Leavers' Assembly: Son is Headed For Big School

This morning before college day there was a three-line whip to attend Patrick's leavers' assembly at Manley Park Primary School. This is a great school with excellent OFSTEDs including mentions in dispatches.

Things have changed since my day.

Instead of songs from the Sound of Music and blank verse we get steel pans, boxercise to eye of the tiger, massed voices believing they can fly, dramas and natch a leavers' video including just about all the year 6 kids - sponsored by Apple UK.

The down side from my point of view is that through faith schools of all stripes, state selective schools in nearby Trafford, independents and bussing the kids will scatter to the four winds. At least a dozen High Schools I'd reckon.

The school community is rather defined by white flight. Though it has some of the best absolute and value added results in the city. It's their loss as far as I'm concerned.

And while Patrick will host half a dozen of his school mates for a belated Birthday Party on Sunday he may not see most of them much if at all after the strangely orphaned "last day ever" on Monday.