Greenwich Council’s director of education fled a public meeting about plans to close Blackheath Bluecoat school this evening after being barracked with cries of “get out” by students.
The meeting had been called as part of a consultation into proposals to shut down the school on Old Dover Road, Blackheath, which is suffering from dwindling pupil numbers.
But Gillian Palmer and her staff walked out of the meeting after an anti-cuts campaigner took to the microphone to demand they leave so parents could organise their own action against the planned closure.
Headteacher Barnaby Ash tried to reconvene the meeting, but Ms Palmer and her team had left the building, to the dismay of many of the staff and parents.
“This is not going to save this school,” Mr Ash told parents.
Before the meeting suddenly ended, Ms Palmer came under fierce criticism from parents, staff and students, with many hailing recent big improvements in exam results.
She said the school had only attracted 81 out of a possible 180 students this year, and the council’s education budget could not afford to maintain its deficit of £1.5 million.
“We had four targets for this school – to improve teaching, improve standards, to make it more popular, and see an increase in its rolls,” she explained.
While teaching and educational standards had improved markedly, she said, the school was still saddled with a poor reputation which deterred parents from sending their children there.
But many speakers praised the quality of the teaching, and accused Greenwich Council of not backing the school by not encouraging parents to send their children there.
One student said the school was “like a family”.
“I wake up every morning happy to come here – doesn’t that tell you something?”
A teacher said: “I find it very odd that closure is the only option that is being considered, when it guarantees that the deficit will not be repaid.”
National Union of Teachers member Helmut Heib, of Deptford, challenged Ms Palmer to publicly withdraw the closure proposal, before calling on the council officers to leave.
“If you’re not prepared to withdraw this proposal, all those in favour of asking you lot to leave, so we can organise a campaign to stop the closure of this school, raise your hands,” Mr Heib, who is also a member of Lewisham Anti-Cuts Alliance (LACA).
“Get your stuff and get out,” he continued as a sea of hands went up, and Ms Palmer’s team left to cries of “get out”.
Mr Heib then took the microphone to call for volunteers, before headteacher Mr Ash took the microphone back in the hope that the council team would return.
After the meeting, Mr Heib told greenwich.co.uk he was sorry if his actions had upset anyone: “Most of the people have said ‘well done’, some have very acerbically said this is not the way to go.”
But he added: “I sat there for an hour and fifteen minutes, and everyone was in favour of keeping the school open. I could see that at least 20 parents had already left, so I asked if they were prepared to reconsider, and they said, quite categorically, no.
“Then I said, why not leave, so we can organise a proper, cohesive campaign to keep this school open?”
He added: “Those people who are unhappy should have another meeting and I won’t turn up, and we’ll see where we are at the end of that – which, as you can see, is a draft proposal to close Blackheath Bluecoat school.
“It’s a meeting to manage the closure of a school, not to take measures to ensure the roll rises.”
While a Greenwich Council-funded school, 29% of Blackheath Bluecoats students come from outside the borough, with most of those from Lewisham.
LACA has previously been involved with a campaign to stop Deptford’s Tidemill school becoming an academy, and an occupation of New Cross Library.
Blackheath Bluecoat can trace its history back to Greenwich’s Blue Coat School for Girls, which opened in 1700 and was based on Point Hill for much of the 20th century. In 1959, it merged with the Blackheath and Kidbrook School, based on Old Dover Road.
A formal consultation process on closing the school will begin on 8 November with the publication of a notice in council weekly Greenwich Time.
The final decision will be made by Greenwich Council’s cabinet on 12 January. No councillors were present at this evening’s meeting.
National Union of To**potts!
Maybe they should ask their bosses at NU Liebour how they managed to Bankrupt the country and still managed to increase the gap between rich and poor and increase those who leave school who cant read or write!!!!!!
Or, indeed, use punctuation and shift keys jim (sic)!
I genuinely feel sorry for the bulk of kids and staff, but the continued presence of masses of police at the Standard every day at 1500 bears testimony to the fact that Bluecoats has largely failed.
I agree with Chris. Who would want to send their kids to that school when you see how the pupils behave. Very telling and no wonder their rolls have fallen. I don’t suppose the local residents will be opposing the closure either.
Mr Heibs actions were stupid and counter productive. I’d hardly say the council officers ‘fled’ the meeting as they were clearly told to get out. I’d have done the same.
How can the parents advocate keeping a school open when it has attracted less than half of its capacity? Common sense has to prevail, surely?
