It seems as though the much trumpeted student voice has not been allowed to speak. I am aware this is just one side of the argument as the Academy company stubbornly refuses to engage with the community despite what its proponents stated last summer. It hasn't updated its website since 14th December and it's officials haven't spoken in the Evening Mail for a similar length of time.
Still it is clear from my sons contacts with current Year 11's there is a lot of discord on both sites.
It revolves around two things.
First the decision by the company that there is to be either a joint prom or no prom.
As one pupil succinctly points out
"None of us want a joint prom, we aren't the real Furness Academy, we weren't brought up as Furness Academy, we were Thornecliffe, Parkview & Alfred Barrow, and each site deserves to spend there last time together as a year group with people who we spent our time in school with. joint prom or no prom?"
So amongst the kids there is no appetite for the 'we are all one now' approach adopted by the schools sponsors and management which to me suggests a lack of tact and understanding of what these kids value.
Secondly the decision to hold the joint prom in Forum 28 of all places.
Forum 28 is not the best placed venue to hold a school prom in. It's in the middle of town surrounded by pubs and clubs. The only photo opportunity is for the kids to line up outside the Town Hall where it is always cold and windy and there is no way the limited access so carefully crafted by Terry Waiting and his barking Town Square decision which is full of buses and taxis coming and going could cope with the wide variety of conveyances Year 11's and their parents engage to travel to the proms.
Will the Academy Company discuss this openly?
Only time will tell but on historical evidence the people running the company will...
Some of the comments on this subject
"its fair to say the real furness academy are the current year 7's, they know no different, but we do, furness academy is all about the student voice, why arent we being heard?"
"i know, furness academy is all big about ''student voice'' yet when we tried to do a petition to get ''the student voice'' heard, we got told to stop it as we weren't allowed? i'm sorry but banning us from doing a petition? seriously get a grip"
"The head boy at south says that there's a questionnaire going round asking what we want .. but then teachers have been telling people that its all already organised which is stupid .. and then theres people who are on about having a themed night when loads of people have already brought their dresses. We've gone through school with the same people for five years so we deserve the chance to have seperate proms because suddenly shoving us together at a leaving do isnt going to help to two sites come together is it?? There'll be this huge divide in the room because we haven't had the chance to mix before."
Kids using common sense. Who'd have thought it eh?
It revolves around two things.
First the decision by the company that there is to be either a joint prom or no prom.
As one pupil succinctly points out
"None of us want a joint prom, we aren't the real Furness Academy, we weren't brought up as Furness Academy, we were Thornecliffe, Parkview & Alfred Barrow, and each site deserves to spend there last time together as a year group with people who we spent our time in school with. joint prom or no prom?"
So amongst the kids there is no appetite for the 'we are all one now' approach adopted by the schools sponsors and management which to me suggests a lack of tact and understanding of what these kids value.
Secondly the decision to hold the joint prom in Forum 28 of all places.
Forum 28 is not the best placed venue to hold a school prom in. It's in the middle of town surrounded by pubs and clubs. The only photo opportunity is for the kids to line up outside the Town Hall where it is always cold and windy and there is no way the limited access so carefully crafted by Terry Waiting and his barking Town Square decision which is full of buses and taxis coming and going could cope with the wide variety of conveyances Year 11's and their parents engage to travel to the proms.
Will the Academy Company discuss this openly?
Only time will tell but on historical evidence the people running the company will...
Some of the comments on this subject
"its fair to say the real furness academy are the current year 7's, they know no different, but we do, furness academy is all about the student voice, why arent we being heard?"
"i know, furness academy is all big about ''student voice'' yet when we tried to do a petition to get ''the student voice'' heard, we got told to stop it as we weren't allowed? i'm sorry but banning us from doing a petition? seriously get a grip"
"The head boy at south says that there's a questionnaire going round asking what we want .. but then teachers have been telling people that its all already organised which is stupid .. and then theres people who are on about having a themed night when loads of people have already brought their dresses. We've gone through school with the same people for five years so we deserve the chance to have seperate proms because suddenly shoving us together at a leaving do isnt going to help to two sites come together is it?? There'll be this huge divide in the room because we haven't had the chance to mix before."
