ONE executive headteacher could manage all the ten schools in the Felixstowe area.The move could take place in the future, it emerged today, if radical proposals to overhaul its education system go ahead.

ONE executive headteacher could manage all the ten schools in the Felixstowe area.

The move could take place in the future, it emerged today, if radical proposals to overhaul its education system go ahead.

Proposals put forward will see Deben and Orwell High schools close and be replaced by one super-school for 13s to 19s.

Youngsters will stay at primary school two years longer and start their GCSEs a year earlier.

Government cash is likely to be available in two years' time as part of the Building Schools for the Future initiative and the multi-million pound new school - likely to be built on the massive Orwell campus - would be in place by 2010.

Orwell head Peter Tomkins said one of the main aims would be to break down the traditional divisions between primary, junior and high schools and have them operating in a co-ordinated and “joined up” approach as if they were all part of one huge school.

This may mean a consortium of schools being managed by a group of headteachers, representatives of employers and training providers - or an executive head managing all the schools.

Decisions will also need to be made as to whether schools continue to have their own governors, or one set of governors for all schools, or schools sending some members of their governors to a controlling body for all the schools.

Mr Tomkins - who may be vying for the top job with Deben head Terry Ring - said there may be a need to make joint appointments across the schools so specialist teachers could work in all of them, use resources centrally, and have consistent programmes of study.

“All students would have access to high quality education that meets their individual needs within a framework that develops their capacity to learn and provides them with an individual and personalised pathway,” he said.

“Felixstowe is ideally placed, both geographically and politically, to put in place an educational system for the 21st century which will provide a world-class education for all our children.

“All we need is the political will to be forward thinking and challenge the traditions that have held back real, systemic educational change.”

Mr Ring said it was important parents considered carefully the information which had been sent home with their children from school and gave their views on the proposed changes.

The deadline for the end of the consultation was August 4 and decisions were expected to be made early next year.

WEBLINKS: www.deben.suffolk.sch.uk

www.orwellhigh.com

Are you in favour of a super-school for Felixstowe? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN, or e-mail EveningStarLetters@eveningstar.co.uk