SCHOOLS IN PURBECK (South Dorset Liberal Democrats)

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SCHOOLS IN PURBECK

January 19, 2009 4:44 PM

SCHOOLS REORGANISATION, PARENTS ANXIETY

Swanage Middle School Liberal Democrats in Purbeck are urging the County Council to extend their period of consultation in the current review of the three tier system in the area.

"The fact that these reorganisations have been happening all over the country in the last 3 or 4 years, " said Parliamentary Candidate Cllr Ros Kayes, herself a teacher with 20 years experience, "should not encourage the County to think that they can push this through quickly. There is a lot of opposition to the plan; parents are very concerned & their concerns should be dealt with sensitively & carefully."

Cllrs Graham Holmes & Simon Goldsack and Ros Kayes A six week consultation was not enough, she said. Other councils nationally had taken longer to ensure that they really took into account what people wanted.

"Not all the relevant information available in the report to Cabinet has been released - in particular financial information that might help people to make up their minds."

The consultation document claims that along with a declining school age population, curriculum & extra curricular changes which have developed as part of Labour's 2006 schools legislation have made this reorganisation necessary. Without it Dorset County Council say they will not be able to deliver the full range of services to all children in the county.

"But no concrete evidence has been provided that educational standards will improve under the review", continued Cllr Kayes. " Parents have told me that they are concerned about the lack of freedom of choice - having to send their children to a denominational school for example - & that is just unacceptable ; plus there's the fact that the rural nature of the district - only 53% of residents live in the towns - makes the situation more complex".

"Many parents are worried about transport issues, as well as the size of the huge secondary school - over 2000 pupils are expected. Large schools can be very threatening to children & there is evidence that they perform better in smaller environments. It is vital that in this review the experience of the child is paramount & that it is not just a redirection of resources designed to provide sufficient variety in the new system of diplomas."

"The Schools' Minister & our own MP has been conspicuously absent in all of this " said Purbeck District Councillor Simon Goldsack, who represents Wool . "Given that this exercise is being driven by government directives that are really based around what works in urban areas, I think he has a case to answer."

"The consultation process is deeply flawed" he continued, "My colleagues & I have received hundreds of emails & letters & we urge Dorset County Council to undertake a new consultation, giving all the facts, so that parents & communities can decide properly what is best for their children. "