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An Independent KEQMSKing Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham
The journey so far...
2 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
PASSION TRADITION EXCELLENCE COMMUNITY
3www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
Thanks for taking the time to read this
brochure.
It has been produced by the Parents
Group supporting an independent King
Edward VII and Queen Mary school
(KEQMS), a school that has an
independent presence in our
community for over 100 years.
The Parents Group has received active
support from a wide range of people.
So we thank current pupils, ex-pupils
(The Lidunians), ex-staff, ex-governors,
local residents, local councillors and
other friends of KEQMS. We also thank
the many local businesses that have
generous supported this publication.
Welcome to the future!
We all share a belief in an exciting and
vibrant independent KEQMS.
We have come together to produce a
plan for the future and since September
2011 have we have worked tirelessly to
make sure it is credible, workable and
has the backing of all those involved.
Currently our legal appeal is in progress,
so we are very limited in the amount of
information and detail we are allowed
to disclose.
However we can assure you that a team
of professionally experienced people
have worked to produced a recovery
plan and stand ready to implement it.
We firstly aim to return KEQMS to
independence. Then we will build on the
strengths we all know and love, to
produce a top class school.
We have a marketing team and a plan to
return pupil numbers to previous levels.
We have a detailed business plan,
backed by an experienced business
management team, to return the school
to profit.
We believe it is possible to return
KEQMS to a sound financial footing
quickly.
We have an education development
team that will build and extend our
curriculum and provide academic
strength.
In addition we have a development team
that will work to establish KEQMS as a
centre of excellence in sports, music
and performance.
Enjoy reading this brochure and, if you
can, please donate to help our legal fees.
An Independent KEQMS
4 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
In September 2011 it was announced that
KEQMS was to be taken over by the United
Church Schools Trust (UCST) and merged with
our friendly rivals from Arnold School in
Blackpool.
Just like KEQMS, Arnold is an excellent school
with a rich history stretching back to 1896
when the school was founded by Mr Frank
Truswell Pennington.
When the announcement was made a group
KEQMS parents got together to understand the
implications of the merger announcement and
what it would mean for our children’s future. It
quickly became apparent that there were
several issues that needed to be addressed.
We formed ourselves into a Parents Group and
approached both the KEQMS Governors and
UCST to get our questions answered. It became
clear to us that the merger was not in the best
interests of our children or future generations
who would attend KEQMS and Arnold Schools.
There are numerous reasons why we believe
that a takeover of KEQMS by UCST and a
merger with Arnold school is not in the best
interests of pupils, the schools or the
communities. Many of these have been widely
documented on our website,
notothetakeover.co.uk, the local press, social
media sites and even in the national news.
If you get the opportunity I would urge you to
look, particularly at our website where you will
see that we have been engaged in what could
be regarded as a ‘David and Goliath’ struggle to
keep KEQMS independent.
Both KEQMS and UCST are charitable
institutions. KEQMS is actually run by The
Lytham Schools (TLS) charities, a charity that
can date its origins back to 1720 when some
wealthy local people invested in a charity to help
educate local children after floods had
decimated most of the area.
When charities decide to merge, as UCST and
TLS decided, they must apply to the Charities
Commission for approval. Despite the many,
many complaints sent to the Charity
Commission that were against the merger the
commission decided to approve the scheme and
allow the takeover of KEQMS by UCST. This
was in November 2011.
When the Charity Commission made their
decision It was made clear in their supporting
documentation that the decision could be
appealed. After consulting with many parents of
children at KEQMS, the KEQMS old boys and
girls association (The Lidunians) and concerned
members of the St Annes community it was
decided to lodge an appeal against the Charity
Commission decision.
The decision to appeal was not taken lightly but
the weight of opinion from our solicitor and
barrister suggested that our grounds for appeal
were extremely strong. Our appeal was lodged
in December 2011 and ever since we have been
working hard to present our case for an
independent KEQMS to return the school back
to it former status.
The good news is the end is in sight.
