Head hits out as schools prepare to consult: again

    GRAMMAR school head teacher Nell Slater this week claimed county council proposals to get his boys to move to closed-down Castlemount were really aimed at solving accommodation problems at expanding Astor High.
    "I am extremely distressed at the way the case for moving to Castlemount has been constantly slanted by the county council to attempt to demonstrate that the position and prospects of my school are in a poor state.
    "That is something which is now far from the truth," said Mr Slater in a letter to education chiefs.
    He made his damning criticism as county education chiefs began preparing for a new round of public meetings to discuss the future of Dover's two grammar schools, following the Government's refusal to pay for a new merged school at Whitfield.
    Tentative arrangements have been made for a public meeting at Dover Grammar School for Boys on Monday, February 22 and at Dover Grammar School for Girls the following evening.
    Area education director Neil Mullett is preparing a consultation document laying out the various options for Dover's two grammar schools.
    These include merging the two grammar schools and moving to Castlemount, the boys moving to Castlemount, a merger and moving out to the closed Nonington College - or staying put.
    If the boys move out of their school building on the hill at Astor Avenue the classrooms will be taken over by the boys and girls from Astor High who now work in cramped accommodation. There are more than 1,300 children there.
    Kent County Council is offering in the region of £5.5 million to upgrade accommodation at Castlemount for a merged grammar school to take in the region of 1,100 boys and girls.
    Mr Slater, who argues official county council reports on his school so far have been "outrageously biased" and inaccurate, claims they are in no more financial difficulty than any other school.
    Schools income depends on the number of students on the rolls. There are about 500 boys at his school. Mr Slater accepts there could be a temporary dip in income in 1995-96 but says that's not definite.
    He accepts there was a £20,000 overspend this year but says this was planned and mostly spent in re-establishing a library at the school.
    Both sets of governors of the separate grammar schools have met in the last few days. Mr Slater says he has offered nearly £13,000 to the girls' school, where there are nearly 600 students, to finance the continuation of joint sixth form working between the two schools.
    At present more sixth form boys go to the girls' school than sixth form girls go to the boys' school.