A 'trail of antagonism' is feared if school proceeds to admit boys (From Warrington Guardian)

A 'trail of antagonism' is feared if school proceeds to admit boys

SANDBACH Boys School would be forced into direct competition with its near neighbour if the town's High School presses ahead with proposals to admit boys to its Sixth Form.

Staff and governors have warned that they would have no choice but to start enrolling girls into their sixth form if their High School neighbours pursued plans for a mixed sixth form of their own.

The boys school management fears that the resulting competition would have a damaging effect on the town by creating a 'horrible trail of antagonism'.

Headteacher Peter Wiles said: "If the High School took boys into its sixth form then we will have to take girls into ours - we couldn't afford not to.

"We would therefore be in competition with each other and there would be marketing and other issues like that.

"We aren't afraid of competition but we don't feel this is right, and that view is shared by a wide range of people.

"If 10 boys moved over to the girls school we would have to make a member of staff redundant."

Mr Wiles issued the warning at a press conference to discuss the results of an anonymous survey of parents commissioned by the school.

Every parent at the boys school was given the opportunity to have their say on the future of education in Sandbach, and 43 per cent responded with 4,000 individual answers to questions.

The survey revealed more than 80 per cent of parents were in favour of 'common sense collaboration' between the schools.

Four-fifths of respondents also opposed the High School's plan to admit boys to its sixth form.

The survey was made particularly pertinent by the fact that more than a quarter of respondents also have a girl attending the High School.

Mr Wiles continued: "We have long felt we should be working together in partnership and we're not alone in believing this is the right way forward.

"The Admissions Forum have twice rejected the High School's application in favour of partnership and the borough council also feels this way.

"It would be much better for both of us if we could work together."

Mr Wiles and the governors now hope both schools can enter into collaboration.

The collaboration would allow both boys and girls access to a broader range and combination of subjects, as well as facilitating increased extra-curricular opportunities and improved teaching staff links.

Chair of governors Chris Mawson said: "Entering into direct competition would be wrong for the community and it would lead to a horrible trail of antagonism."