Bablake and King Henry in Coventry - merger

[MWestie]

Does anyone have children at these schools who are going to be affected by this?

Merger has just been announced as an absolute fait accompli, with no prior indication or parental consultation whatsoever.

I'm astounded that this is being allowed to happen.

Allowed?

Would you prefer they both close?

No, I would prefer there to have been frank and open consultations with all relevant parties involved including parents instead of such an out of the blue, done-deal announcement.

I don’t have children at either, although we are local and in the independent sector, but we have many friends who do. The handling of it is terrible, but we have always found the attitude of those schools to be arrogant and disdainful which is why we didn’t choose either school. I’m genuinely sorry for all of the families impacted by this though, so much upheaval and worry.

I personally haven't experienced any arrogance or disdain amongst my child's fellow pupils or school staff, and am incredibly disappointed that this is being forced on school families without their consent.

I completely understand that ultimately there will be financial considerations driving this, but can't believe that this is the most effective way of carrying it out.

To be fair, I don't know the schools, so feel free to ignore my uniformed opinion - but my guess would be that they are in serious financial trouble, and thought revealing this in any consultation with parents would encourage some to remove their DC, thus creating a vicious circle.

I may of course be completely wrong.

It wasn’t attitude of the teaching staff or the parents, more the governors and the management.

I don’t envy anyone with multiple children the logistics of different school runs around the city. Whether it’s essential or not, it’s certainly not been handled well.

I think you're absolutely right Ellmau, which is why they will have presented it this way.

But ultimately the governing bodies have been proved even more disingenuous in doing so, by allowing new parents to apply, new pupils to start, other pupils to continue.

All blissfully unaware of the behind-closed-doors decisions being made about their own futures with no chance to make informed decisions based on full disclosure of facts.

It's so disappointing and we are all very upset.

BangingOn I can actually believe some merging of facilities/staff/perhaps preps could be absolutely necessary in this current climate, I'm sure the schools must be struggling financially.

But it has been by handled atrociously.

I completely agree, it’s been handled so very badly and you have my sympathy. What do you think you will do? Stay at the merged school or look elsewhere?

I don't want to move my child as they've been there a few years now, and I'd never choose to move them when they're essentially half way through secondary education and about to embark on their GCSE options.

Who would choose to do that?

But carrying on will be hard, we've lost all faith and trust in the school/foundation acting in the children's best interests.

One of those schools - and I’d better not say which - made me sit my end of year exams the week after my dad died. Don’t especially care if they’re merging as would simply never allow any child of mine to go there!

I'm sorry to hear that apples. That's inexcusable.

It wasn’t great, but when you live and die on results..... However, mine will go somewhere with a bit more sense!

Terrible schools both of them. Know plenty of very arrogant people who went there, and they really haven’t amounted to very much.

The merger has now been called off; the rationale for a merger was never explained by the governors and met with opposition from almost all parties involved. Good luck to both schools in overcoming this disruption and continuing to provide fantastic education to the children of Coventry.

@SeldomFollowedIt

Terrible schools both of them. Know plenty of very arrogant people who went there, and they really haven’t amounted to very much.

I can on this thread to update and saw your ridiculous, nasty comment. I know many alumni of both schools and they are, in the main, fantastic young adults with diverse careers. My children’s ex classmates include musicians, published authors, many doctors, dentists and teachers and those who self employed in creative arts, hospitality and the arts. Just as you would expect from schools of this calibre.

To be fair ( and I am an alumni) I also know plenty of arrogant people that went there - though I would question the statement that I haven’t amounted to very much 😂

I also really want to know how they are merging without merging as after reading the FAQ I genuinely don’t know what the difference is other than the uniform….

I don’t think they really know yet; minibuses have been rebranded but now that there will be two schools they will have to be ‘Bablake and King Henry V111 , Bablake’, or ‘Bablake and KHV111, Henry’s’, I suppose. That won’t last long; soon be back to normal. It is more of a face saving exercise by the governors, I think.
With regard to arrogant people, maybe they would be like that wherever they went to school. I don’t think Bablake bred arrogance, it’s hardly Eton!

@Pottedpalm very probably!

So they went through all that….for minibuses and the same uniform?

The mind boggles.

It's all a complete shambles. To inflict this uncertainty on students, parents and staff at this most uncertain of times has been utter madness. Many staff are extremely unhappy and are now proposing strike action.

@applesandoranges221 I think I can guess which school you went to, the one with the previous pervert problem? I'm relieved the merger has been called off, the lack of consultation was breathtaking.

There just doesn’t seem to have been any solid rationale behind the decision to merge. Accounts apparently don’t show a financial crisis, and while there was a recent dip in numbers at Henry’s it wasn’t catastrophic, and Bablake numbers stable.
I feel for the staff who have been treated do very badly. Many will have committed to moves they wouldn’t otherwise have made and excellent teachers will be lost.

@Pottedpalm

In fairness I know a few people who went to Bablake and definitely did not do anything special. I happen to know of one who ended up working in Woolworths for years and then Marks and Spencer’s, one who now manages a sleazy bar in the city centre, a couple of administrators and a hotel receptionist.

Just to add some balance to your list 😉.

If this did not happen Henry's would close.They only merge sports teams it's an exaggeration. The 2 schools even went to PGL and RAF Cosford together.

@fatsadio1

If this did not happen Henry's would close.They only merge sports teams it's an exaggeration. The 2 schools even went to PGL and RAF Cosford together.

think you've heard one half of the story. it wasn't even down to financing, did you not hear about the dodgy governers and their lying for YEARS that has now been exposed? not down to henry's lack of students!