Welcome
5www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
A court hearing has been set for 11th and 12th
of April where the First Tier Tribunal will hold
the initial formal hearing of our case to overturn
the Charity Commission decision to create the
scheme that allowed UCST to take control of
KEQMS.
Whilst I am unable to comment on the details
of the case I can say that I believe that the case
we are putting forward is as strong as possible.
It would be wrong of me to predict the
outcome of our case but I feel we are doing
everything we possibly can to secure
independence for KEQMS.
I am very grateful for the work done by our
solicitor, David Coupe and our barrister, Hubert
Picarda who have spent countless hours going
through the disclosure documents, guiding us on
the legal process and submitting our case. I can
honestly say that we would not be in this
position if it wasn’t for David and Hubert.
It has been a long haul for all of us. It is just over
six months since the governors of KEQMS
announced that UCST would be taking over
KEQMS, for all of us it seems to have been a lot
longer. It is credit to many who have stuck to
your guns and continued to fight against this
takeover.
I can think of many communities that would
have given up long before now but the parents,
ex pupils of KEQMS and this fantastic
community of Lytham and St Annes are made of
far sterner stuff.
We still have a lot of preparation to do before
the hearing and we are working day and night
to ensure everything is in place. Of course we
could not fight this takeover without financial
support. Legal fees alone are substantial. The
companies and individuals advertising in this
brochure are friends of the Parents Group and
have donated a significant amount of money to
our campaign.
I am really appreciative of the sacrifices many
people have made, giving both their time and
money. We need to make one last push to boost
the money in our Save KEQMS account to
ensure that we can see this appeal process
through to what we hope is a successful
conclusion.
Please can I ask you for one last time to donate
as much as you can to our campaign. Details of
how to make donations are on our website
notothetakeover.co.uk.
I am very optimistic about our chances but
cannot guarantee the outcome – however one
thing that I can guarantee is that we will not give
up with our fight to keep KEQMS independent.
It is part of our community’s history and is
something worth fighting for.
Once again, thank you for reading this brochure.
Keep up your fantastic support and keep
everything crossed for a successful outcome to
our appeal.
Regards
RayRay Aliss
Chair of the Parents Group
6 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
1. We believe in the KEQMS community.
The most fundamental change in the school’s
history was decided by about a dozen people in
total secrecy.
2. We believe in independent education.
The population of the Fylde continues to grow and
we want our community to have choice for their
children.
3. We believe independent schooling has agreat future.
Other independent schools are doing just fine.
KEQMS requires marketing and running efficiently
as a business. And we need some inspiring
leadership at Board level.
4. KEQMS is loved by pupils, staff andparents.
It currently provides a caring community where
every child feels valued and secure. There is no
need for change.
5. We value history and KEQMS is part ofthe town’s heritage.
For proof, take a walk along the senior school
corridor and look up at the honours boards. In the
main hall, read the names of the boys who fell in
the Great War. Each name is an echo of what the
school really is, and has always stood for.
Why we oppose the takeover Viability
Governors have repeatedly stated, on several
occasions, that the school is not financially viable
and that demand for independent schooling
would fall by 20% due to demographics and that
this indicates that the school will face increasing
competition and accrue even greater losses in
years to come.
This is fundamentally untrue.
The accounts show that far from being
financially unviable, the school and the charity
are in robust health and more than able to
weather a relatively short period of uncertainty.
Moreover with respect to the demographics the
figures obtained from the Office of National
Statistics (projecting population trends to 2033)
together with Lancs CC’s own plans show that
far from an overall drop in population, the trend
is for an increase slightly over the coming years.
We do acknowledge that trends in the core age
groups of 0-4, 5-9,10-14 and 15-19 show some
fluctuations but these stabilize quite quickly and
taken together with a planned increase in
housing stock in the Fylde area bringing in up to
2000 new families per year plus a known
shortage of junior school places that cannot be
addressed quickly indicates that demand for
independent schooling could well rise and an
independent KEQMS delivering a first class
education and marketed as the school of choice,
will be well placed to take advantage of the
coming years.
