FOUR dedicated pupils from St George’s were so incensed about the plans to close their school they asked for the chance to write an article for the paper about why it should remain open. 15-year-old Heather Ennis penned the piece on behalf of JUSTICE4GEORGES …
AS THE controversy continues to rage over the proposed closure of St George’s RC High School, the voice of what could be argued to be the most important section of the community has been completely overlooked.
Throughout the whole of the alleged consultation process, nobody seems to have concerned themselves with the views of the people who will be most affected by any changes; namely the children.
As a senior pupil at St George’s myself, I have been fortunate enough to attend a school which not only has a caring and friendly atmosphere, but is also able to achieve 61 per cent A*-C, and an excellent Ofsted report.
Ofsted independently quoted that St Georges is a school in which ‘every child matters’.
While every child may matter to St George’s school and even to Ofsted, it would seem that not one of the children matter to Salford City Council. This was clearly demonstrated to us, the pupils, in the recent school council meeting when a representative of Building Schools for the Future came to talk to us about the proposals.
In the mere 25 minutes that assistant director of children’s services, Mike Hall could spare, the other children of the council and I attempted to get straightforward answers to the questions prompted by our genuine concerns.
However, many of the answers were not available in the way we expected, as, according to Mr Hall, he was ‘not the right person to ask’.
Which leads us to question what he was doing at the meeting in the first place, and moreover, if he is not the right person, why has he arranged another visit to our school? So where are the right people to ask? Where is Councillor Merry? Where is Councillor Warmisham? They should be meeting with us. Come into our school. What are you afraid of? A bunch of kids? The demolition of your arguments? Every Child Matters?
As my fellow pupils and I look out of our classroom windows, we can see the ongoing construction of the school destined to replace our beloved St George’s. We fail to understand why the council would build a huge new school, if the decision to close our school had not yet been made. This is why ‘JUSTICE4GEORGES’ a group of four Year 11s, myself included, are organising a march in protest of the proposed closure.
The march will take place sometime in January.
If anybody would like to support us and join our crusade to save St George’s which the rest of the school and I believe is an asset to this community.
Please come along and join us. Details of the march will be published sometime in December.
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Terry Sosata, Salford (06/12/2007 at 17:36)
Fight the Good Fight
Lizzie Finch (06/12/2007 at 18:57)
Quote, Mike Hall, "...completely flattened, as it is not worth keeping open". I think the council will come to find, just how wrong they are in proposing the closure. In the march of protest we have planned for January, ANYONE is welcome, as many supporters as possible. Details will be shown sometime in December. Please support us!!! We are truly desparate to keep our school open!!!
Terry Sosata, Salford (11/12/2007 at 19:46)
The absurd proposals made behind closed doors clearly expose: the blatant disregard for electorates’ views; the despicable attitude towards the future of Salford Education and an undeniable expulsion of an inclusive multi-cultural society. The process would seem acceptable in a bygone era of some Dictatorship in a History Book but not in Salfdord. Maybe the Coucillors have this as their aim: to be read about in future years as ‘despots who destroyed children’s chances’. If Warmisham ever stopped and considered if such Gifted and Talented pupils as yourselves could manage the future of Education IN Salford in a better way he would surely squirm in embarrassment.
Keep it up!