Just a minor correction Darryl, I was there as Leader of the Opposition and I saw at least two Labour Councillors there (one of whom was the Mayor). I think the problem was that Ms Palmer was not in a position to withdraw the proposal, which was made by the Labour Cabinet and so the question asked of her was impossible. I am not sure why the system has changed because the Chair of the Children’s and Young People’s Committee chaired the consultation meeting about the closure of Abbey Wood school, which at least let residents know that Councillors were present.
Just to say, that speaker from the NUT (not our local rep by the way) in no way represented the views of the vast majority of people at the meeting, who started to leave when he hijacked it. He denied the people there the chance to have their say, by shouting over everyone and telling the Director of Education to leave.
Disgusting.
The school has increased its 5A-C inc. english and Maths from 18% in 2006 to 48% this summer. How is it fair that our pupils are forced to attend schools with less good outcomes for their pupils?
Schools across the borough have this problem – there are fewer children of that age at the moment. However primary schools are full to bursting, so a bit short sighted to be shutting schools , when the council’s figure show all places will be full by 2017.
All schools are only funded for the number of pupils attending, so it won’t save any money, as they will take their funding with them.
Ah – sorry, Spencer, was looking out specially for councillors but couldn’t see any. It did seem odd not to tell residents that people they may have voted for were in the building, though.
People should think about majority over minority, those you believe bluecoats deserves to shut down, in my opinion are viewing their own views externally, and not thinking about the community within bluecoats.
As Eleanor said earlier, bluecoats results have improved within time, and the government is trying to convince students in staying in education, why close down a school that is loved and cherised by many & that isn’t failing?
As a community, is that our first result? If something isn’t doing as well as others to close it down? Isn’t that taking the easiest result. Or instead of even closing it down, why dont we work as a widespreed community to keep the school up and running for as long as possible.
If im truely honest, as a 16 year old, im ashamed to see that people believe that doing the easiest option is correct, sometimes, through difficult moments we shine better in the end. And im telling you now, myself and other students will not let bluecoats down without a fight. We are a family & we will fight as one.
SAVE BLACKHEATH BLUECOATS.
Natalie Ojevah, current Sixth Former at Blackheath Bluecoats
As a student it saddens me to see people badmouth my school when they know so little about it and haven’t even taken the time to speak to any of the students. it just ephasies the fact that we live in an ignorant society wheere the majourity are judged on the minority
chris i beg your pardon but all schools have a bad reputation in their area, its verry common in general school kids are always loud and not exaclty excellently behaved you tell me a school that is after school and i will gladly take my comment back
However our school does need the support of the public because to me and many other kids its not just a school but it as beome a safe haven and to hear people speak so negatively about a school that is bound to do great things in the forseeable future saddens me deeply
I just wish we were given a chance and not judged by the stereotypical standards of youth in this modern society
As a local neighbour of the school it is of course disheartening that decent kids will end up shooed into schools not of their choosing. However, for 10 years we have run the gauntlet of loud and often intimidating behaviour from the kids at bluecoats. And no, this behaviour is not on a par with other local schools. It’s felt less intimidating over the last year but then there are far less kids.
Of even greater concern is the attire of the NUT rep. Honestly, if you’re really looking for public backing get some decent clobber first. And a shave and haircut wouldn’t go amis.
Greenwich Council will love it if a grass-roots campaign by pupils, parents and teachers is hi-jacked by the far Left.
Yours is the same argument I’ve heard since I was at school in Plumstead in the 70’s and 80’s. Back then, Eglinton Junior School had an extension built in Paget Rise, SE18. The wails and woe that were heard when it was rumoured the extension would be one class too small for the forecast number of pupils in the coming years. To my knowledge, no one suffered and the sky didn’t cave in. I’m hearing a rather similar cracked record here.
If a school is under performing and people don’t want to go there what is the point of keeping it open?
Tina
If your comment wasn’t so heartfelt I’d think you were taking the micky. Honestly, have you re read it?
Paragraph two, where you challenge Chris on his comments about poor after school behaviour by students and you say, “its verry common in general school kids are always loud and not exaclty excellently behaved you tell me a school that is after school and i will gladly take my comment back” (sic). You then say “I just wish we were given a chance and not judged by stereotypical standards of youth in this modern society” when you clearly stated that, basically, you are all the same (paragraph two). You can’t have it both ways.
Also, Eleanor says “The school has increased its 5A-C inc. english and Maths from 18% in 2006 to 48% this summer”. Is that sufficient? Less than half the students achieve a basic qualification and Tina’s post, above, doesn’t exactly instil confidence in the schools abilities.
