Will Deepings school project escape the ConDem axe...?

Hopes are high that investment to revamp Deepings School will escape the Con-Dem Government axe.

Last month, you may recall, the Con-Dem axe scrapped 719 school building projects across the country, including millions of pounds to rebuild schools here in South Lincs.

So far, the Deepings project has avoided the Con-Dems devastating cuts - which hits the building industry as well as hopes of children, teachers and parents!

The Deepings project will make a huge difference to our local school and cost just £1.5 million - small beer compared to the £55 Billion investment in schools scrapped when the Con-Dems tore up Labour's Building Schools for the Future plan to modernise secondary schools.

But after Michael Gove's gaffe-ridden flip-flop performance in being forced to release no fewer than five official lists of where his axe will fall, we'll all be on tenter-hooks until building is underway.

Another teenager killed on local roads...

Shocked to hear tonight that Deepings Comprehensive School has been rocked by yet another road tragedy. A teenage girl was killed yesterday lunchtime when the car she was in flipped over near Maxey roundabout on the A15 road to Peterborough.

I understand she was in a car with friends following completion of a GCE exam at Deeping School earlier in the day.

From memory, I believe that's four Deeping students killed on local roads in as many years.

Thoughts are with the family and with head teacher Chris Beckett and all thosen at the school.

UPDATE: Tonight's Peterborough Evening Telegraph on the tragedy.

UPDATE 2: Spalding Guardian has named the girl who was killed in the crash - and reports that a male driver has been arrested on suspion of causing death by dangerous driving.

Deepings Comprehensive goes top of the class...

Deepings Comprehensive School has just been awarded an 'Outstanding' grade during Ofsted's latest inspection.

Anyone who knows Deepings Comp won't be surprised that it's achievements put it in the top 15% of all schools in the country.

As a Governor for eight years until a few months ago - and as proud father of two daughters who were given a great start at Deepings Comp - I know we are blessed with a fantastic local school.

The Business and Enterprise specialist school is a fine example of what can be achieved by a true Comprehensive. Unlike some other local schools, no child is turned away because of their perceived academic ability. At Deepings Comp, every student gets the chance to develop to their full potential.

Chris Beckett who was promoted to Head Teacher five years ago provides first-rate leadership and has strengthened a great team of staff which, together with the students, fully deserve the thanks and praise of our local community.

Here's some of the highlights from the Ofsted report which has just been published.

Outstanding quality of education
Innovative and dynamic leadership
Standards have risen year on year since the last inspection
Students of all abilities make exceptional progress
Students, parents and carers are very pleased with the quality of education provided
Good quality teaching
The school's Business and Enterprise specialist status makes a significant contribution to students learning
The school's capacity for continued improvement is outstanding
Students enjoy school and feel safe
The curriculum provision is outstanding at all levels
Care, guidance and support is outstanding
Links with partners and other schools are outstanding
Sixth form provision, leadership, management and outcomes are outstanding.

Hope the Stamford Mercury, Local, ET, and Free Press pick up a good story about achievement...

A family's tragedy at Christmas...

A terrible loss for a 14-year-old to die at any time of the year, but this in Christmas week seems even more tragic.

Touching words from Chris Beckett, Head Teacher at Deepings School, commenting on the death of Danielle Beaver in a road accident earlier this week.

Danielle is the fourth Deepings student to die on the roads in the past two years.

I'm sure that our thoughts are with those who have lost loved ones, particularly in such tragic circumstances.

Another star year for 'A' levels...

Just seen a senior teacher from our local school beaming from ear-to-ear after seeing this year's "A" level results.

I've not seen the official results yet, but it looks to me like The Deepings Comprehensive has done the business yet again.

More later, but meantime, congratulations to all the students and staff led by Head Teacher Chris Beckett.

And don't believe a word of the poppycock from the ejits who claim that year-on-year improvements in results are because the exams have become easier.

The simple reason results are consistently getting better is that standards of teaching have improved vastly since I went to school. Education today is much more focussed on individual needs - and resources have been increased out of all recognition to even a couple of decades ago.

As a result, I believe children work far harder than in my day and have much better chances of being pushed to achieve their potential.

That has to be worth celebrating, doesn't it?

Speeding farmer jailed for death of Deepings girl...

A farmer has been jailed for two years for killing a Deepings school-girl in a high speed road-crash.

The life of 18-year-old Katie Shields was taken when the car she was driving was rammed by a Grand Cherokee Jeep travelling at over 70 mph in the same direction at Deeping St Nicholas. It is believed Katie was turning right at Hop Pole.

At the time of the tragedy, I posted on the lost chance for a by-pass on the arrow straight road through Deeping St Nic.

Katie, a sixth form student at The Deepings School, was a highly talented young lady. She had been British Tae-Kwon-Do champion and had been accepted at Birmingham University.

It was the second fatal accident that the Jeep driver, a farmer from Surfleet had been involved in. In 1993 he was driving a Mercedes car in a crash in which his wife was killed.

In 1993 he was driving a Mercedes car in a crash in which his wife was killed.

Heart-wrenching, just heart-wrenching...

Peterborough ET has been speaking with the family of Aydan Roebuck-Wilson, the 14-year-old Deepings schoolboy killed on his bike near his home in Spalding last week.

I trust the ET won't mind me using their photo of Aydan.