As many of you in Gloucester are aware the County Council has issued an "Educational Review" promising to permanently alter the face of secondary education in the county but seemingly focusing much of its planning for change on the city schools in Gloucester. There are several options and possibilities - nearly all of which affect the future well-being of Sir Thomas Rich’s school and would radically and irrevocably alter the successful ethos of our school, if not destroy it altogether. Seemingly the other selective schools in the city are also similarly threatened.
The educational argument for change is the underachievement of a sizable percentage of pupils in the city - but surely instead of damaging those successful institutions such as Rich’s, the LEA should be asking why pupils elsewhere are underachieving expectations and devote more resources at the points of contact with those pupils?
With a declared implementation date of 2005 many think that the die is already cast and the ‘consultation and review’ period is just a smoke screen of mis-information and spin - just as the recent ‘reviews’ over the special schools proved to be. The bottom line is as always money. A short term decline in pupil numbers (meaning less funding from central government) and the need to find cash to support ‘other projects’ are the economic reasons for change. And as we all know financial reasons always override any other considerations, no matter what the politicians tell us.
Instead of taking the short-sighted, financially driven option - in which no doubt somebody will be deriving a lot of personal wealth - let us use the opportunity of falling numbers to put right the underachievement and poor reputations by focusing pro rata more teachers, time and resources where they are really needed. Struggling pupils need more time and help to overcome their difficulties - more care and support. We could give them that by careful planning and use of what is already available.
Unfortunately there appears to be a definite 'hidden agenda' and people should be fearful of this. The head of the council is on record as saying that whatever "things will change". The council's review document is misleading, full of error and speculation, biased. Will it dupe the people of Gloucester into sacrificing its 'jewels in the crown' grammar schools - for surely this is perhaps what this is all about? Even if it doesn't dupe them, past evidence is strong that the council will take no notice of what the people think.
The Council recently reorganised itself into a cabinet structure - just like the central government - where more power can be wielded by just a few and secrets are easier to to conceal.
Power corrupts they say ... and absolute power corrupts absolutely ......