More school merger talks

    THE NEXT round in renewed consultations over the future of the two Dover grammar schools start this month.
    There are to be public meetings at the Boys' Grammar School on Tuesday and at the Girls' Grammar School next Friday. Both meetings start at 7pm.
    It is planned that views expressed will be discussed by the county council's education committee at Maidstone on June 17.
    The fresh series of talks is necessary because the first round, then involving four, Dover secondary schools, earlier this year threw out proposals for the boys school to move into Castlemount school grounds.

Influence

    Main proposal now is for the girls school, with about 550 students, to move to new classrooms to be built in the grounds of the boys' school at Astor Avenue where 500 boys are educated. Cost of this move is put at about £6 million, less the proceeds of the sale of the girls buildings in Frith Road.
    Both sets of school governors have voted on amalgamation of the schools to make one mixed-sex school of over 1,000 students. The possibility of single-sex teaching for younger children is being considered.
    But since then parents, and some governors, have been given fuller details of opting for grant-maintained status and this could influence future moves.
    If the KEC decides to push ahead with amalgamation the move will have to be ratified by the State, posslbly by mid 1992, when a new governing body would have to be established, for the new unified school.
    Views on the issue are being invited by Mr Mullett at 3 Shomcliffc Road. Folkestone."