Date: 16th December 2009

Shock Plans to Amalgamate Delce Schools

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Delce Infant and Junior schools, and local Labour ward councillors Teresa Murray and Nick Bowler, were horrified to hear that the Cabinet have gone against all the recommendations, and agreed to start the process of amalgamating the two schools.
The Overview and Scrutiny committee had recommended that the two schools be kept separate, and the Cabinet papers had reflected this.
However, on the day, the Portfolio Holder moved a new recommendation, which the rest of the Conservative Cabinet accepted, to amalgamate the schools against their wishes.
Rochester East Labour ward councillor  Teresa Murray said,
“Nick and I attended the consultation meetings, and no-one appeared to be in favour of this proposal.  The schools’ Heads and Chairs of Governors spoke out strongly against the proposals at O&S, and we were pleased that the committee had agreed with them.”
“Parents had chosen the schools as they wanted separate Infants and Juniors.  Now that St Peter’s has been saved, it makes no sense to amalgamate the two Delce schools, as St Peter’s is a feeder school for Delce Juniors.”
Rochester East Labour ward councillor  Nick Bowler added,
“This whole consultation has been a complete muddle.  Everyone connected with St Peter’s has been through a terrible time, and now they’re going to repeat the process with the Delce schools.  Given the Council’s poor overall results for Key Stage 2, they should concentrate on improving that, and leave our schools alone.”