in Clitheroe, the top brass of the County Education Depart­ ment can have no doubts that there is a strong and vociferous body of opinion in favour of retaining the present' arrangement of senior schools in


Clitheroe. 1 The county, of course,


wmmmm TWO 11-18 schools, each


with a sixth form. Rlbblesdale becomes ,


comprehensive and the two grammar schools amalga­


mate to form another. Advantages: Pupils stay


ruption. Disadvantages: Difficult


'


in the same school from 11 to 18 and there is least dis­


for small schools to provide range and va r iety of courses and sixth forms too small. Admission problems


is dedicated to imposing a comprehensive system — about which some com­ plimentary things were said — so the meeting was really only being asked for its views on which of four suggested ■ schemes was preferable. Around 6 0 0 -people


crowded into the Parish Hall and for two and a half hours there was a steady flow of questions from the floor, but right at the outset County Edu­


jointly by both schools and teacher-ln-charge respons­ ible to both headteachers.


- wider range of courses and better use of teachers' time.


Advantages: Sixth-form work strengthened through


o f staffing, organisation, timetabling and curriculum,


Disadvantages: Problems


because two schools work­ ing closely together.


cation chairman Coun. Mrs Josephine Farrington made it quite clear, that a comprehensive education system is on the way. :


.Decision


that this, was a purely political issue. “We are merely carrying__ out a policy which applies to a large part of Lancashire,” she said, adding “we want to -build -on the best of


However, she denied


courses, good use of teacher time, one head­ teacher, a common cur­ riculum and unified secon­ dary provision. No prob­ lems at age 11 about choice of school.


tion of courses for 11-16,. limiting range and variety. Possible problems allocat­ ing pupils to the two groups. Rlbblesdale accom­ modation under-used and movement of teachers bet­ ween sites.


Disadvantages: Duplica­


if one school more popular than another. Ribblesdale’s accommodation substantial­ ly under-used and its teachers’ jobs more at risk.


ONE 11-18 school with two 11-16 groups.


Schools combine as one school, using three sites at


Ribblesdale and Grammar


TWO 11-18 schools with joint sixth form.


Like Scheme /, but with a sixth-form centre staffed


'


first, with one headteacher. Two groups of pupils aged 11-16, one at Ribblesdale, the other at Chatburn Road premises. Sixth form uses York Street building until Chatburn Road school en­ larged. Advantages: Strong sixth form with wide range of


ONE 11-18 sch o o l with upper and lower schools.


form one, using three sites at first, with one. head­ teacher. All pupils start at Rlbble sdale at age 1.1, transferring to Chatburn Road site after three years. Sixth form based at York Street premises.


All schools combine to Scheme IV


: order to best meet the needs of the pupils.” The .same policy, she


what is provided now, in


those who wish the gram-, mar schools -to be re­ tained. A reply to Canon John Hudson, chairman of the governors, revealed that if there are objec­ tions and ’the governors ' refuse to issue' notices of


said, had been followed by the previous Tory-control­ led Education Committee. There is one hope for


THE OPTIONS EXPLAINED


planning easier and wide range o f courses. Better use of accommodation and avoids problems of alloca­ tion.


age 13 with transfer to another site only two years before exams. More compli­ cated changeover to new pattern of education. Move­ ment of teachers between sites. Big school for Im­ mediate years following Im­ plementation.


Disadvantages: Break at


BOWUANI> SCHOOL


BOWLAND (Rlversmead) Is shown in all schemes as an 11-16 comprehensive school. It is a very small school and the question is whether falling numbers will make It impossible for it to provide the range of courses expected in a comprehensive school.


Advantages: Curriculum


s then be made by the Sec­ retary of State for Educa­ tion and Science.


closure, the schools will remain as they are and the only thing the county can do is to propose to close them. \The final decision will


Mr Andrew Collier said the change would result in having all the children in one sort of school, leading to more efficiency in sec­ ondary education. ' He emphasised the


. Chief Education Officer


•why build . b ig g e r schools?” Mr Collier replied that


in the local schools, saying “If numbers are falling,


much had been done to try and compare results on an area basis, but it had been impossible to find conclusive evidence that one system was better than another. “If we make one of


■ schemes.


impact of dramatically fal­ ling numbers in the school population oii the future viability of the schools as now constituted and as it affected each of the four


• Girls’ Grammar Schools on the Chatburn Road site, with Ribblesdale and


suggestion that the pre­ sent arrangements be con­ tinued, apart from a merger of the Boys’ and


. Full range From the floor came a


. Bowland Schools remain­ ing and the grammar school buildings in York Street being closed. A Clitheroe parent


these ^proposed changes we will stand a much better chance of giving every child much better e d u c a t io n a l o p p o r ­ tunities,” he said. Under a comprehensive system pupils still obtained . A- levels, O-levels and CSE certificates and went on to university. In Clitheroe at present


it would become more dif­ ficult to provide a full range of skills in separate buildings and money would have to be spent to replace, some buildings long past their best. “We want the children


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to have the same oppor­ tunities as those in other parts of the county?’ he explained. Looking ■ ahead to the


wanted to know whether the county was saying that the educational stan­ dard in this district was lower than elsewhere. If it wasn’t, why change it? He also pointed to the falling numbers of pupils


Closure would be ‘an act of greatest folly'


' Secondary School in any comprehensive scheme for the Clitheroe area were made at a second public meeting on Monday evening. '


PASSIONATE pleas to retain Bowland County


officers were told that ahy Ribble Valley District plan to close Bowland Education Officer Mr would be “an act of great- David Staton, to think est folly and most ill-con- very carefully before ceived” by Mr Ronald taking any decision to end


