Former Selsdon High head teacher warns new academy is being "set up to fail"
By Ross Lidbetter
ross.lidbetter@essnmedia.co.uk
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UNCERTAIN FUTURE: Selsdon High
THE former head teacher of Selsdon High claims staff and pupils are being "set up to fail" as uncertainty builds over whether the school will become an academy in September as planned.
Dr Stuart Newton, who was in charge of the school in Farnborough Avenue between 1980 and 2001, attended a staff farewell last Friday.
Afterwards he fired off a letter to the Advertiser in which he accused the Government of playing games and jeopardising the prospects of children.
He is angry that a question mark remains over the school's immediate future.
It is expected to become The Quest Academy, run by the trust in charge of Shirley's Coloma Convent Girls' School. But Coloma only agreed to take over after funding had been promised by the previous Labour government to completely rebuild the school.
A decision over whether this money will still be available was expected on Wednesday. However, on the day the Department for Education confirmed it is likely to be a number of weeks before an announcement is made.
Maureen Martin, Coloma's head teacher and executive principal of the new academy, would not be drawn last week on what would happen if the money was withdrawn.
In his letter, Dr Newton highlighted the need for a decision to be made by the new coalition government.
He said: "I attended the staff farewell at Selsdon High School.
"Amongst those who are staying, there seemed to be some confusion about precisely who would be doing what in the new school. As if that were not enough, the state of some parts of the building is abysmal.
"And, here we are, just seven weeks away from the launch of a new academy.
"Just what is going on in preparation for the 600 pupils who will arrive at the new academy in September?
"In those first few days the whole tone of the school will be set for the year. On the basis of what I saw on Friday, that tone will not be easy to set.
"The new head and his team are being set up to fail. Even more importantly, the pupils are being set up to fail."
Education secretary Michael Gove has previously said that further discussions need to be held with Croydon Council over the rebuilding project.
But Dr Newton warned: "If this issue is not dealt with immediately the academic year will begin catastrophically and the outcome is entirely predictable.
"The blame will, of course, be placed at the feet of the teachers.
"And the victims – inevitably – will be the children and, as usual, they will get no say in the willful destruction of their one chance at education."
5 Comments
by misterkipling, Croydon
Friday, August 06 2010, 8:53PM
“People don't realise that Stuart Newton was a trend setter...
He used to take that school minibus all the way to Romania every year and come back with kids stashed in it, now only a few years later and everyone is trying to do the same by clinging onto the bottom of other minibuses and lorries coming back across the channel.
Don't forget who started it first, you boy, where are your shoes?”
by James, Croydon
Wednesday, August 04 2010, 9:58PM
“I think it meant where everyone can count on being on the dole. That includes the teachers, now that it's becoming an academy.”
by misterkipling, Croydon
Wednesday, August 04 2010, 7:39AM
“Is the School Motto Still ...
"Everyone counts, some of them can even spell"
like it was when I went there ?”
by Bob, croydon
Monday, August 02 2010, 7:07PM
“It is the students at Selsdon School that are being "set up to fail" not the new academy. This is an absolute disgrace and both Croydon council and Maureen Martin are to blame.
Croydon Council should have ensured that by the end of May the plans for the academy/ Selsdon were firmly in place and I sure that Maureen Martin could have sorted out any issues about the new build months ago. Maureen why is opening of the academy dependent on having a new building? This mess has nothing to do with the previous or current government. How can it be that students do not even know when they are to return to school, let alone anything else?
Just as Coloma is a comprehensive school but ¿somehow¿ has the brightest Catholic female students in and outside the borough, so ¿somehow¿ the students in the new building will be made up of the high achieving students from within and outside of Selsdon. The average seldom student will again yet gain have to make do elsewhere.
Whether the academy/ Selsdon is a success or not, the children currently at the school would been failed yet again. So if I were their parents, I would consult a lawyer and see Maureen and Croydon Council in court.”
by frequency, croydon
Monday, August 02 2010, 10:36AM
“As an ex-pupil, I do find the demise of the school quite upsetting, what is totally unaccepatable is that the future of 600 children is not given priority.
The school needs a leader that cares, it appears the last time the school had that was when Mr Newton was in charge.
I left 25 years ago, I'm no academic genius, but I enjoyed my time there, had fun and got educated, surely someone can look at the challenges ahead and deliver the service the education system is supposed to. Bring Back Mr Newton.”