Forums Forums Local News Schools face closure in new 'academies' programme

This was Tony 'Blurr's' idea you know to have an academy in every county! he was full of great ideas-a lot of them came to nought!

Station

An Academy is where a group of people put a small amount of cash up to build a school, the government then give them the loads of extra cash needed and then the school belongs to the group of people.

The figures are like £2M invested by group then government throws in £30M.

The school doesn't have to follow the whole of the national curriculum unlike council run schools and the teachers pay and conditions are not controlled by national agreements.

The school receives funding each year similar to state schools except as they all specialise in various subjects they get the extra specialism funding (which some state schools do as well).

The idea is that the pupil will be over-awed by having a brand new building and latest facilities and will be so gratefull that they will work hard and get brilliant results.

how could they close rocky, the place where so many of us learned to smoke, should be turned into a museum by imperial tobacco. and such legends...joe soap, wogga, buffer, harry winters, miss severe ( or was it sebere )...the list is....well thats about all i can remember apart from pete limb who i believe passed away, shame he was a good man.

Surely for that to work, its down to the kids themselves ? Every school you go to you get kids who dont give a shit, give teachers shit, give other kids shit and are gernerally just shit. A big shiny building isnt going to change that at all. Instead, they should be looking at why others such as Calday, Wirral Grammar and Neston perform so well. Its not necessarilly all down to academic performance.

11-plus? (means they don't have to get so many divvies) Genetics? Affluence? Social class?

IMHO I reckon if a child starts to under perform in school and starts to affect the performance of other children who want to do well, they should be given two other options: learn a trade and be useful when they leave at 16, or get sent to a 'military school' like the yanks do where trouble-makers get 'ironed-out'.
There's no point trying to teach idiots algebra.

I was a Wirral Grammar School Girl, but I think I only flew through the 11+ because my Mum taught us how to read before we got to infants school and actively encouraged us to read books on a wide range of subjects. We certainly weren't affluent and are a working class family (am I still allowed to use that term in these days of PC bollards). I think maybe it does just boil down to how much you want to succeed and how you are brought up. I am still in education now, and have a feeling I'll be a student until I can't physically be one any longer. I just love learning! Even when I've finished my Law Qualification, I've decided I'm going to follow one of my other passions and do Archaeology at night school



I quite agree with you on that MissG! It's the old addage of "it only takes one bad apple". I got frustrated with the ones who just wanted to mess about when I wanted to learn. Unfotunately, they were the bullies and I got a hard enough time off them as it was so did not say anything that would rock the boat even further. Now, if it happens at college, I WILL speak up.

As for the algebra - no point teaching anyone algebra. I've not used it since, well ever really.

Quite a lot of the new acadamies are failing, now where is the common factor again?

was'nt it mr limb who supposedly made a suit from the school curtains?i got an a* for smoking whilst there!

purple velvet smoking jacket as i remember and looked like jesus

with the nasty sweaty bandage on his wrist!

Well i never thought Rocky high would ever close

Does any one know if the old ravinswood house is going to


Be a good U.E

I thought Ravenswood was listed but I can't find it on "Listed buildings online"

I still think it a shame that the old Stoneleigh was knocked down - because the stairs was said to be unsafe - with something like 1000 people a day climbing the stairs, you expect to need some repairs now and then.

pretty sure thats a listed building...

wooow no way spooky that place at night lol

So was I Dave, perhaps the rumour was spread to make sure it didn't get listed - everybody assumes it is. Oh no - I'm on a conspiracy theory again.