Harsh but fair.
“schools abilities” (sic).
How many schools are you talking about?
Or did you mean “school’s”?
Tina – well done for defending your school, but I think you’re on the wrong track.
You will know better than anyone that your school contains quite a few ‘bad apples’. They, probably unfairly, have come to represent the image of the school amongst the general public.
But look at jt’s comments. I have no reason to doubt that he/she is a local resident who has been affected by the behaviour of some kids over the years. I really think that you do not have the support of locals here, and that speaks volumes and will probably prove crucial.
Anyway, I wish you well in your campaign to keep your school open. Whatever happens — even if you fail — you will learn from it.
Cheers,
Chris.
I have lived in the Blackheath Standard for 10 years, the kids from Blackheath Bluecoats are in general rude aggressive and not representative of the majority of school students in Greenwich Borough. i have seen them instigate violence against other school students and generally disgrace their uniform. There may be a minority of good students in the school but they are being submerged by the general highly visible badly behaved students. I dont see any other borough schools with such a huge police presence at all the bus stops around the green. If the majority of students are from Lewisham Borough then why isnt Lewisham providing educational facilities for this demand. I am sorry that a school with such history has to close, but this has been brought on by the students past and present, why would parents send their children to such a violent aggressive environment. The entire friendly community aspect and nature changes in the Blackheath Standard to an atmosphere of intimidation and aggression as soon as the Bluecoat Students appear on the streets. I would save a school if it had validity, Bluecoats is not supported by the local community or wanted by it as it stands.
It’s also funny how they Nick Clegg said: “Free schools will not be for profit.” – But the only way the local council judges our school is by market appeal and ultimately the current deficit of the school. It’s like if they don’t care and fail to realize the outstanding results, achieved by the hard working pupils and staff of the school because there too unfortunately blinded by money involved in it all.
Money is the root to all evil.
The school has a significant number of special educational need pupils. I think it has done a good job with majority of the students especially the increase in results to 49% including maths and English. It will only get better. Pupils, parents and staff seem to testify about the good work happening in the school. I do think the leadership team of the school need to increase their presence at the standard to deter the pupils misbehaviour. Closing a school which clearly is improving is not the best way. It’s a bit like a failing company or lets say a council which is trying to get it’s act together. It brings all the specialist to improve the situation. As things begin to improve, to attract the right investment then it announces its closure.
I have looked at statistics from other schools, only a few make the rate of progress this school has made.
I was told by a friend that no blackheath bluecoat student was involved in the recent riots. I am sure majority of the youths who were involved in the recent riots surely attend ” failing schools ” . Clearly the government need to look at ways of helping our youths. Closing a school like this is not the best solution. If the school is in deficit, bail it out like the banks and put structures in place to avoid future problems.
Four years ago I left the area after living in Furzefield Road for 23 years, the last 10 or so being increasingly affected by the out of school behaviour of many of the Bluecoat pupils, including screaming stampedes and fights involving up to 50 kids down my street. Residents were verbally abused, front doors were kicked, gardens and cars vandalised and pets had stones thrown at them. Everyone dreaded 3pm. Various measures were put in place, including senior management and police patrols which were moderately effective short-term, but soon it was back to square one. It is a shame that a historic school should close, but the local situation had become untenable. Because of the schools reputation for poor behaviour hardly any local children were sent to the school so pupils from Bluecoat appeared to have little respect or loyalty to the area.
My daughter goes to a nearby school and has to get up extra early to avoid the constant taunts, harrassment and gang like behaviour of pupils who attend Blackheath Bluecoats -i cant drive her to school everyday and on the days she goes to school by herself I worry and ask her to text me to let me know she’s safely at school. The head or deputy should be out patrolling every day ( when the police arent there that is) to protect the public. I’ve seen them beating each other up, turning over bins and abusing passers by. I pity any decent family who sends their child to Blackheath Blue and also feel sorry for the teachers who have to tackle these unruly, feral and bullying school kids on a daily basis. One bad apple etc….get a grip and sort this out or the school will close with with a sigh of relief from near neighbours and anyone who has to be near the place.
as a student of bbcs, I can assure each nd every1 of u that bbcs is not at all a dangerous place, it is a friendly and a kind environment for all the pupils and staff.. and I dont care if no one else wants to come to our school because it is just there misunderstanding about our school that it is bad and has a bad reputation.. reputation is not everything.. is it?? u have to come and see the pupils in school for a single day… and you will see dat u will hav 2 change your mind if u think bbcs is bad!!