Seeking a ballot battle

Petition could threaten grammar schools' future

VOLUNTEERS are being sought in Dover, Deal and Sandwich to help force a ballot which could abolish, the Dover district's three grammar schools.

Those who want to do away with selection of boys and girls, at the age of 11, for grammar school education believe they have made a big leap forward with the revelation about how many backers they need to trigger a full scale ballot.

One of those leading the fight in the Dover district for the downfall of grammar school education is Reg Hansell of Shepherdswell, a Labour member of Kent County Council. He was the Labour leader of Dover District Council until he lost his seat in the last election.

Mr Hansell says that in Kent the threshold figure to trigger a ballot on the issue among parents is 45,959.

"Therefore the figure for Dover is 2,191, for Deal 717 and for Sandwich 814," he says.

If he and others can persuade that number of parents to sign a petition, they can then demand, a full-blown ballot on the issue, Mr Hansell says: "Volunteers, are needed to obtain these quite modest figures. Anybody wishing to help end this misery and total waste of resources, both human and financial, please contact me."

He gives his address as Upton House, Mill Lane, Shepherdswell (phone 01304 830431; fax01304 830518).

The three targeted schools in the district are Dover Grammar School for Boys, Dover Grammar School for Girls and Sir Roger Manwood's at Sandwich.

Dover and Deal Conservatives, and others, are pledged to retain grammar schools. To change the present system would create chaos, they claim.

They are backing the Best Education Standards Taskforce that wants to keep the present education system, including grammar schools and "quality secondary modern, high, and upper schools" that exist throughout the country.

One of those leading the taskforce locally is Conservative parliamentary candidate Paul Watkins of Deal.

He says: "In this area we have a brilliant mix of grammar schools and excellent high schools."

Those arguing for the retention of grammar schools warn there will be a massive disruption of education at all secondary schools if a change is forced through.

It is also claimed that the cost of re-organisation in the Dover district alone will be £30 million (£16.5, in Kent) yet there will be no extra income from the government to meet these costs.

These figures, produced by the Conservatives, are disputed by those who want to end the present system.

Conservatives claim that conversion to comprehensive school education would result in nine secondary schools in the district of which five would have to have at least 900 pupils.

They also claim that re-organisation would take at least five to ten years to take effect.

In addition, they argue that much less money would be available to fund primary school education.