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EDUCATION: Superschool fears 'way off the mark'
THE principal of the new £34 million Thomas Deacon Academy has hit back at critics of the new superschool.
THE principal of the new 34 million Thomas Deacon Academy has hit back at critics of the new superschool.Dr Alan McMurdo blasted claims from governors of John Mansfield, Hereward and Deacon's Schools that the 2,200 pupils arriving at the new school in September 2007 would receive a poorer level of education than they now get at their existing city schools.
It follows a stinging letter sent by the three school chairmen of governors to the Government last month, which was leaked to The Evening Telegraph. The letter demanded action to stop achievement levels from dropping in the first few years of the flagship school.
Dr McMurdo said: "The letter was wildly off the mark, and I did not recognise any of the problems they identified.
"The Department for Education and Skills had a look at everything recently and said everything was on course for the opening of the school.
"I have made several site visits, and it will be the jewel in the crown of education in Peterborough."
He also rejected another of the letter's claims that the sponsors, city manufacturing giant Perkins Engines, which has contributed
2 million to the project, is wielding too much power on the academy's executive board.
He said: "Perkins is an international firm which has a reputation for investing in people and developing the talents of its workforce.
"These ideals are exactly what we are trying to promote at the academy and are the reasons why I got into teaching.
"When you combine Perkins with the Deacon's Trust, the school's other sponsor, a charitable trust dedicated to the educational ideals of Thomas Deacon, then you have a good balance that keeps any one influence from dominating."
But Dr McMurdo's harshest words were directed at those who have claimed the academy will cream off the city's brightest pupils through selection, in particular leaving children from the Millfield area out in the cold.
He said: "I am horrified by this suggestion. We are committed to treating equally anyone who puts the academy down as their first or second choice."
He said the huge school will be split into six colleges of 350 pupils that will each have a specialism – maths, science, technology, communications (English, languages, media), arts and humanities.
Pupils will remain in a particular college for tutor group purposes during their entire time at the school, with a element of sporting and academic competition between each college similar to the "house" system common at private schools.
However, children will move between the colleges during the school day, with the larger departments offering greater choice in
subjects than in the existing schools.
Dr McMurdo added: "We will also enjoy economies of scale because of our size. In things such as sport, it will mean more access to minority sports, such as rowing, while there will also be thriving competition in the most popular ones.
"The dance and drama facilities will also be tremendous and unlike anything the city has seen before."
Dr McMurdo is now looking forward to taking up his new role.
He said: "It will offer fantastic opportunities to the children of Peterborough.
"My job is to bring together the strengths of the three schools and utilise their wealth of experience to help children.
"It is going to be the best comprehensive school in the country, and I can't wait to get started."
Navy inspired Alan to be a teacher
ALAN McMurdo grew up in Edinburgh before leaving to study biology at North Wales University, where he also gained a PhD in plant biology.
He then left to become an officer in the Royal Navy, where he worked as a navigator on supply planes during the Falklands War. During his three years in the Navy, the 49-year-old also taught maths and English O-Levels to recruits while he was stationed on HMS Battleaxe.
He enjoyed it so much, he left the Navy and trained as a teacher at Leicester University before landing his first job at a school in Milton Keynes at the age of 28.
After working in Rochdale, he became a senior teacher at a school in Cowes, in the Isle of Wight, where he was later made deputy headteacher and then acting headteacher.
In 1999, he was appointed head at Prince William School, in
Oundle, and will take up his role at the Thomas Deacon Academy on a part-time basis on January 1.
He is married to Janet, headteacher at Oundle Primary School and who was previously head of Dogsthorpe Junior School.
They have two daughters, Grace (14) and Alice (12), who both attend their father's current school.
Dr McMurdo is a keen runner and will be taking part in the Great Eastern Run in Peterborough on October 15. He also enjoys gardening, skiing, cooking and travelling.
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