The local council are trying to close my daughter's old secondary school, all their excuses for the closure are easily defeated, and they can't answer any sensible questions about the closure. To all appearances, they want to close the school and sell the land off to build houses on - I've heard suggestions that this is to try and 'shore up' their pension funds because they have spend lot's of money from it.

Deincourt isn't a highly successful school full of clever kids, most are well below average, and Deincourt take the ones that the other local schools are failing as well. They provide an excellent education, even for the lowest of the children, and the higher ones are well looked after as well. My daughter left there having passed 14 GCSE's, 7 were A's, 3 were A*, and 4 B's, and while there the school sent her to FIVE different universities for trial sessions.

It's a small school, and the teachers know the names of every single pupil there, many of the pupils who moved from the other local schools say that even having been at the other school for three years, not one single teacher even knew their name!.

The kids there are exceptionally well behaved, and the school has the lowest rates of truancy and exclusions in the county.

It's a nice school, and deserves to be saved, so if you're a UK resident, please sign the petition for the prime minister.

Thank you!.

http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/deincourt/

__________________
PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at:
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk

 

Nigel, When you say local do you mean DCC?

What does you local councillor say?

http://www.derbyshire.gov.uk/council/councillors/

 

Wish I could help. We have similar things going on around here, and trends in modern education are something I feel very strongly about.

Kinda messes with my long-term goal of going back to school to finish my degree so I can become a teacher. Schooling is underfunded, schools are being amalgamated and class sizes raised, and students are being passed without regard to how well they understand the subject matter. Not because of the teachers, but because of edicts from above that flunking a student might harm their self-esteem. Sheesh.

Anyway, good luck with your petition. The world needs more schools (a lot more schools) like the one you are trying to save.


Torben

 

It's the LA (Local Authority) used to be called the LEA (Local Education Authority), the council vote for the closure was held at Matlock, and the school (and anyone who wanted to attend) were supposedly allowed to be present to witness it. Deincourt parents and staff had buses arranged to take a suitable number of 'witnesses', and were waiting to hear when the meeting would be. The LA rang them at 10:26 to inform them the meeting was at 10:30 - giving them 4 minutes notice for a meeting ten miles away!. They then didn't even notify the school of the outcome, the local radio station (Peak FM) rang the school to ask for their comments on the closure!.

At the public meeting last Monday none of the local councillors (all labour party) were present, nor was the local MP (labout party), nor were two of the school governors (both strong labour party members), from what we can gather the labour party issued orders NOT to attend.

__________________
PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at:
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk

 

That is awful. I'll sign mate.

 

Wish i could help Nigel.

Hope you win the battle.

__________________
There is no "I" in "team", unless Apple makes it... Then it would be iTeam.

 

Pleased to add my name in support.

Sadly, school closure in the UK is becoming far too common.

__________________
Eric
"Good enough is Perfect"

PIC tutorials:
Gramo's: www.digital-diy.net/
Bill's: www.blueroomelectronics.com/

 

British Expats can also sign and so I was happy to add my name.

Mike.

 

Thank you everyone!.

__________________
PIC programmer software, and PIC Tutorials at:
http://www.winpicprog.co.uk

 

Signed.

All The Best.

__________________
I think, therefore I am. Therefore I must be !!! I think ???

 

Thats terrible!

Someone should see the Queen about this!

 

What's the reason? Are they closing more small schools for "super" schools (large schools to consolidate resources)? Or is there some decline in youth population? I just don't buy the pension-padding-through-selling-off-property. I can't see that being in the best interest of a teachers union, to close schools and effectively reduce positions.

Think about it. It makes a lot more sense for them to re-work the extra space in schools, and then temporarily lease that space for extra money. I know it's what I'd do if I had extra real estate to spare. Selling arbitrarily leaves you at the mercy of the market, but renting keeps the reins in your hands. In the long run, it will save the school district a lot of money (while making it, too) to not have to re-build or re-buy schools in the future should student population demand more space.

If you can present smarter alternatives than the direction they've taken, it might add more weight to your petition. There should at least be conditions on how much percent a population can drop at a school before closures, and even then a given period in which initiatives for making use/money off any extra space ought to be explored.

 

Nigel I am with you Morally, being son of a teacher, i Know what a closure of an school, could mean. But I am an expat, being an Indian national.

All the best. Perhaps they could call for donations if need be to run and diversify for adding modern courses and summer classes for electronics and computer skills development etc.
But closure for the cause , you referred makes me sad,. Perhaps I had to face a similar situation towards the college where from I was graduated. Last year I went and gave a donation , small amount though.Sir.

__________________
Regards,
Sarma.

 

Just signed it. good luck with your battle, i hate hearing what this government is doing to the country, they need to reassess their priorities.

 

Job done.
I hope it helps.