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We Are Having Our Say! - Schools Organisation Review
C.L.A.R.E, the parent group campaigning to keep education in Clare, have this week submitted their official response to the Suffolk County Council School Organisation Review (SOR) panel.
Since the Cabinet's decision in March 2007 to abolish middle schools in Suffolk, C.L.A.R.E has been campaigning to turn the current middle school site into a Rural Community College for children aged 11-16.
The consultation period which ended on the 18th January 2008 gave people the opportunity to vote for their preferred option. Options 1 and 2 are for two secondary schools in Haverhill whilst Option 3 includes a third rural school in Clare. A number of consultation meetings run by the County Council throughout the Haverhill school cluster demonstrated the strong level of support for Option 3.
Members of the Clare Town Council, Clare Society and the Clare Business Association have all shown their full support of Option 3 as has local MP Tim Yeo who said “I believe this would best serve the interest of the town and the surrounding villages and is clearly preferably to bussing eleven-year-old girls and boys to schools in Haverhill. I am delighted the County Council has accepted that a new secondary school in Clare is a real possibility”.
Jim Meikle, Chair of CLARE said ‘C.L.A.R.E has submitted a formidable education and community argument in support of Option 3. Options 1 and 2 do not represent the viable argument portrayed by the Local Education Authority. C.L.A.R.E will continue to lobby politicians until the 4th March decision to ensure that they understand the full import of the rural argument’
Further information can be obtained from the C.L.A.R.E blog at Our-Community-Our-School
Date : 22-01-2008
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