County councillors and panel, which also included


for proposed reorganisa- tion, Bowland is shown as 'a two-form entry, 11 to 16 mixed . school. -— though the county council is ques­ tioning whether falling rolls will make it imposs­ ible for it to. continue to provide a suitably wide range of subjects. The vast majority of


Richard King-Wilkinson, the present chairman of governors, said the com­ plete team effort at Bow­ land was envied across the county and pleaded for "a fair trial” from the education authority. Under all four options


. the 320-pupil school. . Some of them arrived


more than 400 people who crowded into the school hall on Monday clearly felt this could spell the beginning of the end for


two hours before the meeting stalled and the


joining classrooms for latecomers. County Education Com­


d e b a te was re lay ed through speakers to ad­


mittee chairman, County Coun. Mrs Josephine Far­ rington, vicb-chairman County Coun. Tom Shar- ratt and Chief Assistant Education Officer Mr Ray” Cornish left with an over­ whelming vote of support for Bowland ringing in their ears. Mr King-Wilkinson was


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loudly applauded when he said Bowland was an ex­ ample of what could be achieved by intensely’ loyal staff and excellent support from parents. . He added: “All the


’ Bowland’s past ■ record was also defended by Mr Jack West, a retired ail teacher, who spent 23 years at the school. He warned .the county


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school needs is time. If the county sets us the task, provides .the incen­ tive and gives us the means, we’ll supply the effort.”


Williamson, a school gov­ ernor for, 30 years. Another speaker, Mr


an ad v e n tu re which started 30 years ago. Mr Williamson . de­


, Mr Eric Sparks predicted that the school had a great future because it delivered the goods. Attendance of both staff


out of the parents • had thrilled and surprised Mr James Thornber,- a gover­ nor at Clitheroe Boys’ Grammar School. He maintained that political change at County Hall was the reason for the reorganisation propos­ als and urged the parents to fight for; what they had. Rounding off, Bow- land’s deputy headmaster,


criticised the inclusion of Bowland in the county’s options as a two-form entry mixed school. One described this as “a red herring,” while another accused the county council of putting on an elaborate charade. The attitude and turn­


scribed Bowland as “the best school in Lancashire for its size,” where pupils were taught discipline and respect: It was always a ; delight for him to see the children’s clean, bright, keen and intelligent faces. A number of speakers


. continue as now. Yet another felt that it


' should be retained; that the two grammar schools be . merged • at the girls’ school and that .Ribbles­ dale and Bowland schools


buted to the debate, one saying that the first three schemes were not viable and another suggesting that selection at 11-pliis


would be best to “leave well alone” up to the age of 16 but to add a sixth form for ages 16 to 19 on comprehensive lines and not restricted to A-level studies. A deputy headmaster of


a Blackburn school spoke up for the comprehensive system on the basis of his experience. However, he felt that a tremendous amount of work was need to convince the public.


were flaws in all the four schemes put'forward for Clitheroe, and he had sent a copy of his own scheme to County Hall, he was told by Mr Collier that the Education Committee would be willing to look at an alternative. The f i r s t


'When he said there Flaws


schemes, according to the deputy head, would not offer parents any choice; pupils would just be di­ rected to a particular school. Scheme four .would


th r e e '


mean sending all pupils to a non-academic , school, something which would cause concern. This scheme also fell down be­ cause pupils would be transferring to another site at 14, just when they were beginning to prepare for examinations. Referring to the falling


changes that will happen, Mr Collier said: “I am more convinced that we can only provide better opportunities by moving to a comprehensive opera­ tion.” ' Several teachers contri­


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school population, he queried, the wisdom of spending around £lm on


the meeting, which lasted ^ nearly three hours; that fa l l in g ro l ls in th e Clitheroe area would soon place the existing schools pattern under an “enorm­ ous strain.” Both he and County


and pupils was well above average and former pupils Were highly regarded. “Need I really.say more,” he asked. Earlier, 'Mr Cornish told


rington explained that her committee faced a difficult judgment' and that it would be impossible to ■ achieve 100 per cent ag­ reement.


Coun. Mrs Farrington had been greatly impressed by Bowland, its staff and pupils. But the Secretary of State for Education had ordered local authorities to cut back on surplus places and small secon­ dary schools like Bowland were having to be scrutin­ ised. County Coun. Mrs Far­


grammar school gover­ nors, meeting today, had enough information :to vote on, the issue, she ans- • wered: “If the governors 1 wanted to. defer their final:


Asked whether the, ' ■ ‘


.decision, :I personally1:, would understand them


wishing to do .that.” '


number of pupils on the roll had actually fallen, there would be no need to spend anything like £lm.


• to spend a 1 substantial amount to do a reasonable job.”


“Don’t dismiss the • £lm; inflation does things to money and we will have


Mr Collier replied:


would have to move from school to school would be detrimental to good edu­ cation, she said. The annual cost of transport­ ing teachers at the schools at which she taught was £3,000. -The Mayor of Clitheroe,-


four, another teacher in the comprehensive system expressed surprise that no-one had thought of the problems it would cause. The fact that teachers,


Referring to scheme ..


' people were proud of their grammar schools; the staff and the. achieve­ ments were second to none,' he said. Coun. Mrs Farrington replied that a • show of hands was not the pur- - pose of the meeting. • ■


Coun. Robert 'Ainsworth, called for a show of hands for or against the intro­ duction of comprehensive education in local schools. The larger part of the


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