IT IS regrettable that the Pembrokeshire College has been so negative in their responses to the reorganisation of secondary education in Haverfordwest.
It would have been better to work in consort with the governing bodies of the schools and to offer those Alevel courses which schools are not in a position to provide and thereby encourage a form of cooperation in the best interests of all pupils which can be accommodated across the two timetables.
It is pleasing to note that by a majority – I suppose a total agreement was too much to expect – there will be one 11- 19 secondary school in Haverfordwest based on two sites beginning in September 2018.
This will involve the establishment of a new governing body, the appointment of a headteacher, deputy heads, assistant heads, heads of department, teachers for those departments and the ancillary / administration staff.
Decisions on how to organise the school are crucial and unless thoroughly debated might not work.
Clearly the two sites should be used to meet the format of an upper and a lower school with movement of staff between sites restricted only to some senior staff and even then only on a limited basis.
A lower school for years 7 and 8 can act as a bridge between the primary and secondary schools and would be beneficial to the youngest pupils.
The policy document “Review of Secondary Education Provision in Haverfordwest”
indicates that the governors and headteacher will be appointed six months before August 2018.
I would suggest that is far too late and insufficient time to cover all the issues arising from this reorganisation, insufficient time to recruit the right staff and insufficient time to accord staff who are not recruited to find alternative employment.
The issues are complex and multifarious and must be planned thoroughly to avoid criticism, chaos and procrastination.
I would suggest that the process should be started in the summer term 2017 with Governors and senior staff appointed before September 2017.
Eighteenth-century poet Edward Young wrote “Procrastination is the thief of time”.
There is also an old proverb – “Success has many fathers but failure is an orphan”.
JOHN COLE
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