Carols protest at schools merger

From the Abingdon Herald, first published Monday 18th Dec 2006.

CHRISTMAS carol singing and a petition became part of the campaign against merging three Abingdon schools.

More than 100 children, parents and some teachers gathered in Abingdon's Market Place on Saturday for a concert of carols given by pupils from Dunmore Junior and Infant schools.

And while the children sang, parents and members of the Dunmore Action Committee circulated among shoppers urging them to sign the petition.

It calls on the county's education authority to drop the option of merging the two schools with Fitzharrys senior school - creating a superschool for three- to 19-year-olds.

It also wants the authority to hold talks with the schools' governors to discuss any future plan to merge the schools into one new primary.

Written views about the options drawn up by the council have to be in by Friday.

The council says all views taken from public meetings and letters will be fully considered before a recommendation goes before the decision-making Cabinet in January.

Action committee member Bruce Kennedy said he was impressed by the turn-out for the carol concert and petition-signing.

He said: "This was the first public outing for the petition. It goes to show the depth of feeling in the town towards these ill-thought-out ideas from the county council.

"The proposals are wrong for the two Dunmore schools, wrong for Fitzharrys and wrong for other schools in the town.

"We are also concerned about merging the two schools because evidence shows that 51 per cent of school mergers lead to a long-term fall in standards and a further 28 per cent suffer a short-term fall in standards. They can depress academic achievement.

"These proposals are badly thought through. The Fitzharrys option should be dropped. Not even Fitzharrys wants it.

"Merging the two schools into a new primary is a complex business and we are asking the council to work closely with the schools, governors and parents before making any decision on this option."

Abingdon's MP Dr Evan Harris, who attended a public meeting last month, added his name to the petition.

He said the Fitzharrys option was not viable and wondered if it had not been included deliberately to distort the consultation process so that the second option would be accepted.

Dr Harris said: "It is quite clear from the strength of opposition that the council's proposals are completely unacceptable and should be withdrawn.

"An extended new primary school looks more acceptable but even then there needs to be a lot more consultation before any decision taken."

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