This is additionally borne out by data from the
Independent Schools Inspectorate and the
Independent Schools Council.
7www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
The Recovery Plan
What will happen if we win?
This is the question people are increasingly
asking.
Parents need not worry over the possibility of
a 'win' for NTTT in the appeal. The group who
stand behind an independent KEQMS, have
already drawn up detailed operational plans for
how the school would be run from day one,
after a positive judgement.
These plans are not 'fantasy blueprints' built
by a group of idealistic, deluded parents but
rather a detailed operational plan backed by
professionals in the necessary specialisms, from
education to accountancy , from marketing to
estates management . The aim must be to build
a robust viable school business model, delivering
a top class education to every child in a family
environment.
We won't just give you what was there before.
It will be better and show continuous
improvement, but the big difference will be it
will be a school supported by the local
community, that sources its suppliers in the local
community, and is democratically controlled by
that community.
We want a school and charity that not only
claims to stand for the community, but answers
to that community and provides for its
schooling needs - both at KEQMS and through
the other linked primary school providers, to
a modern, realistic and viable plan. Unlike past
Governing bodies we WILL deliver, and we will
represent the needs of students past, present
and future parents, and the wider community.
We will provide the highest quality of schooling
with a truly local flavour, and play our role in
maintaining a vibrant local economy.
We need to be true to the spirit of those
enlightened pioneers who put these together
for the benefit of the local Parish as it was in
the beginning, and reinvigorate the vision of a
truly comprehensive independent education on
the Fylde , for the benefit of all who want to
share its values and nurture.
Fortunately we do not have to produce twelve
pages of questions and answers. That is because
if we are successful in our appeal KEQMS will
operate as it did on the 1st September 2011,
before UCST became involved. We will not have
to waste our time discussing uniforms, dinners,
transport between sites, protecting exam
groups, planning permission, site safety, pastoral
care, changes to the curriculum, exam boards,
Heritage Committees, disruption or logistics.
We will concentrate on what is important for
us – a well managed, thriving, independent
KEQMS. It is true that we will face some
challenges and that we will have to work hard
to get us out of the mess that has been created
but we are confident that KEQMS will remain
an outstanding school - the school we all love.
8 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
For an independent KEQMS our mission is to
produce confident and compassionate young
people.
Through teaching excellence, supportive
pastoral care and experience of our
environment, we encourage individual success
for community good.
We exist to help students achieve both
academically and socially and to reach beyond
themselves so that they leave proud of their
achievements.
With solid marketing behind the promotion of
these core values our mission is to make it the
premier school of choice in the region. We take
a unique and innovative approach to teaching
that helps students connect with the subject
matter they need to master.
Through personalized and focused teaching
processes, our students develop the tools they
need for ongoing success in their fields of study.
Our success depends on our attention to the
needs of our students and truly helping them
achieve - we don't succeed unless our students
succeed.
Mission
We Aim to:
● Use our unique location at the heart of Fylde
coast as our gateway to a greater classroom for
adventure and adventurous learning, where our
students will learn directly about the
environment, each other and themselves.
● Inspire our students through a broad and
balanced curriculum that challenges inside and
outside the classroom, where they learn about
their strengths and weaknesses, and are
encouraged to reach beyond themselves.
● Support our students to develop their
individual academic, creative and sporting talents
and skills of leadership to enable and empower
them to make an active and real contribution to
their world.
● Foster a democratic and accountable culture
where our students contribute fully to school
and community life and take increasing
responsibility for their own learning and actions.
● Encourage a global perspective by providing
opportunities for all our students irrespective
of gender, race and beliefs and encouraging them
to value and respect differences.
9www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
KEQMS inspires personal excellence and
recognises the importance of achieving the very
best academic results for pupils of all levels of
ability.
