Focus on the work of School Governors Sydney Russell School and its Governors by Councillor David Sterry, Chair of Governors Sydney Russell Comprehensive School is the result of the amalgamation of Parsloes Manor, Erkenwald and Mayesbrook Schools.
Amalgamations are traumatic and can be one of the worst times in any school's life.
The results of a bad amalgamation can be seen at the Ridings School, Yorkshire. Sydney Russell fared better than most but, as a process, amalgamation takes several years, really only ending for us when the first Sydney Russell pupils who started in Year 7 had progressed right through the school. I became Chair of Governors shortly after the untimely death of Joe Butler who had been chair for all of the amalgamation period. The advice and help we received from Isabel, Principal Inspector, Roger Luxton, OBE , and the Chief Education Officer, Alan Larbalestier , was both welcome and useful. The panel considered three candidates, one of whom was Roger Leighton.