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25Mar09

Letter to the Editor

GROWN UP DEBATE ON SCHOOL

On hearing about the special measures status of Stretford Grammar, I was very disappointed to read that Stretford and Urmston's Labour MP, rather than engaging in a grown up debate, attempted to turn a children's education issue into a party political spat.

We should all want to support the school in sorting itself out, not enjoy its difficulties. Clearly there are issues but they should be considered in the context of the good performance in some of the areas it is succeeding in. It’s all to easy to jump on a band wagon of beating up on failure whilst ignoring those who are working very hard to do the best for the pupils and the school organisation.

I deeply regret the stupid comments made by the Labour MP for Stretford and Urmston when told of the move into special measures. Anyone can say “it’s a shocking failure” and blame people but you don’t hear anything about solutions or see any moves to work with the school and be part of the solution. And trying to implicate the "Tory run Council" is a desperate move and I'm sure transparent to everyone.

Talk is cheep and I feel if you don’t have anything helpful to say, then it's better to say nothing. At least the pupils and the dedicated good teachers still at the school would be better off without cheap, throw away, Punch and Judy comments.

There are currently over 800 comprehensive schools in the country that fail their pupils in mastering English and Maths. Any school can have problems. Petty grievances against grammar schools, purely because they are grammar schools, reeks of ‘old school politics’ and that’s not what those actually working in schools are about, nor indeed is it what the people or pupils deserve.

I’m happy that the head master has resigned after being on long-term sick leave as such a situation does cripple organisations. And I am happy with the choice of interim head. What we must do now is pull together to reward success where we find it – and there is plenty of it in Stretford Grammar – and work with those left in the school who are dedicated and serious about turning the school around.

Mark Versallion
Conservative Parliamentary Candidate