I was a pupil at Beverley Boys’ school in its heyday. It was a time when standards were high; there was a thriving sixth form and a fine music and sport’s department. Music was more my thing than sports!
Why was it so good? It came down to good leadership and a superb headmaster in Clifford Fisher. I was recently in contact with Clifford Fisher, him having retired to Eastbourne with his wife. Some may also remember him as a distinguished artist.
I therefore view its educational decline with some despair and agree that steps needed to be taken to restore some form of higher pupil numbers and increased standards. I therefore had little problem with the idea of what I though was a “soft” federation of Beverley Boy’s school with Coombe Girls School (where my mother attended school). However a “soft” federation is one where the respective schools retain their defining characters whilst having a single leadership team; it is NOT a merger or a takeover.
You can imagine therefore my horror at the idea that Beverley Boys’ School should now be renamed Coombe Boys’ School. This is an insult to the very fine work that went on in the past and a slap in the face to the current pupils and teachers who in dilapidated and constrained buildings have striven to improve education standards.
Beverley may well have problems but stripping this fine school and its alumni of their dignity will not help it in either the short or the long term.
4 comments:
My son was fortunate enough to attend Beverley in mid eighties having "failed" the Tiffin entrance exam.
Senior teachers such as Slattery/Grecian/Clifford provided a first class base product resulting in my son gaining a Bsc Hons in Artificial Intelligence.
He is also a well rounded individual with a wide range of interests,I put this down to the excellent guidance from Beverley.
Just a branding issue. I can see why Kev personally is worked up, but really! Not a huge issue is it?
The fact your mum went to Coombe girls school while it may be highly significant to you and lead you to approve a "soft federation" - like the renaming you are bringing the personal into the political. Bad practice.
If more people will think about sending kids to "Coombe Boys School" than "Beverley" then the means justify the ends. The old school you went to, only exists in your memory anyway. All the pupils, teachers (inc Clifford etc) have long gone.
As David Cameron says - "Deal with the world as it is now"
Big Picture kev, Big Picture!
If your "dignity" is so easily stolen you haven't got a hope in politics.
Maybe you are right and I am getting too personal. However, there was a saying by a famous republican who said that "all politics is local". Actually he was not quite right as I believe "all politics is personal" and if it is not then it is not important.
I agree with David Cameron but the world as it is now is one in which there were two schools who were co-operating rather than federating to create a 2,000 pupil school. It will not be long before they become a mixed school. I believe big schools are wrong. As has been proved in the US (New York) the key to good schools is personalisation where each teacher knows the headteacher and those teaching them.
How can they possibly become a mixed school? The two sites are miles apart and neither is large enough to accommodate both schools' students. It seems, from the reports I've read, that this federation is only intended to be a temporary measure; after about 3 years, Coombe Boys' will hopefully have re-established itself as a successful school and could return to being managed individually. As a trainee teacher and former Beverley student, who attended the school in its early decline (1995/6), I am a little saddened that the LEA allowed the situation to get so badly out of hand, failing to intervene after several years of poor leadership and mismanagement. I am delighted that some positive steps are finally being taken to get the school back on the road to recovery, and I wish Carol Campbell and her team the very best of luck.
Post a Comment