Above: The Mayor and Mayoress of Northampton, Alderman and Mrs J. Poole (left) talk with Mr B. S. Howard, headmaster, Suzanne de la Mare, head girl, Jeremy Raphael, head boy and Christopher Morgan deputy head boy at Northampton Trinity Grammar School speech day.
Below: Some of the pupils
PROPOSALS to alter the examination system in sixth forms are not flexible enough, a Northampton headmaster said yesterday.
Mr. B. S. Howard head of Trinity High School, was speaking of the recommendations put forward by the Schools Council and the Standing Conference on University Entrance.
They have suggested examination at the end of both the lower and
upper sixth forms. "As I read the proposals ………… a pass in
mathematical or a science subject would be Imperative", said Mr.
Howard.
"I am not too happy about this arrangement and hope that when
matters are finally settled a more flexible scheme will emerge
giving sixth formers a greater freedom in choice of subjects
than the present proposals seem to envisage."
Mr. Howard thanked members of staff for their work during the
year, and added: "But education is of course more than the
conveying of information and we take every opportunity of
extending, our teaching beyond the classroom and relating it to
wider experience.
Outings
He referred to the schools extra-curricular activities, such as
outings and holidays.
"No matter how many subjects are included in the timetable our
pupils need to gain understanding of the human society in which
they are growing up."
In external examinations some pupils had gained good results,
but, "on the whole the results were not as god as we would have
wished.
At present the school has more pupils than ever before, with 185 girls and 600 boys.
But Mr Howard said that with the coming of the interim scheme of
secondary re-organisation - the first step towards comprehensive
education - the numbers are expected to fall initially.
For the first time the head girl, Suzanne de la Mare and the
deputy head boy, C. D. Morgan, gave reports on the school's
sporting events for the year.
Guest speaker Mr. Clinton Sawyer, technical director of the
Central Council of Physical Recreation and a deputy director of
the Sports Council, congratulated the school on its sporting
achievements.
C&E 15th March 1970