However, this is only one criterion by which
success may be judged. We aim to inspire pupils
primarily by equipping them with the confidence
to try new things, to be able to work as part of
a team or, when occasion demands, to lead that
team.
We do not aspire to mould our students to fit
a preconceived notion of excellence: we offer
them the opportunity to develop in their own
way, pursuing their own enthusiasms and using
these to nurture growth.
Our students acquire the knowledge and skills
necessary to take up a fulfilling role in society,
and equally importantly, are constantly given the
opportunity to reflect on life’s broader meaning
and to evaluate the purposes which their
knowledge and skills might serve.
Our pupils are fortunate to have the chance to
grow and develop in a civilised environment
amongst beautiful surroundings, cared for by
teachers with whom they enjoy excellent
relationships.
This is a small school, independent in
governance and outlook, where everyone,
regardless of ability, has the opportunity to take
part and whose participation is actively sought
in order to sustain a very wide range of extra-
curricular activities, the keynote is, as ever,
freedom of choice and guidance to develop in
your own way.
Personal excellence depends on personal
happiness.
Vision Management
What little meaningful merger activity can be
rolled back swiftly.
We have an excellent academic team in place
and recognise that we will need to recruit a
suitably qualified Headmaster.
However in the short term we are confident
that the existing senior management team will
help steer an independent KEQMS.
They will be backed by both a Bursar/Financial
Manager and a Business Manager, responsible for
marketing and operations. This core team will
head up the management of the school together
with regular consultation with both a new board
of governors and the Lytham Charities Trustees.
The senior management team brings a wealth
of academic excellence to the school and has a
proven record of developing well rounded
students who achieve both academically and
socially.
With the continued support of the already
excellent teaching staff at KEQMS we are
confident that we can quickly return KEQMS to
a position of strength.
10 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
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11www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
Wishing you
a successful
outcome
Bispham Dental Practice
112 Red Bank Road, Blackpool, FY2 9DZ
Tel 354531
Happy to support the campaign
From 6th Form KEQMS Grandparents
Happy to support the campaign
From A 6th Form KEQMS Grandparent
12 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
Good Luck with the campaign
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13www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
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14 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
To be clear, we are absolutely confident that the
School itself can be profitable school in its own
right.
This transformation will need support from the
Lytham Schools Charity. But the Charity is in
great shape to do this. It has around £9.7M of
assets, of which about £4M are cash or
investments (i.e. not the KEQMS land and
buildings). This is much more than is needed to
get the School on to a sustainable financial
footing.
The school is currently operating at a loss. This
can be solved by cost cutting, increasing fees or
increasing pupil numbers - or a combination of
all three.
As the overall loss is not great, the turnaround
challenge is eminently achievable.
As we have stated from day one, with the right
governance and commercial management
(which our business plan delivers), we can take
the school into profit within 12 months.
We are sure that KEQMS was not and is not a
financially failing school. It does have a viable,
financially strong and educationally excellent
future as an independent school.
And the recent accounts lodged with the
Charity Commission show this really clearly.
UCST and the Governors are claiming tofix a problem that simply isn't there.
The Financial Plan
1. Generate a new UK & International
prospectus that truly ‘sells’ the benefits of
KEQMS.
2. Work towards developing increased numbers
in to infants/Juniors
3. Encourage greater take up of places at 6th
form for those wishing to continue their studies
4. To plan for a sustainable ‘boarding’ element to
the school with a target of 50 pupils enabling
positive returns to made to the charities (from
2016 onwards)
5. Establish solid links with local and regional
businesses to support the school as well as
forging partnerships with leading bodies in the
UK (CITB, LTA etc).
6. Build and manage a ‘waiting list’ for places
through improved reputation for excellence and
diversity
7. Establish a parent body of industrial advisors
delivering direct value to the school by way of
advice and guidance acting as ‘sales team’ or
ambassadors to interface with potential pupils
and parents
8. Create a new business management post to
concentrate on financial stability, school
growth/marketing, operations, administration
9. Develop an enhanced board of governors
comprising established experts
10. Broaden syllabus to capture untapped
markets (eg Chinese Language studies
supported by UCLAN)
11. Increase revenue steadily and return to a
positive cash flow and surplus cash position by
2013/14
Keys to financial stability
15www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
The Educational Plan
The educational priorities of the children must
come first. Parents have a moral right to be
properly consulted and all negotiations
conducted transparently.
