INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30389, 13 March 1964, Page 17

INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS

Board’s Policy Criticised The Canterbury Education Board will be asked by the Canterbury School Committees’ Association to amend its recently-published policy for intermediate schools by providing for better liaison between intermediate and postprimary schools, and for an over-all syllabus running from Form I to Form IV in all schools. This was decided by the association last evening on the recommendation of its executive. Mrs M. Rae (Christchiirch East) said that, in response to “an outcry up and down the country,” intermediate schools had begun to include languages and science in their curriculum, but only too often the work was repeated in Forms 111 and TV. Mr E, P. Winter (Gilberthorpe) asked whether the board’s policy statement that the intermediate schools should eventually be called junior high schools, and that the range of subjects taken should be expanded, did not meet with Mrs Rae’s objections. He thought the board should be encouraged in its programme. Mr T. D. Young (Kendal) said increased liaison between intermediate and postprimary school syllabuses would be likely to lead to difficulties in schools which were not decapitated. Intermediate schools could not be run where there were insufficient children. Mr H. C. Evison (Sumner) described discussions between schools in his area which had led to consideration of the idea of a school running from Form I and Form VI. Mrs Rae and Mr Winter both commented favourably on this idea. The proposal to send the executive’s recommendations to the board was passed without dissent.