Choice Cuts 19

Haydon School Progress Report. Newsletter No. 67, Sep 1977

Those of you who have recently visited the School have been interested to ask how the merger is progressing, and your Chairman, Peter Fitzgibbon, thought it might be of interest to have a brief article in the Newsletter.

The changes most obvious to any visitor are the new buildings in various stages of construction. There are some new temporary classrooms near St. Nicholas Hall; they are there to release other classrooms as they are needed for further adaption. The new Library, constructed from four ground floor classrooms at St. Mary's is also complete and we are very pleased with it. We had hoped that the new administrative block sited on St. Nicholas playground would be ready by the beginning of term, but unfortunately there have been delays; we hope for completion later this term. Work is also beginning on an extension to our Technical Studies rooms.

We are arranging to have suites of adjacent rooms for all subjects, and gradually the necessary specialist equipment will be installed. One of the biggest jobs is transforming the St. Mary's staff room area into a Music Suite, and that is due to begin as soon as teaching and office staff can move into the new block.

The mixing of the School is going well. Fifth Form and Upper Sixth pupils are being kept in their old single-sex classes so that there are no unnecessary changes in their two-year preparation for G. C. E's. Third and Fourth Year are also still taught in single-sex classes but the new comprehensive First Year, the Second Year and the Lower Sixth are fully co-educational. Clubs and Societies are also open to boys and girls, and we have shared use of all playgrounds and field areas.

The term has produced its problems: movement between the buildings, for instance, is difficult because the administrative block and link corridors are not complete. However, we have been encouraged by everyone's co-operation, and we have high hopes that the name of Haydon will command as much respect in the neighbourhood in the future as St. Nicholas and St. Mary's formerly did.

L. E. Shearn