48 Clitheroe Advertiser &Times, Thursday, January 24th, 2008


www.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk


Ciitheroe 422324 (Editoriai), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified) Clitheroe 422324 (Editorial), 422323 (Advertising), Burnley 422331 (Classified)


Everybody DOES need good neighbours - official


by Duncan Smith_____


SOMETIMES it is only in times of crisis that we realise how essen­


tial good neighbours are. During last year’s devastating


floods, there was much talk of the famous British “blitz spirit’’ returning to towns such as Tewkesbury and Gloucester as neighbours rallied round to help each other in their hour of need. But being a good neighbour should


not be limited to times of crisis. Get­ ting to know the folks next door, along the street or in your block can bring many benefits, not just for the individ­ ual, but also for the wider community. Belvoir, the UK’s leading lettings


specialist with more than 120 offices across the country, including one on The Sidings in Whalley, is reminding its own tenants of the benefits of being a good neighbour. The company’s chief executive,


Mike Goddard, said: “We live in an era where many people have never even spoken to the person next door and I think this is a terrible shame. "In an increasingly transient socie­


ty, people come and go often never even getting to know their neigh­ bours. This can be even more of a phenomenon in areas where there are a high number of rental proper­ ties. “Becoming a better neighbour is


something we should all consider. It’s all about respecting others in our community, keeping an eye out for their properties and respecting priva­ cy.


“Good neighbourly relations can


reduce crime, improve community spirit and lead to the creation of fan­ tastic friendships.” Belvoir offers the following neigh­


bourly advice: 9 Respect thy neighbour -


keep noise levels down, especially late at night and early in the morning when people are trying to sleep. 9 Parking etiquette - be care­


ful not to block your neighbour’s driveway and make sure your visitors are equally considerate. 9 Barking mad - if you have a


cat or dog, keep it under control and stop it from straying onto your neigh­ bour’s property. Remember not everyone is an animal lover.


9 Keep it clean - make sure


the exterior of your property is clean and tidy including your garden, patio


or driveway. No-one wants to look out on to a messy garden and it a neigh­ bour is trying to sell their property, a


Some worthwhile advice


WINTER is well and truly with us and chances are the garden is in desperate need of a tidy up. Around now, gardens start to look tired,


drab and in need of some coiour to brighten them, but before you start get­ ting carried away replanting or drastically cutting back, spare a thought for your home. NHBC, the UK’s leading warranty


provider for new homes, is reminding homeowners of potential problems. Although trees and hedges can enhance the appearance of gardens at this time of year, their roots can damage houses. George Fordyce, NHBC's Head of


Engineering Policy, said: "When an established tree is removed from an area, or a new one is added, it will affect the moisture content of the surrounding soil. In clay soils this can cause shrinkage or swelling of the ground. "This movement can potentially result


In damage to the house foundations due to subsidence or heave, particularly where the foundations have not been designed with trees in mind. “Always get the opinion of an expert if


planning to plant new trees or when a large tree dies or has been severely pruned."


NHBC has practical advice on avoiding


pitfalis: 9 In clay soil, plant trees well away


from your home. Find out how tall the mature tree will be and make sure it is positioned at least three-quarters of this distance from the house. 9 For elm, poplar, oak, eucalyptus, wil­


low and some cypress species make sure the distance from the house is one and a quarter times the height of the mature tree. 9 Before cutting down or pruning a mature tree, check with your local author-


MAKE sure you do not plant trees too close to any structures, they may look beauti­ ful, but you could be storing up trouble for later


ity to make sure that it is not protected by planning conditions, conservation area restrictions or a Tree Preservation Order. 9 Allow enough room for trunks and


large roots to grow safely. Be particularly careful if planting near drains or light­ weight structures. 9 Be careful not to plant trees near your neighbour's house. This might cut


out light or cause damage and you could be liable for the cost of repair.


9 Make sure trees and shrubs are


watered sufficiently to give them a good start in life.


9 Regular pruning of fast growing,


thirsty trees such as cypress leyland will help to reduce the amount of water taken from the soil.


ir'i


messy garden or drive could put off potential buyers. 9 Odd jobbing - if your neigh­


bour is elderly or lives alone offer t o ^ run errands for them or help out with^^ the odd job or two. Not only will this^®^ be a huge help, it may also mean that they are willing to take deliveries in for you if, for example, you are busy all day at work. 9 Crime watch - keep an eye


out and report any suspicious behav­ ior. Consider setting up a neighbour­ hood watch scheme. 9 House sitting - offer to look


after neighbour’s pets, plants or gar­ dens during holiday times. 9 Be green - do your bit for the


environment by setting up a shared car scheme with neighbours for trips to the supermarket or visits to the bottle bank. 9 Alarm bells - if your house


has an alarm fitted make sure your neighbour has contact details for a key holder if you are away overnight or on holiday 9 Kid control - if you have chil­


dren make sure they know how to be good neighbours and respect other people’s property and space.