The needs of an entire school family, parents,
students and staff, need to be taken into account
and all the stakeholders have a right to expect
consultation BEFORE decisions are presented
as a fait accompli.
Making the decision to choose independent
education isn’t the same as buying a packet of
sausages! It isn’t a question of brand.
Different children need different environments,
and parents make those decisions carefully, and
to do so they need full facts, not a fake choice
which disappears overnight.
John Charlesworth (1942-51, KES)
I left KES to attend Cambridge. I thenbecame a teacher. I am utterly opposed tothe take-over of schools by multi-schoolconglomerations,whose key decisions will inevitably befinancial rather than educational. I deplorethe outrageous secrecy of the governors'shabby decision.
1. Continue to develop methods of approaching
subjects that helps students get their minds
around challenging concepts and deliver
excellent academic results.
2. Create excellent word of mouth promotion
of services - students sell services to other
students and their parents.
3. Truly listen to students' needs and diagnose
where their understanding of concepts is
breaking down with added value from the
parent body of industrial advisors to a schools
management team.
4. Operational changes to allow the Principal to
concentrate on Education: teaching staff
improvement/training; teaching methods and
pastoral care.
5. Continue to promote the spirit of friendly co-
operation between pupils in all years of the
school. The House System provides occasion for
students of all ages and abilities to feel they
make a valued contribution to the school.
6. Continue to support pupils with special
needs. To provide for the needs of the individual,
to ensure all our pupils realise academic
progress and a realistic yet personally ambitious
vision of achievement.
Keys to educational success
16 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
Our research shows an independent school,
based in Lytham, will benefit from 4 key factors.
1 Increasing market size
2 Stable demand resisting economic downturn
3 Increasing demand
4 Ability to pay school fees
1 Rising UK birthrate from 2001.
Significantly this creates an increasing number
of pupils aged 11 from 2013 until 2024.(Source - Office of National Statistics www.ons.gov.uk)
Demographics
3 Increasing public belief that independent
school standards are higher than state.
56% of parents believe education standards are
higher at independent schools, creating a strong
and increasing demand.(Source - Independent Schools Council Survey 2010
www.isc.co.uk)
2 Annual change in pupils numbers at UK
independent schools remains stable despite
economy.
‘The underlying trend of the last quarter of a
century has been for the independent sector to
grow.’ ICSC 2011 Census(Source - Independent Schools Council 2011 Census
www.isc.co.uk)
4 KEQMS is situated in the 3rd most affluent
area of Lancashire. Fylde Borough average mean
income lies above UK average.
Therefore KEQMS core market (FY8) has
significantly higher means to pay fees than other
areas of Lancashire.(Source - Lancashire County Council www.lancahsire.gov.uk)
17www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
Dr John Lilley (1946-56, KES)
I was delighted to get your appeal letter – Ihad been hoping that there was some way inwhich Lidunians, settled at a distance, couldhelp to avert the demise of our beloved oldschool.
Unless one subscribes to the Lytham StAnnes Express one has felt quite a bit shutoff from the details of this matter and havelearned only disjointed snippets ofinformation.
I haven’t liked what I have heard, and neitherhave the numerous alumnae of mygeneration. The prospect of the take-over bythis ‘foreign body’, UCST, is dismal, as istheir plan to remove the emblems of bothKES and QMS.
The symbol of Excalibur as the emblem ofKES has been known for over a century.Together with the motto “Sublimis ab Unda”it epitomises the concept of the resurgencewhich the Lytham Schools Foundationembodied to the Borough in recognition ofits origins in the Charities raised in responseto the great storm of 1729.
