South Yorkshire Times Saturday, November 29
Exchange Project an Educational Breakthrough
Conisbro’ Parents Told
Introducing the guest speaker, Dr. Royston Lambert, Principal of Dartington Hall School, Devon, headmaster of Conisbrough Northcliffe High School, Mr. A. G. G. Young, said at the Lower School speech day. “We are about to witness educational history in this hall tonight.”
“We are living in a period of history where more changes have taken place over the past decade than over 100 of years previously. In no field have these changes been felt more than in the field of education.”
Mr. Young went on to outline a revolutionary breakthrough in English education, the exchange project between two state schools. Conisbrough Northcliffe and Mexborough Grammar and the Dartington Hall independent school, now in its early stages, known as the Dartington Hall exchange project.
Suitable Annexe — To Extend
He said that he had for year been looking for a suitable an Annexe to extend his 900 pupil school but due to lack of suitable premises, and more latterly the Government’s economic prices and incomes squeeze he had always been thwarted in his efforts. Despite winning the sympathies of Sir Alec Clegg, the County authorities were unable to provide the additional facilities that he required.
Mr. Young described his efforts as “a puzzle,” It was a colleague who put forward the name of a man whom he thought could solve the problem.” That man said Mr. Young “was Dr. Royston Lambert.
“I had for a long time followed and admired the work of social historian Royston Lambert, a Fellow of King’s College. Cambridge, who from Cambridge was making pioneer studies on educational integration.
“He was a member of a team who were investigating education outlooks on a Government Commission. However when the findings were made public Dr. Lambert publically made a stand renouncing what he claimed were misinterpretations of the findings.”
Mr. Young said that he followed Dr Lambert’s movements up to his appointment as Principal of Dartington Hall. There he contacted him and outlined his plans for a project of integration between the two schools of vastly differing background which would offer extra facilities to all the schools involved.
“Dr, Lambert seemed as enthusiastic about the scheme as I was: Mr. Young observed. From then on things moved swiftly. The Dartington Trust bought the Terrace, a large house near Conisbrough Castle, from the N.C.B. for £13,000 and began improvements on a scale that doubled the cost.
Mexborough Grammar School joined the scheme, adding a sixth form exchange dimension to the propect. Already a number of pupils from Conisbrough have spent days in Devon on courses at Dartington. The Devon school are to arrange exchanges as soon as “The Terrace.” is completed.
Unique
Dr. Lambert described the aims and advantages of the unique scheme. He described the differences in environment between the two areas contrasting rural Devon with urban industrial South Yorkshire. “The scheme will be benefit to every pupil involved Devon and Yorkshire are 300 plus miles apart. This is a great distance, they are unlike each other
emphasised that the exchange project would be available to all pupils despite their ability.
“I firmly believe that education is the right of every child. I would not associate with any school that did not share my beliefs education for all children and even emphasised the 11-plus. I failed the 11-plus and I’m proud of it.”
Dr. Lambert continued: “The project will bring the three schools together as a family.” He added that the schools would be inter-mingled and integrated more and more with each other to help make the varying forms of education available to the individual pupil,
He concluded: “Education sets out to prepare young people for the various ways of life and we hope that the Dartington Hall project will open up these various forms a bit more.”