Housing market will stay steady


E X P E R T S at the National Association of Estate Agents (NAEA) are predicting that the UK housing market will hold steady in 2008 thanks to the continued presence of key underlying strengths. While an unprecedented


number of unknown factors make the movement of the market even more difficult to predict than usual, the basic supply and demand factors remain the same and will help to bolster prices through less fortunate times. “Unknown factors” versus “underlying strengths” The international “credit


crunch”, issues with Northern Rock, successive interest rate rises and launch of home infor­ mation packs (HIPs) are all major events that clouded the housing market in the second half of 2007. As the market strives to right itself again it is hoped that the worst is now over, however all of these events have left behind them considerable uncertainty for 2008. Questions over future problems that may come out of America, the size of any credit squeeze and the exact impact of the HIPs roll out still hang in the air. These could well have a significant impact on the for­ tunes of the market. In the meantime, however, there are a number of underlying factors


that will help to keep the mar­ ket steady.


Peter Bolton King, chief


executive at the NAEA, com­ ments: “We know demand will continue to increase. The pop- uiation is rapidly growing and at the same time the number of single person households is also on the rise. While the mar­ ket may have been asked to weather some considerable storms recently, the basic sup­ ply and demand dynamic is what will help to keep it steady in the long term.”


Average prices As predicted, 2007 was a


year of marked regional varia­ tions for house prices. The pic­ ture is expected to be similar, if toned down slightly, in 2008, with overaii prices remaining static.


HIPs Home information packs


(HIPs) have had a bumpy r id e j^ in 2007. Following the Govern-^®' meat’s announcement that the packs would be implemented in phases, the first two stages attracted considerable contro­ versy. Buyers have shown little interest and at the same time new instructions have failen considerably. The uncertainty has by no means cleared, either. With the final phase roll­ out planned for mid-December 2007 the fuli impact on the


market is still very hard to pre­ dict.


a vmw.clitheroeadvertiser.co.uk Clitheroe Advertiser & Times, Thursday, January 24th, 2008 49


Valley schools continue to lead the way in top league table positions


b y N a ta l ie Cox ^ lE D U C A T IO N A L establishments


l^ sS p ro v id in g post-16 provision in the Kibble Valley have scored well in annual “league table s”.


pM ’“ Clilhcroc Royal Grammar School S and Stonyliurst College were both pre-


■J^flmier performers with above average scores.


i The latest figures released by the


■ . w.-l Government show that the 295 pupils reaching the end of their A and AS Ic''®' studies at CRGS gained an aver- age point score per examination entry 221.1 which was well above the


county average of 213.2 an d the national average of 207.5 and placed the school fourth in the league in Lan­ cashire. CRGS also scored the third highest


average point score per student in the county behind L an c a s te r Gir ls’ Grammar School and L an c a s te r Royal Grammar School. CRGS’ score was 1022.0 - com-


pared to the county-average of 787.4 and the average for England which was 731.1. At Stonyhurst College where 98 of


its 19416 to 18-year-old students took A/AS or equivalent subjects, an aver­ age point score per student of 790.8 and an average point score per exam of 226.3 were recorded.


School


Bowiand CRGS Moorland Oakhill College Ribblesdale St Augustine’s Stonyhurst Education authority (exc. Independent schools) Engiand (aii schools)


Some of the other post-16 schools


and colleges attended by Kibble Val­ ley students are listed below, together with their average point scores per student: Blackburn College - 204.7 St Mary’s College, Blackburn - 202.2 Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School,


Blackburn-209.1 Wcstholmc School, Blackburn -


237.4 Secondary schools across the Ribble Valley have also performed well


% 15-year-olds


gaining five or more A*toC passes, inc. English and maths 2007


% 15-year-olds


gaining five or more A* toCpasses, inrx English and maths 2006


57


100 61 63 51 58 70


45.8 46 45.3


according to the latest figures. Statistics relating to GCSE per­


formance showed that the percentage of pupils gaining five or more A* to C grades including the key subjects of English and maths was better than the national average in five of the Val­ ley’s seven schools. And in all but one school th at figure


had stayed the same or gone up com­ pared to the previous academic year. On average 46% of pupils studying a t English secondary schools achieved


Number of


15-year-olds on roll


101 125 21 22


270 206 93


Average total point score per pupil


367.3 518.3 436.3 372.4 381.3 393.9 471.3 375.4


378.1


five or more top GCSE grades and the average in Lancashire is ju s t over 48%. At Clilhcroe Royal Grammar School


the figure was 100% for the second consecutive year, mth Slonyhurst Col­ lege scoring 74%. Five of the schools serving the Val­


ley-Moorland, Ribblesdale, S( .Augus­ tine’s, Slonyhurst and CRGS - also had higher per pupil point scores than the county average. The scores for both