The crest and motto celebrated theEdwardian admiration for ancient Englishchivalry with its spirit and symbolism of thesword rising from beneath the waves chimingwell with the teachers and pupils of a newschool, an “educational Camelot”
The Old School song had the lines - - -“School of King Edward, School by the Sea,Dear to our hearts will thy name ever be”
What will be left of the memories and livesenriched by a school tradition now trashedby an unsympathetic takeover – even thename is besmirched with abasement to asecondary role?
I left KES over half a century ago – a secondgeneration pupil. I was imbued by itsstandards and traditions which have livedwith me to this day – and I am extremelygrateful for all it brought me up to know, tobelieve and to behave.
I know that many other Old Lidunians areas appreciative as me of its wonderfulinfluence, not just scholarship but a roundededucation in the true sense of the word, fromthe library to the playing field, from theclassroom to the high street; an innate senseof responsibility, fair play dignity and fun.
Are such noble ideals to be drowned in thegrubby opportunism and obliteration ofdignity seen in the arrangements for theproposed AKS?
Ex-pupils support
18 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
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St Annes Town Centre, next to B&M Bargains
Open 7 days. Tel 711167
New homecooked menu with special offers
Breakfast SpecialsFull breakfast £4.75
Bacon/ sausage £2.50
Homemade SoupsWith artisan bread £2.95
Combo with sandwich £4.50
Omlettes with various fillings and salad£3.50
Clockhouse Cafe and Beach Terrace Cafe
support the KEQMS Independent Future
Lytham shrimpsserved with artisan bread
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20 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
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22 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
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The Lancashire Eye Clinic provides a state of
the art service, using up to date diagnostic
surgical techniques and equipment, some of
which are not widely available in the UK, which
is why our patients travel far and wide for our
services.
A successful outcome is the most important
factor at Lancashire Eye Clinic. We offer a
comprehensive range of services, which
ensures that the most important solution is
offered.
With our one on one consultation we believe
that our service is second to none and that our
competition aspires to the high standards of
service which we set.
Our ophthalmology services include:
Cataract surgery
Oculoplastic surgery
Glaucoma surgery
Refractive surgery
Corneal surgery
Vitero-retinal surgery
Eye muscle surgery
Eyelid surgery
Macular degeneration
DVLA testing
Injection free treatments
Our consultant Mr Raines offers a highly
comprehensive service and the risks and
benefits of the various treatment options will be
discussed on a one on one basis.
Contact the Lancashire Eye ClinicTel: 01253 730 302
9 Lowther Terrace, Lytham, FY8 5QGwww.lancashire-eye-clinic.co.uk
The Lancashire Eye Clinic
25www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
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26 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
The position of the Lidunians is as follows:
Notice of the AGM and the Agenda were sent
out prior to the meeting. The motion deploring
the lack of consultation, the terms of the final
package and the handling over of the school to
UCST was properly proposed, seconded and
carried unanimously, production of the press
release and letter of objection to the Charity
Commission was put into the hands of David
Coupe, a member with legal expertise to ensure
balance and accuracy.
As I said in my FOCUS message it is to be
expected that some Lidunians will favour the
merger. To date I have had one communication
in favour and around a hundred specifying that
they are strongly opposed.
Reasons given include:
Sympathy for parents who had contracted into
a school of their choice with the objectives and
ethos that they valued, only to have this changed
without consultation.
An Arnold Head, and Bursar, will reflect Arnold's
objectives and ethos.
The placing of Arnold's name in front of KEQMS
for which permission had to be sought.
The loss of 'Q' representing Queen Mary from
the new website (AKS).
Concern that the UCST's record with schools
offers nothing to reassure.
With all this happening on a campus that owes
its origins to the desire of the Lytham Charity
to provide schools for the people of the Lytham
St Annes area, one can understand the real fear
that KEQMS will not survive.
