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Grappenhall Hall School faces a partial closure


Geoff Settle

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What's going in in Warrington first Woolston and now Grapenhall Hall School.

 

I had the pleasure many years ago to visit the school and present 10 of the pupils with prizes and trophies. They had taken part in one of the four Chris Vose Running Races I organised for Warrington Arhletic Club.

 

I received a call from a teacher at the school who asked if they could compete in the McDonalds 3km fun run. I said no problem and I didn't give it a thought. We then had a chat about the fact that it would be their first run and that they had special needs.

 

I just told her that if she thought they'd be ok then I'd back her judgement. My only request to make sure that they did some training before hand and I gave her some advice.

 

They had a wonderful day and won the team prize. :)

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WOW what is going on ?

I started my first job there and worked for 4 years at Grappyhall as we use to call it.

I worked as a house mother with 12 boys in a house setting.

THe school then and I am sure now is doing a great job with the children.

What is the story behind the closure?

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Not sure yet but not a way to treat kids especially those with special needs. The Guardian says 'WBC is reviewing the special educational needs set-up and wants to alter the school to just cater for 11 - 16 year olds - other pupils would br filtered into mainstream education'....

 

'For more about the school read next week's WG'

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Looks like another school has a fight on it's hands :roll: (ie WBC) and Social services so I presume the LEA own it and if referalls are not made then numbers fall and hey presto.

 

The children that are catered for at this very good school are currently in the age group of 5 - 19 year olds and with special needs such as :

 

Autistic Spectrum of Difficulties

Hearing Impairment

Visual Impairment

Social Emotional and Behavioural Difficulties

Dyslexia or Specific Learning Difficulties

Language and Communication Disorders

Moderate Learning Difficulties

Severe Learning Difficulties

Epilepsy

Aspergers Syndrome

 

How on earth can they want to reduce the numbers at the school and also change it to 11 - 16 year olds?

 

Surely kiddies, and indeed their parents, having to cope with such difficulties are benefitting more by being in such an specialised environment from an earlier age with teachers/carers that can cater for, understand and help with their individual needs. They can then move onto mainstream school if appropriate rather than to be force 'filtered' into mainstream school at an early age and perhaps too soon which may cause them to have even more difficulties and things to cope with.

 

I note that the chair of the school of govs is a Mr Peter Walker.... could this be the same Lib Dem Mr Walker who sits on WBC Council :o

 

Every child matters remember and in my opinion these children matter even more !!!!

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Same one who is Vice Chairman of the Cheshire Police Authority - ?10,000 per annum plus expenses.....in addition to the basic allowance for being a WBC Councillor ?7,350 and the additional allowance for being an Executive Member ?8,198....plus expenses. Nice earner.....who said pensioners are poor......forgot his Mrs gets the ?7,350 as well. Raises some interesting questions.....or it should do. :wink:

 

 

PS Rather agree with you Dismayed, however as is always the case, I understand that money....but how much is of course the question :wink: , taken from Grappenhall Hall School will be "given" to mainstream education. Personally I can see a lot of benefit from these special schools, although I do think we need to look carefully at what constitutes special needs, as over the last few years lots of new syndromes etc seem to have been invented by so called health professionals. :wink:

 

[ 11.11.2007, 09:39: Message edited by: Paul Kennedy ]

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Green Lane School in Woolston is another one under the same threat. What is going on in this Town? Have the council made so many financial mistakes that they need to sell off three schools to developers? When the new houses are built on the school sites, where are the kids who'll move in be educated? I'll no doubt see lots of them sat in cars creeping along in the already over congested roads to distant schools. Give yourselves a pat on the back the coucillors who devised this master plan, you should get an award for this.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Well another nail in the Educational facilities of Warrington and what a dismal reputation it is getting near and far.

 

I take my hat off to Fiona and Peter for their opposition to the proposals to de-regulate the school. School, staff and pupils like this are one in a million.

 

Reading Gary's article on the Front page illustrates how callous the current regime are.

 

I wrote in the Warrington Guardian the other week not to let the pupils down well they let them fall from a great height and buried them in a concrete grave. :o

 

What's next in line Green Lane?

 

[ 05.12.2007, 20:50: Message edited by: Geoff Settle ]

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Another nail in yet another coffin curtosy of WBC and it's education department !!!!

 

Seems that Cllr Shiela Woodyatt and other cronies have obviously now stopped using their well known saying of 'Every Child Matters' to back their own cause (which was utter codswallop anyway)

 

I quote Cllr Woodyatts (Conservative) remarks from the front page news

?It is absolutely ridiculous to be spending so much money on so few pupils......?

 

Money Money Money all the time and sod the kids eh ?????!!!!!

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Great article in the Warrington Guardian today about their Woodland Retreat - If only Robin Hood would come to their recscue!

 

NOTE Sheila - This is the FIRST of its kind to be established in Cheshire and organisers hope to roll the scheme out among the local primary schools.

 

I think you may find that the REAL educationalist will be very interested in what Grappenhall Hall School are doing and doing very well without your support.

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Originally posted by Geoff Settle:

and Peter for their opposition to the proposals to de-regulate the school.

Isn't he Chairman of the Govenors, so I guess had he not have done, he would...and still might be ex Chairman of the Govenors.

 

On a general point, I guess if central government provided more money for such schools etc then such reorganisations would not need to happen......problem is, they are a bit strapped for cash as well....even more so since the state is now propping up Northern Rock Bank....what is it ?30 billion and counting. :(

 

Anybody out there volunteering to pay more taxes. :wink:

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It's all about balancing the accounts at the end of the day and setting your priorities be that local or national.

 

Its clear where priorities lie locally and I didn't think that monies to Northern Rock had been used they were just there as a contingency so don't cloud the issue.

 

The issue is recognising and improving educational facilities within our Town not dismantling them.

 

If Fiona can support Grappenhall Paul why can?t you?

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Originally posted by Geoff Settle:

 

Its clear where priorities lie locally and I didn't think that monies to Northern Rock had been used they were just there as a contingency so don't cloud the issue.

 

Got news for you Geoff. NR have drawn on the monies, by virtue of the fact that loans they had and that were due for repayment or continuation, have not been continued by the original lenders,they have demanded repayment meaning that to cover their funding shortfall they have had to draw on the BoE money....billions of it. Coupled to which savers are withdrawing at the rate of ?200 million a week.

 

The BoE money increases government borrowing.

 

Interestingly

 

[ 06.12.2007, 17:05: Message edited by: Paul Kennedy ]

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Originally posted by Geoff Settle:

It's all about balancing the accounts at the end of the day and setting your priorities be that local or national.

 

Its clear where priorities lie locally and I didn't think that monies to Northern Rock had been used they were just there as a contingency so don't cloud the issue.

 

The issue is recognising and improving educational facilities within our Town not dismantling them.

 

If Fiona can support Grappenhall Paul why can?t you?

So persuade the 2 Helens to get onto their boss and ask him for more funds.

 

Actually if the cost of providing the four residential places is as quoted then I am rather shocked at such a cost, and I would certainly want to be examining those costs most carefully.

 

Funny old thing about voting, sometimes if it is known how the vote will go, dissenting from the majority can have its appeal. :wink:

 

[ 06.12.2007, 17:14: Message edited by: Paul Kennedy ]

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