Kids using common sense. Who'd have thought it eh?
Much more important than the venue.... what is the date?
I heard a rumour it is 24th June, hope not because there are still exams to be taken by some pupils, after that date, one on the next day I believe.
If this is true it really is a cock up.
Anyone know more about the date?
If the Academy management are unable or unwilling to organise a proper Prom then why not do it yourselves?
Surely a couple of enterprising parents could book a disco/band and Abbey House or The Coot.
I'm sure the tickets would sell like hot cakes.
"There'll be this huge divide in the room because we haven't had the chance to mix before."
What do you mean like the one there was at the prefects' dinner - not!
I have to say that management had no choice but to make it one prom. (God I hate that word). Children of both sites have possibly forgotten there is a third school involved, Alfred Barrow.
They may or may not want to have their own do, but it would be small if it was. Or were South site expecting ex Alfs to join with ex Thorn even though they are not in mixed classes. I can see why all want separate do's, but practically, probably not workable.
Do we British have no traditions of our own? Why do we always have to revert to American traditions? The money spent on dressing for a prom is out of reach of many parents pockets,causing stress and a divisions.
What happened to the school disco...A British tradition...Bring back punk rock, at least some of the girls looked different then.
I do wish people would pay attention!
"None of us want a joint prom, we aren't the real Furness Academy, we weren't brought up as Furness Academy, we were Thornecliffe, Parkview & Alfred Barrow, and each site deserves to spend there last time together as a year group with people who we spent our time in school with. joint prom or no prom?"
I guess it's no prom then, which will be a relief to countless parents pockets.
I see Doug says there is a rumour that the Prom will be on the 24th June, which he points out is before the exams have finished and even more ridiculous the night before an exam. Is it possible for the Academy management to check on the dates of the exams and then choose a date for the Prom after the last exam? Does anyone who reads these comments have any influence over the date of the Prom or have a contact with someone who does? It seems a shame that some of the pupils who want to go to the Prom, will not be able to just because an Inappropriate is chosen.
To teacher, i ask you just how many of those kids at the prefects dinner were ex-alfs kids??! Less than two is the answer. Alfs lost its school whereas parkview kids and thorncliffe kids still have theirs. Perhaps a town centre prom near alfs is rough justice!
I'm sorry Gmtrev - that's just not true. There were 3 ex-Alfs students sitting on the table I was on at the Prefects Dinner and they were by no means the only one there!
alfs had a school prom last year even though it was a small school so even if a small group as smallest of schools they managed perfectly well in the past
Oh thats ok then!! However, if you look at the percentage of Alfs kids, not numbers, compared to the percentage of the other schools as prefects, I'm sure you will agree that they are far from equal. Alfs students also are not either headboy or girl of either site. In fact, all the North Site head Boys and girls were chosen before the academy started. I am not being picky, but do think there is a real issue in terms of equality here.
Hi GMTREV
I don't think there has been any bias.
The numbers of prefects at North Site are far far fewer than South site. (About half as much I think).
The reason for the number difference is because the children volunteer to be prefects they are not picked. I do not know any that have been refused a prefect role and it is almost guaranteed if you apply, unless you are a no hoper. Unfortunately I think that probably hardly any from Alfs must have applied.
Head boy and Head girl were applied for also, not just chosen.
I am guessing no Alfs kids applied. I believe only one boy applied in North Site and consequently got the job. The girls had more but I am not aware that any were from Alfs.
Hope this clears some things up. I don't like to see any of the kids marginalised, but I believe they have not been in this case.
I'm an ex-Alfred Barrow student, and I and a fair few of my friends applied to become prefects, succeeding in our applications and, at least five of us, went to the prefect dinner.