Dr Jill Richards,
Chair, Lidunians
Don Ellis (1942-50, KES)
I read the details of the deceitful andtreacherous action of the school governors inagreeing to the proposed takeover of theSchool by, of all organisations, a Church trust.
To compound the matter, subsuming theSchool to a larger unit whilst forgoing its ownidentity, leaves me appalled.
The combining of King Edward VII withQueen Mary's was pragmatic,understandable and sought to maintain thelevel of opportunity for the present andfuture children of the local community. Thenew proposal appears to be political but, dueto the secrecy when dealing with the futureof so many children, leads me to questionthe motives of the individuals particularly asthe power over policy would be exercisedfrom many miles away. Keeping matterssecret alone makes me wonder what theindividuals concerned are really after.
As the Charities Commission is supposed tocare for the beneficiaries of the charity, theymust surely have raised questions. Who didthey ask, what questions did they ask andhow did they verify the answers?
Even if I appear to be politically incorrect, Ibelieve the traditions built up over manyyears of excellent tuition academically andmorally, should be defended. I fear theactions taken by the Governors may beintended to defeat such socially high targets.
I am pleased to enclose my cheque towardsthe cost of fighting the betrayal of our youngpeople's lives.
From the Lidunians
27www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
Why are we here …..or why are we here ?
Let's just remind ourselves of why we are here
We have an excellent school which has been
producing a very high calibre of results from a
fully comprehensive intake of students .
We have a dedicated staff who worked well
together, as well as with children and parents,
giving their all to the unique project of KEQMS.
The school progressed , modernised and
improved seamlessly , without the need for
management consultants or visiting heads . Year
by year we became educationally stronger and
drew out for ourselves a niche that was
uniquely KEQMS
Decisions emerged from the school by consent
and osmosis. We didn't need Head Office to tell
us what to do , or to approve every requisition
whether for computers or toilet paper.
We supported and were supported by the local
business community. We were a significant part
of the local economy .
We offer a good range of subjects and believed
in choice , not a limited 'tram track' one size fits
all curriculum . Our vision is to expand the
curriculum and allow more , not LESS individual
academic pathways. We never forget every child
is an individual.
We believe in developing the school in harmony
with its ecological habitat . To preserve the best
of the environment for both students and our
neighbours.
We will ensure any future development to be in
harmony with the present objectives, and to
abide by previous undertakings to statutory
authorities and the neighbourhood.
We will be a good neighbour.
We remember every parent has a choice. You
entrust us with the future of your child , we
undertake to work in partnership with you to
produce a fully rounded individual . We will not
force your child to make choices against his/her
best interest .
We will not deliver edicts from on high , we will
never promise the earth, nor will we ever
deliver chaos ( let alone doing both at the same
time ) .
We want to be a family -orientated school
where everyone is a valued individual , not a PIN
number in a remote control.
Most of all we want to serve our home
community . To provide the very best education
we can, and provide the social support to open
the school to all who have the wish to attend
and the motivation to succeed.
KEQMS was never intended to be a
reincarnated 50's Grammar School , or an elite
socially selective establishment separated from
the lives of ordinary people. It was a school for
all who wanted . A school with the strength to
succeed and the will to serve.
A school for the community , run by the
community , to educate the local community
regardless of ability . That was the vision of the
Lytham foundation all those centuries ago , and
still is the vision we are fighting for now.
KEQMS - as it is, and as we hope it will be
28 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
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Wishing Good Luck for an independent KEQMS
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We believe in independence
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It is elegantly furnished, and there are plenty of toys
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Liz and Kim support the campaign to keep KEQMS Independent
CHRISTMAS COTTAGELuxury Self-catering Holiday Cottage on Warton Street, Lytham
If you have friends or family who need
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29www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
30 www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
When it’s gone - it’s gone for good
We have noticed from several of the comments
on our site that some parents believe that it is
inevitable that UCST will eventually succeed in
their plans to merge the two schools. It is
understandable given some of the
communications from UCST claiming that they
are confident that the decision by the Charity
Commission will be upheld.
