THE SCHOOL IN 1999

Introduction by the Chairman of the Governors

The school year 1998/99 had its ups and downs. The year started well, with an adequate, if not generous, budget and good morale in the School. The PTFA was, and still is, making a massive contribution to the School in terms of effort, the generation of community spirit and cash. The after-school French Club continued into its second year with enthusiastic support from a loyal band of francophiles. In short, the atmosphere of the School was good and I believe that ripples, such as the possibility of losing access to St Osmund’s School, only served to bring our school community of staff, parents and governors together.

Regrettably however, that strong bond was put under pressure during the early part of 1999 due to the less than adequate information about the 1999/2000 budget. The governors were trying to plan on the basis of their best calculations without full information from County, and the need for discretion around some of the decisions envisaged meant that the parents felt inadequately informed about the position. Other complications and new information also confounded the process and made previously difficult decisions unnecessary, bringing regrettable distress to those directly affected by the decisions. In short, the staff and governors found it impossible to convey enough information in order to maintain the full confidence of the parents, mainly due to the constraints of the legal process.

While I remain pleased that the budget now settled for 1999/2000 is adequate to maintain a full teaching complement for the School, I am sorry that Mrs. Young was a casualty of the process. She made a full contribution to the School during her short time with us.

The Governors are now making every effort to try to improve the awareness of the communities in Broadmayne and Crossways, and of prospective housebuyers, of the School in an effort to raise pupil numbers over the coming months and years. It is only in this way that we can secure the future for our School in its current form. With the strong parental and community support that I have behind me and the staff and governing body, I am sure that we will succeed.

Jim Watters, Chairman of Governors