The gist of the matter concerned the number of Year 6 pupils (including my Son) who were transferring to Brockington College rather than to Winstanley School at the end of this academic year. Winstanley has, until now, been the school that the majority of pupils go to when they leave Millfield. Of the 50 pupils leaving, at the end of this year, 30 are going to Brockington. A debate ensured as to (1) the reasons for this change and (2) what the likely knock on effects would be if the trend continues, as it probably will.
You see, Brockington, which was always a good school, has recently been demolished, and like a phoenix from the ashes, a brand spanking new purpose built Church of England School with Specialist Technology Status has arisen in its place.
It’s awesome, as our American friends might say, and poor old Winstanley just can’t compete. Winstanley is a lovely school, my kids go there to do Judo and Han still has her swimming lessons there on a Saturday. Unfortunately it‘s quite an old school and it’s reputation is for it’s sporting achievements rather than it’s academic ones. Brockington, on the other hand, looks a little like the Google campus and is so ITC orientated that I want to be 11 again.
The worry was, of course, that Brockington would draw off the cream and as a result Winstanley would begin a gradual decline. The argument has merit; it’s the obvious corollary to allowing parental choice, parents no longer stay and fight to improve the school that their child had to attend, rather they vote with their feet. Unfortunately, for Winstanley, my first and foremost duty is toward my children and I believe that their long term interests will be better served by attending Brockington and subsequently moving on to Lutterworth College: it would appear that 60% of this years Year 6 parents have reached the same conclusion.
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