Value added


KS3toKS4


1080.9 1000.3


Not published Not published 990.4


1004.6


Not published 1000.2


Bowiand and Oakhill College were only just below, at 367.3 and 372.4 com­ pared to the LEA average of 375.4. The table shows the statistics relat­


ing to the Ribble Valley’s seven sec­ ondary schools, including the a rea’s three independent schools - Moor­ land, Oakhill College and Stonyhurst College, as well as county and nation­ al averages. From the left, the six columns show: 1. The % 15 year olds gaining five


or more GCSE (or equivalent) a t grades A* to C including English and maths for 2007. 2. The % 15 year olds gaining five


or more GCSE (or equivalent) a t grades A’" to C including English and maths for 2006. 3. The number of 15-year-olds on


roll in 2006/07. 4. The average tota l point score


per pupil. 5. The “value added” from Key Stage 3 to Key Stage 4.


Find out more about all your Ribble Valley


schools by clicking on to the Community section


on... www.clitheroe advertiser.co.uk


I The history of independent education


THERE are more than 2,500 independ­ ent schools in the UK, educating about 620,000 children. In England, independ­ ent schools educate about seven per cent of the entire school age population. Under the Education Act 1996 all inde­


p


pendent schools must be registered with the Department for Education and Skills (DfES) and must meet certain regula­ tions set by the DfES. However, inde­ pendent schools are largely self-governing and are not required to comply with all legislation covering schools maintained by the State. The education system in the UK has


been deeply influenced by the social class structure. The traditional view was that education was the concern of the family (private tutors were engaged to teach the sons of the nobility) and of the church (schools were set up by bishops to give instruction to prospective clergymen). I t was not until the 19th century that


i t became the sta te 's responsibility to establish a system of elementary schools, and there was still no provision for sec- " ^ ‘‘jBji'darv education, which continued to be


ii'@'


'? ^ '^ 'o v id e d by voluntary fee-paying gram- mar schools and "public schools". A few of dated back to the 16th century, but


1 ^ ^ the majority were established to meet the demand in the 18th and 19th centuries. The "public schools" were aristocratic,


m l i


f l i m


!^15J


exclusive, formal and classical and only catered for a small proportion of the pop­ ulation. Their inain goal was to develop the nation’s future leaders for service in public life, and as such were only open to the sons of the nobility or the prosperous new mercantile class. Boys who had pre­ viously been educated a t home were now sent away to live a t school in a communi­ ty w th boys of similar upbringing.


ADVERTISING FEATURE


Roughly 6-7% of children in the UK


a tten d independent schools, of which there are over 2,500. All are required to meet regulations, and most are funded by fees paid by parents. Many of these are run as Charitable


Trusts under the control of a Board of Governors. While independent schools do


Every day is open day at


St Joseph's Park Hill Padiham Road, Burnley


Nursery and Preparatory School Are you considering o Nursery


or School for your child at the moment? Come and see us at work!


St. Joseph's IS a co-educational


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We offer on enhanced curriculum which includes music, sport and preparation For entrance


examinations. Children in our small classes enjoy a Friendly and nurturing environment. .


• Before and after school care • Summer School • Extracurricular clubs • Competitive fees


See our recent outstanding inspection report on our website


please coll for further information or to arrange on appointment.


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not have to comply with the national cur­ riculum, many of them have chosen to do so. There is considerable v a r ia tio n in admiss ion p ro c ed u re s b u t Common Entrance is used by the majority of sen­ ior schools for admission a t 13-f. Some independent day schools are highly selec­ tive and dominate the national league | tables for GCSE and A level results. Many independent Sixth Form and


Tutorial Colleges belong to the Council for In d ep en d en t F u r th e r E d u c a tio n (CIFE).


HEATHLAND SCHOOL


From 3 months to 16 years ’


; \ v / , p ■ ’ • ' l p u p . , , , /' I , . f s ‘ U ' j ' < / ' U p p


• Small classes (max. 16) with dedicated staff


• Individual attention to enable your child to make the most of their education


• Flexible hours to suit working parents • Offering up to 11 GCSE’s • Transport available


Your Child Deserves B • • • U n ^ j-K 1 1 « ,4 . . . and the best is found at i X C u t i l i u r i Q


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Hourv 8.00vn • 6.00pm wwwiteadibndcoiIegc.eavk Nunery vouchen for 3 and 4 year oWj accepted


Oakhill College, Wiswell Lane, Whalley, Lancashire BB7 9AF Tel; 01254 823546 ■ Fax: 01254 822662


www.oakhlllcollege.co.uk • enquiries@oakhillcollegeco.uk


In small classes, our children are made to feel special - they believe in themselves and their own abilities, learn to take responsibility for their actions and develop lasting friendships with their peers.


If you would like your child to experience how great school can be - call us.


from acoms to oak trees Oakhill College


Every child is unique - so are we! Acorns Nursery and Oakhill College offer a unique educational experience. By providing a safe and welcoming learning environment, the children in our care are encouraged to develop in their own unique way with an enthusiasm that can be felt throughout our school.


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