Top governor resigns over Grammar plan

    AFTER a row about the future of the school the chairman of Dover boys' grammar has resigned.
    Most of the other governors want to stay put in the present school buildings at Astor Avenue but 56-year-old farmer John Barnes, a Tory county councillor, is in favour of a possible move to Castlemount.

The resigning governor farmer John Barnes who wanted to study plans for a co-ed grammar school at the Castlemount site.

    "I feared if I did not resign the chairmanship they would boot me out. I thought they might be considering a vote of no confidence," explained Mr Barnes this week. He is staying on as a governor.
    I disagree with some of the other governors about the proposal to move to Castlemount. I am in favour, at least, of investigating the offer of £5 million or more from the county education authority to provide suitable accommodation for us at Castlemount.
    "But the majority of my fellow governors appear to be against me," he added.
    This is the latest move in the Kent Education Committee's plan to merge the two grammars into a co-ed one at Castlemount.
    That would allow the boys' school buildings to be taken over by Astor High.
    Last week, in the Dover Express, the boys' school's headmaster Neil Slater spoke out strongly against any move to Castlemount.
    Mr Barnes, a co-opted member of the school governors, has been chairman for just over three years.
    Taking over as chairman is Suzanne Dawson of Temple Ewell who has been the vice-chairman and is a local authority appointed governor for about two years.
    Mr Barnes' views on a switch to Castlemount, empty and on the other side of the town, conflict with the opinion of the headmaster and members of his staff.
    Some of his fellow governors were surprised at the stance he took when he spoke at a meeting of the education committee on the issue last month.
    Mr Slater revealed this week that his staff had considered the Castlemount proposal when no votes were cast in favour, although there was one abstention.

Roger Manwood's wins £400,000 'opt-out' grant

    SIR ROGER Manwood's school in Sandwich, the only grant maintained secondary school in the Dover district, is to get £400,000 from the Department of Education. The money has been allocated to the school to improve science facilities for the boys and girls educated there.
    Chairman of the governors, Captain Norman Knowles of Alkham, said: "When we came under the direct control of Kent Education Committee they told us there was no chance of any improvement in our science facilities for ten years.

'Crying shame'

    "I am convinced we took the right course in going grant maintained." said Mr Knowles.
    But labour county councillor Paul Verrill, who represents Dover Central, thought it a "crying shame" Sir Roger Manwoods could get £400,000 from the Department for Education when it got nothing from the county council.
    He said: "I disagree with the opting out procedure. It means the KEC will be left with schools that are not so strong. Schools are not being offered a level playing field when it comes to offering education for our young people.
    "If you go grant maintained you get the money while the others go to the wall. It's all political. Neither the Government nor the Kent Education Committee seem to care two hoots."

    The possibility of opting out to gain grant maintained status, will be considered by Dover's two separate grammar schools in the coming months. It is likely the issue will be raised this month when the two schools hold public meetings on their future.