Positive response received for Louth school changes

As reported in last week’s Louth Leader, Monks’ Dyke Tennyson College (MDTC) is set to convert to an academy under new sponsorship from Tollbar Multi-Academy Trust (Tollbar MAT) in September – with Cordeaux Academy also being taken on by the Trust.

It was also revealed that the Trust intends to consult with parents over a proposal to provide a single academy (‘Louth Academy’) across the two sites offering the full range of 11-18 provision, with academic A-Levels provided by Louth Academy and post-16 vocational qualifications offered by Grimsby Institute.

The interim head teacher at Monks’ Dyke Tennyson College, Matt Percival, said that he supports the proposals regarding his school.

Mr Percival told the Leader: “The sponsorship of Monks’ Dyke by the Tollbar Multi Academy Trust is a great solution which I fully endorse.

“The trust have a proven track record of providing a high quality education for all, and this can only work in the interests of Louth pupils.

“I firmly believe it heralds an exciting future for education in the town”.

The Principal of Cordeaux Academy, Patrick Daley, declined to offer his personal opinion on the proposals.

County Councillor Sarah Dodds (Louth South) said she broadly supports the plans.

Coun Dodds said: “I give the plans a warm welcome and acknowledge the strengths it could bring to education of young people in Louth and the surrounding area. But I also ask Toll Bar to recognise Louth for the strong, talented and involved community it is.

“From the get go, I want them to be asking what we can bring to the table and what we are hungry for, rather than them dictating the menu.”

On our Facebook page, the reaction from the public was generally positive too.

Kerry Dunham said: “I think this is a great idea. Tollbar’s reputation for bringing schools from special measures is second to none.

“I know children who attend the Somercotes and Grimsby sites and they rave about their schools. This is what children need in Louth.”

Alison Burgess Brookes added: “Tollbar manage to transform schools from the lowest level to the highest and provide the best education possible.”

However, Kathryn Francis voiced concern, and said: “Didn’t Monks’ Dyke and Tennyson already try this? It ended up with Mablethorpe losing its secondary school.”

Meanwhile the Coastal Free School team, which wants to re-establish secondary education in Mablethorpe, has vowed that their ‘fight goes on’ in light of the latest developments.

Read their full statement online at: http://coastalfreeschool.org.uk.