St Margaret's has 'fallen behind the times' say supporters
Supporters of St Margaret’s School say its low admissions are a result of “falling behind the times".
Comments on a Facebook page set up in attempt to stave of closure claim that not enough has been done to enable the school to compete against tough opposition.
Meanwhile, one prominent local businessman whose three daughters were educated there says St Margaret’s is unlikely to be saved.
A statement issued by the school yesterday said: "It is with regret that the Governing Body of St Margaret’s School in Exeter has taken the difficult decision to close the school at the end of the current academic year.
“The decision has been made following the entrance examinations for the 2013-14 academic year, when it became clear that projected attendance figures meant that the school is no longer financially viable.
To ensure that high educational standards are maintained and to safeguard the wellbeing of pupils during this difficult time, all teaching staff will be contracted to remain in position until August 2013. Appropriate members of staff will be on hand to address any issues pupils may have and help smooth the transition to the next stage of their education."
On Facebook, Natasha Yeo said: "...Both of my two nieces attended and have now left to attend The Maynard, both are extremely bright but this has been brought out of them since leaving where they are now relishing in the support of The Maynard school.
"It seems that over the past year or so parents at st. Margaret's have been 'running the ship' and hanging on to a very old reputation it once had,over 7 years ago!"
"The exam results have been poor, many state schools now rank higher in achievement for free!"
Alison Longhorn added: “You can't blame parents for not sending their children there. The school cannot expect to thrive on an old reputation when its current one is so poor.”
Gen Cook wrote: “As a past pupil I gained a great deal at St M's but have often remarked since that whilst still a 'good' school it has lost the 'finishing' touches that were unique.”
Businessman Nick Agg-Manning, whose three daughetrs went to the school, said that St Margaret's offered a “slightly old fashioned ‘add—on’ prospectus which really isn’t what people are looking for”.
He added: “Whilst St Margaret’s has always provided the academic results, it hasn’t always been at the top of the academic results.
“That is probably past its sell by date as fee paying parents just want the statistical advantages that get them into the universities that their children want to go to.”
Mr Agg-Manning, whose daughter and wife both teach at the school, said: "I am always very positive and think there is a chance for everything but I think realistically to go down the line of trying to save the school is probably going to create false hope for some teachers who need to bite the bullet and find themselves something else to do."
"If there was a philanthropist out there with a pot of money it might be a goer but it would need an awful lot of cash.”
* Mr Agg-Manning stressed that his views were personal. Not those of his wife and daughter.