We wanted to assure you that we are receiving
the very best legal advice for this campaign and
are confident that we have an excellent case to
present. The core group have been working
somewhere in the region of a combined 200
hours per week to put together the educational
vision of the future for KEQMS, the financial
outlooks for the next ten years and plans for
the transition of the school back to
independence. We have also spent an enormous
amount of time fund raising and on our legal
case.
We are normal people who all have day jobs. We
can assure you that we would not spend our
time on this or spend the generous donations
of parents and supporters unless we thought we
had a good chance of winning this case. We are
not pursuing this out of some kind of vendetta
against UCST or the KEQMS governors, we
continue because we firmly believe that an
independent KEQMS is a completely viable
alternative, both educationally and financially.
The plans we presented at our recent meeting
at Fylde Rugby Club speak for themselves. We
are passionate and committed but we are not
idiots. If we believed for one second that this
was a hopeless case or that the school could
not survive we would not continue.
However – it is not a hopeless case, the school
can flourish and we will continue
We have also heard that some parents believe
that if UCST win, the effect of our campaign will
allow parents a greater say in how the school is
run. Remember, the UCST school will have the
same governors of old – did they listen to
anything we had to say? There is a real anomaly
in independent education (unlike state run
schools) where the people who own the school
have absolutely no obligation to listen to
parents views and can run the school how they
wish. This has been clearly highlighted over the
last 5 months. We want to change that.
Do not be fooled into thinking you will have
more influence going forward.
We would question the UCST claim that they
have a ‘mandate’ from parents to move ahead.
We have already highlighted that less than a
third of the parents from both schools decided
to complete the online consultation. We can
speculate as to the reasons but one thing we
are certain about is that on two separate
occasions we have asked the KEQMS governors
and UCST to hold a ballot of KEQMS parents
to decide on independence. On both occasions
we have been refused. We asked that an ‘Option
6 – an Independent KEQMS’ be put in the
recent consultation paper and we were refused
yet again.
These continual refusals demonstrate that
UCST are worried about where the real
majority is.
Rather than pursue a costly legal battle we
would much prefer UCST to work with us to
transition KEQMS back to independence under
the control of The Lytham Schools charity and
the parents group.
Once again we urge UCST to consider this
carefully.
31www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk
HOW CAN I DONATE?
1 Via credit or debit card.
Go to www.NoToTheTakeover.co.uk and click on the donate button
2 Via internet banking
Log on to your account and transfer to
Bank - Santander
Sort Code - 09-01-28
Account Name - Save KEQMS
Account No - 7083108
3 Via cheque
Please send your cheque, in the addressed envelope provided, payable
to ‘Save KEQMS’ to 17 Balmoral Road, St Annes, FY8 1ER.
Name...........................................................................................................
Address........................................................................................................
.....................................................................................................................
Postcode......................................................................................................
Can you help us?We ask that you consider donating to help us keep
KEQMS independent. Every penny helps.Our suggested donation is £25, or more if you can.
The Parents Group continue to fight the takeover. Please help us.
This is a real ‘David and Goliath’ struggle. We are a group of parents, ex-staff, ex-governors and
former pupils who are funding the legal appeal ourselves. Our legal fees may exceed £50,000. To
win we need to raise this money quickly. We are fighting against three opponents (UCST, Lytham
Schools Trust and the Charity Commission) and their highly paid legal teams. This is an unequal
struggle which we will lose without the financial support of parents and Lidunians.
We have a solid case that has a good chance of success. We are still as passionate as ever to save
our school and see it returned to its rightful position – independent and a part of our strong and
caring community.
�
Can you help?
An Independent KEQMSKing Edward VII and Queen Mary School, Lytham
If we lose the appeal - we lose the schoolKEQMS will cease to exist
The 100 year heritage and tradition of an independent Lytham school
will be lost forever
If we lose the appeal - we lose the schoolKEQMS will cease to exist
The 100 year heritage and tradition of an independent Lytham school
will be lost forever