Echo 2nd July
Echo 1st July
Comments in the Echo
More comment
You can still sign our petition to the Prime Minister here. It closes on the 25th of August. Speak out while you can. There are still many unanswered questions that Lincolnshire County Council hope that the people of Billinghay will forget about. The future use of the site of the Lafford High is still to be revealed. Anyone have a clue?
Monday, 14 July 2008
Wednesday, 7 May 2008
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
Poor decision by Lincolnshire County Council Executive Committee
What can I say? Having witnessed a very interesting procedure, based no doubt on 'closed shop secrets and lies' I am ashamed to be a citizen of this country. Really I am. I do NOT often feel this way. Men in suits without a smile between them, made decisions based on sometimes spurious anecdotal evidence to CLOSE THE LAFFORD HIGH SCHOOL. As far as I am aware (based on the level of intelligent debate, or lack of it) there was not one single member of the committee who has ever taught children. Please correct me if I am wrong. It became evident that they had not when one member of the troupe declared that it was far easier to deliver a Personalised Curriculum in LARGE SCHOOLS! (I nearly fell off my chair). I defy him to do it. After having successfully run a Personalised Curriculum within my subject area (Secondary Mathematics) at a Special School for Boys with EBD, in the 1990s, I do know just a little bit about what I am talking about. He clearly knows very little. The Director of Education brushed aside the DVD the children made, by rubbishing the quote that repeatedly looped throughout the presentation (muttering something about the quote referring to primary schools!). I realised how LITTLE he actually cares for the most vulnerable children he is responsible for. Has he ever taught a single child? I wonder....
Oh well, if this is the best we can muster up from the men in suits, I may as well give up. Perhaps that is just what they want. Roll on election time. Let's see how much this matters to people :-)
Oh well, if this is the best we can muster up from the men in suits, I may as well give up. Perhaps that is just what they want. Roll on election time. Let's see how much this matters to people :-)
Tuesday May 6th 2008
Lafford High School decision on May 6th by Executive 10.30am, Main Council Chamber at Newlands, Lincoln. Open to the public.
Saturday, 26 April 2008
Lafford DVD
From the Lincolnshire Echo, 26.4.08
Youngsters at a school threatened with closure have recorded a DVD to persuade education bosses that it should be kept open. A final decision on whether to close the Lafford High School, in Billinghay, near Sleaford, is expected within the next two weeks.
Lincolnshire County Council has said falling pupil numbers are forcing its hand and a phased closure by 2010 could be on the cards from this September. After repeated requests by pupils to meet face to face with policy makers, the council has asked the youngsters to record their views on camera.
The resulting three minutes of footage will now be presented to education leaders ahead of their final decision. Sonny Marland (13), one of the 15 pupils involved in the DVD said he hoped the decision takers would listen to their plea. "We have brilliant teachers and excellent education here," he said.
The DVD features the youngsters sitting around a table discussing their fears over the possible closure. Topics include concerns about teachers' jobs and what effect it will have on the village community. Fifteen-year-old Lafford pupil Ben Newton, who is in his final year at the school said: "The closure won't even affect me but that's not the point, I'm worried about the village as a whole."
A spokesman for the council said: "Listening to the views of young people is an important element of the work of children's services. "In response to young people at the Lafford, Peter Duxbury has invited them to record their views which he's looking forward to receiving."
Youngsters at a school threatened with closure have recorded a DVD to persuade education bosses that it should be kept open. A final decision on whether to close the Lafford High School, in Billinghay, near Sleaford, is expected within the next two weeks.
Lincolnshire County Council has said falling pupil numbers are forcing its hand and a phased closure by 2010 could be on the cards from this September. After repeated requests by pupils to meet face to face with policy makers, the council has asked the youngsters to record their views on camera.
The resulting three minutes of footage will now be presented to education leaders ahead of their final decision. Sonny Marland (13), one of the 15 pupils involved in the DVD said he hoped the decision takers would listen to their plea. "We have brilliant teachers and excellent education here," he said.
The DVD features the youngsters sitting around a table discussing their fears over the possible closure. Topics include concerns about teachers' jobs and what effect it will have on the village community. Fifteen-year-old Lafford pupil Ben Newton, who is in his final year at the school said: "The closure won't even affect me but that's not the point, I'm worried about the village as a whole."
A spokesman for the council said: "Listening to the views of young people is an important element of the work of children's services. "In response to young people at the Lafford, Peter Duxbury has invited them to record their views which he's looking forward to receiving."
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
URGENT REQUEST
Dear All,
As I invited the "decision makers" to come and meet the students of which they are making the decision on the future of the school, I have been tasked with making a DVD for which those councillors will watch on our school's behalf. Between the student's opinions I want to state as many facts as possible against the closure of the school.
I NEED YOUR HELP!
I would greatly appreciate all and any points of view and FACTS about the impact on students, community and environment as possible. We must be able to back these facts up with evidence though! If we put our heads together I'm sure we will be able to put a complete argument together for their digestion!
Obviously time is of the essence, and I would need this pdq.
Thanks in advance - please email me directly.
tena.wells@tiscali.co.uk
As I invited the "decision makers" to come and meet the students of which they are making the decision on the future of the school, I have been tasked with making a DVD for which those councillors will watch on our school's behalf. Between the student's opinions I want to state as many facts as possible against the closure of the school.
I NEED YOUR HELP!
I would greatly appreciate all and any points of view and FACTS about the impact on students, community and environment as possible. We must be able to back these facts up with evidence though! If we put our heads together I'm sure we will be able to put a complete argument together for their digestion!
Obviously time is of the essence, and I would need this pdq.
Thanks in advance - please email me directly.
tena.wells@tiscali.co.uk
Monday, 21 April 2008
May 6th Open Meeting at Council Chambers
If at all possible it would be really good for as many people to attend this meeting at the Main Council Chambers. Details as follows:
Lafford High School decision on Tuesday May 6th by Executive 10.30am, Main Council Chamber at Newlands, Lincoln. Open to the public, of course.
I do hope you will join me :-) Thanks, too, to each of the 86 signatories on the PM's e-petition for the Lafford High.
Lafford High School decision on Tuesday May 6th by Executive 10.30am, Main Council Chamber at Newlands, Lincoln. Open to the public, of course.
I do hope you will join me :-) Thanks, too, to each of the 86 signatories on the PM's e-petition for the Lafford High.
Sunday, 13 April 2008
Huge transport costs if Lafford pupils go to other schools
Taken from the Sleaford Standard
EDITOR - I am writing with regard to the proposed closure of the Lafford High School in Billinghay and the consequent proposal to bus secondary school pupils to either Sleaford, Ruskington or Tattershall schools.
It is not so long ago that the county council were complaining of the ever increasing costs of providing transport for rural pupils to access their schools.
At one time pupils from Metheringham went to the Lafford School (c.1996), so perhaps it is time for there to be school admission zones and smaller class sizes which would benefit pupils in many subjects.
If not, how many other secondary schools will be affected by 'falling' numbers?
A M WADDINGTON, Metheringham
At one time pupils from Metheringham went to the Lafford School (c.1996), so perhaps it is time for there to be school admission zones and smaller class sizes which would benefit pupils in many subjects.
If not, how many other secondary schools will be affected by 'falling' numbers?
A M WADDINGTON, Metheringham
Thanks...
... to each of the 72 signatories in support of the Lafford High petition to the PM. Please join us.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
