ANYONE who has followed the trials and tribulations of South Leeds High will know that solving its problems was never going to be easy.
For a long time educationalists and politicians have pondered its future, tinkered here and fiddled there and actually ended up, it would seem, doing little that has made a significant difference.
Now a radical new proposal takes centre stage whi
ch will undoubtedly bring great concern in some quarters but which might go a long way to resolving the issue once and for all.
A trust led by Garforth Community College – Leeds's top-performing school – plans to close South Leeds High and re-open the site as an academy.
The controversial move is an attempt to jump-start exam tests scores at the Beeston school, which was only formed four years ago from the merger of two of our city's most troubled schools.
Garforth has been working with South Leeds High since the school was placed in special measures in June 2007, with limited success.
There will be those who will see this latest proposal as evidence of Garforth leaping in with its size 10s where it isn't wanted.
They will see a dedicated headteacher already at South Leeds High who has done, and is doing, his damndest to improve the school and should be applauded.
Yes, the school needs all the help it can get and we welcome any proposal that will ultimately benefit the education of the students who attend. But is closing it, re-opening it and re-launching it as an 'academy' the answer? That remains to be seen.
Crunch victimsEVIDENCE that the credit crunch is starting to bite can be seen everywhere.
But perhaps even the most pessimistic could not have predicted that man's best friend would be among those hit.
The Dog's Trust in Leeds is struggling to cope with the volume of owners who want to hand in pets – and now it has to find homes for more than 600 animals.
The commitment required for pet ownership is huge, the cost immense. And it's clear from the Dog Trust's alarming report that too many people have realised this all too late.
Dream on...AHH the Headingley Test.
Nothing epitomises the British summer more. Though the prospect of sweltering under a blazing sun, languishing in 80 degree heat is about as remote as snow on Christmas Day.
Instead there'll be brollies and waterproofs aplenty. Of course we KNOW British summers are rarely scorchers – that's why most of us flee to foreign climes every year.
But we can still dream this one might be different – there's still time!
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