An undignified end to a once great boys’ school (From Surrey Comet)

An undignified end to a once great boys’ school

3:41pm Thursday 13th October 2005 in

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From Cllr Kevin Davis

SIR. I was a pupil at Beverley Boys' school in its heyday. It was a time when standards were high; there was a thriving sixth form and a fine music and sports department music was more my thing than sports!

Why was it so good? It came down to good leadership and a superb headmaster in Clifford Fisher. I was recently in contact with Mr Fisher, him having retired to Eastbourne with his wife. Some may also remember him as a distinguished artist.

I therefore view its educational decline with some despair and agree that steps needed to be taken to restore some form of higher pupil numbers and increased standards. I therefore had little problem with the idea of what I though was a "soft" federation of Beverley Boys' school with Coombe Girls' School (which my mother attended). However, a "soft" federation is one where the respective schools retain their defining characters while having a single leadership team.

It is NOT a merger or a takeover.

You can therefore imagine my horror at the idea that Beverley Boys' School should now be renamed Coombe Boys' School.

This is an insult to the very fine work that went on in the past and a slap in the face to the current pupils and teachers who, in dilapidated and constrained buildings, have striven to improve education standards.

Beverley may well have problems but stripping this fine school and its alumni of their dignity will not help it in either the short or the long term.

COUNCILLOR KEVIN DAVIS, Leader of the Conservative Group, Kingston Council