Newspaper article for C.L.A.R.E

An article on C.L.A.R.E and our campaign has been printed in the Haverhill Echo Newspaper.

Steve Barton of the Echo who expressed an interest in the group interviewed Jim Mieke, the Chair of C.L.A.R.E earlier this week.

To read the full story, clink on the link below.
http://www.haverhillecho.co.uk/news?articleid=3041259

Calling all villages!

Hundon, Cavendish, Glemsford, Kedington, Wickhambrook, Hartest and Thurlow.
Are you concerned about the future education of your children?

You have the chance to be heard. Lets us know your views and thoughts by emailing us at c.l.a.r.e@btinternet.com

We need you. Join us in our campaign to protect rural education and spread the word!

C.L.A.R.E

July Newsletter

Welcome to the July Newsletter from C.L.A.R.E, the parent group actively involved in ensuring the best education for the children of Clare.

Why we are here - Our mission is to retain within Clare and rural areas, primary and secondary schools that will realise the full educational and social potential of our children and young people.

Following our successful presentation to Rosalind Turner and Cllrs Patricia O Brian and Jane Midwood earlier this year, C.L.A.R.E is being recognised by the county council and other similar organisations as a credible group representing the parents of Clare.

As we all know the school review panel has recommended that the Suffolk education system be changed from a three tier system to a two tier but how this will affect our existing schools with respect to closure, re-location or rebuilding has yet to be decided.

Many of you are aware of the stakeholder forum, which is a steering group set up by the School Review Panel following the recommendation. The group has 36 members including school heads, trade unions, parents, county councillors and governors all brought together to discuss Suffolk education and the various options. We are pleased to have three representatives from Clare on the Forum. These are Jim Meikle for C.L.A.R.E, Georgina Lovejoy representing Clare Pre-school and Diana Sharp as a Clare parent. By being part of this steering group we have an influence on the decisions being made.

After the final stakeholder meeting in September, it is our intention to hold a public meeting to acquaint you with the options being proposed, there implications and IF there are any we could recommend supporting. The exact date for this will be confirmed.

Until then, you can keep up to date with our progress by visiting the C.L.A.R.E web log (blog). This is basically a public diary which will be regularly updated with news and information as we get it. To view the blog, log on to www.clareandlocalareaforruraleducation.blogspot.com and add it to your favourites.

As we said before, you have the opportunity now to contribute your views and aims, this is real parent power. You can contact us through the blog or by emailing us directly at c.l.a.r.e@btinternet.com. You can also talk to any of the C.L.A.R.E members who would be pleased to speak to you. We need to hear your comments, please take the time to share them with us.

Thank you for your support.

C.L.A.R.E

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the C.L.A.R.E blog.

Here you will find news updates and information on our campaign to maintain rural education. We want to be able to keep you up to date with our progress so it is our intention to regularly update this site with new developments as they come in.

If you would like to share your comments and concerns or have anything to add then please email us at c.l.a.r.e@btinternet.com. We want to hear from you.

Thank you for your support.

C.L.A.R.E

James' Story

This is how James will go to school

It is 2007. James is 6 and halfway through Year 2 at his local Primary school. He stays there for all of this year, the next and the one following.
Instead of going to Middle school in September 2009, his Head teacher tells him that he will be staying in his Primary School.
In the summer of 2009, James’ Primary School has two large porta cabins delivered and put onto its playground. When James returns in September, he is told that half of the playgroup is out of use, but he has a new classroom! James spends the year being taught in the porta cabins, dashing in and out of the school when necessary among the inclement periods of weather.
James returns in September 2010 to find two more porta cabins taking up the rest of the playground and hence there is little space for football at break or PE clubs after school when it is to wet to use the field.
He has a new teacher who has come from one of the Middle schools which has closed. He has never had a male teacher before. James is 10 years old. He sits his Sats tests in the summer, but has found it hard to concentrate on study because the porta cabins get hot and stuffy and it’s a long walk to get to the toilets inside. Halfway through the year, his teacher leaves and moves out of the school for another post. James has a temporary teacher for half a term until a replacement is found.
In September 2011 James leaves his expanded Primary school for ‘the new school’ in South Lowestoft.
This has 1200 children – all starting at the same time. James is mixing with students up to the age of 18 now that he goes to school on the bus.
His classroom is near to the area of the school where they haven’t finished all the building work yet. As some of the practical teaching rooms are not fully completed, James has quite a few lessons in his form room.
James loved his football. He was in the team at primary school and would have been in middle school where there were only 60 boys in the year group. However, there are 250 pupils, 125 boys in his current year group and only one team for them. James loses interest in football quickly.
By 2014 when James is 14 years old, the work at school is finally completed. James makes his selection for GCSE examinations. However the correlation between his Key stage 2 SATs scores and GCSE predictions, have meant that because his KS2 SATs were not as good as they might have been without all the disruptions caused by the reorganisation, he doesn’t get all his choices at GCSE and is disappointed.
However he has been told by the County Council that the reorganisation of schools will improve standards and pupils’ achievement – but maybe not for him and his friends?