Parents battle to stop closure

10:20am Wednesday 2nd January 2002

BATTLE lines are being drawn between parents and a Roman Catholic education board.

The parents, whose children attend St Mary and St Joseph's RC School in Sidcup, believe church officials plan to close the school and turn it into a Catholic 6th form college.

Bexley has three Catholic secondary schools, St Mary and St Joseph's which is co-educational, the boys-only St Columba's and girls school St Catherine's which are both next door in Bexleyheath.

All three schools currently have a sixth form but the Southwark diocese has been told by the Learning and Skills Council that none of them is large enough under new government rules.

The church has to decide whether to close down the sixth forms and abandon a Catholic sixth form education in the borough, or go for another option.

The favourite idea is to turn one of the three existing schools into a sixth form college and parents at St Mary and St Joseph's believe their school is the most vulnerable to closure even though it got excellent results this year.

Many parents say if the Sidcup school closes it will deprive them of the choice of co-educational education for their children.

One mum, Christine Granger, whose son is at the school and who hopes to send her two daughters there, said: "I want my children to remain at a Roman Catholic co-educational school.

"This is what I chose for them.

"They should be allowed to see their education through at St Mary and St Joseph's.

"The diocese effectively guaranteed my son an education at a Roman Catholic co-educational school from the age of 11 to 19.

"Now it is backing out on its agreement."

She is trying to organise opposition to the closure and would like parents to call her on 020 8303 5752.

The diocese has organised four meetings for parents all starting at 7.30pm.

They are at St Mary and St Joseph's on January 14 and 21, at St Catherine's on January 15 and St Columba's on January 16.

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