100 signatures reached
To: The Governing Board of the Charity “The Godolphin School”.
PROTECT THE FUTURE OF GODOLPHIN GIRLS.
We the current and former parents, current and former Godolphin girls, members of staff and friends, respectfully demand and require the board to impose with immediate effect a 12 month moratorium on all negotiations with United Learning and on any transfer of any property, freehold or leasehold, or any other encumbrance over the property, to enable broader stakeholder consensus regarding what is best for Godolphin pupils going forward.
PROTECT THE FUTURE OF GODOLPHIN GIRLS:
PLEASE JOIN PETITION HERE.
PROTECT THE FUTURE OF GODOLPHIN GIRLS:
PLEASE JOIN PETITION HERE.
Why is this important?
The Governing Board of the Charity “The Godolphin School” (Charity No 309488) have stated their intention, as of 01 February 2024 (in six weeks), to:
i) Amalgamate with and transfer all the school’s assets to UNITED LEARNING (including significant valuable land in the heart of Salisbury).
ii) Terminate Elizabeth Godolphin’s 300 year legacy for an all-girls education, by taking the school co-ed.
This plan and longstanding negotiation has been carried out behind closed doors and with no consultation with parents or, it would seem, appropriate due diligence and we suggest this represents poor business practice and gross mis-management on the part of the current school leadership.
Further, we contend that it is highly questionable whether UL are an appropriate organisation to whom to surrender the assets, independence and future of Godolphin School.
Moreover, it is our firm view that the current financial and educational position of the school in no way warrants such extreme, reckless and irreversible action.
We suggest many parents chose Godolphin because it is independent and over nearly 300 years has crafted a singular culture which enables Godolphin girls to flourish. We believe that to now subsume this into a huge national state-and-private academy trust without consultation is a betrayal of the trust placed in the school governors.
There is a significant body of research that unequivocally shows that girls in an all-girls environment out-perform those in co-education. Notwithstanding commercial considerations, as parents of Godolphin girls we believe this is worth fighting for.
We believe that there are no pressing reasons to take such a momentous and irreversible action. As we stand on the very cliff edge of this critical decision we demand a 12 month period of investigation and reflection in order to achieve the best possible future for Godolphin Girls.
The Governing Board have quite deliberately announced this massive decision at the last minute and just before the Christmas break giving, it would seem, as little time as possible for this to be challenged. It is vital to act now to create time for the future of Godolphin Girls to be given thorough and objective investigation and consideration, to achieve the very best possible outcome.
i) Amalgamate with and transfer all the school’s assets to UNITED LEARNING (including significant valuable land in the heart of Salisbury).
ii) Terminate Elizabeth Godolphin’s 300 year legacy for an all-girls education, by taking the school co-ed.
This plan and longstanding negotiation has been carried out behind closed doors and with no consultation with parents or, it would seem, appropriate due diligence and we suggest this represents poor business practice and gross mis-management on the part of the current school leadership.
Further, we contend that it is highly questionable whether UL are an appropriate organisation to whom to surrender the assets, independence and future of Godolphin School.
Moreover, it is our firm view that the current financial and educational position of the school in no way warrants such extreme, reckless and irreversible action.
We suggest many parents chose Godolphin because it is independent and over nearly 300 years has crafted a singular culture which enables Godolphin girls to flourish. We believe that to now subsume this into a huge national state-and-private academy trust without consultation is a betrayal of the trust placed in the school governors.
There is a significant body of research that unequivocally shows that girls in an all-girls environment out-perform those in co-education. Notwithstanding commercial considerations, as parents of Godolphin girls we believe this is worth fighting for.
We believe that there are no pressing reasons to take such a momentous and irreversible action. As we stand on the very cliff edge of this critical decision we demand a 12 month period of investigation and reflection in order to achieve the best possible future for Godolphin Girls.
The Governing Board have quite deliberately announced this massive decision at the last minute and just before the Christmas break giving, it would seem, as little time as possible for this to be challenged. It is vital to act now to create time for the future of Godolphin Girls to be given thorough and objective investigation and consideration, to achieve the very best possible outcome.
