Read Online Trouble at the Little Village School by Gervase Phinn - Free Book Online

agree,’ said Dr Stirling.
    ‘And I’ve no objection,’ said Mrs Pocock. ‘It would be nice to have an aristocratical person on the governing body. Adds a bit of class. I just hope her hearing is all that it should be. I used to have to repeat everything loudly for Mrs Bullock.’
    ‘Councillor Cooper?’ asked the major. ‘Are you happy with this?’
    ‘Yes, of course,’ the councillor replied.
    ‘And I take it you have no objection, Ms Tricklebank?’ the chairman asked.
    ‘No,’ the senior education officer replied. ‘It seems a very sensible suggestion.’
    ‘Well,’ said the major, ‘that seems to be settled most satisfactorily and by a unanimous decision. I shall leave it to you, Mrs Devine, to ask Lady Wadsworth if she would consider joining our governing body.’
    ‘I am sure she will be delighted,’ Elisabeth told him.
    The major coughed and tugged nervously at his moustache. The twitch appeared again in his right eye. Having been briefed beforehand by Ms Tricklebank, he knew that the next topic for discussion would doubtless prove controversial. ‘Now we come to the main item on the agenda. Perhaps I might hand over to Ms Tricklebank at this juncture?’
    ‘It concerns the future of the Education Service,’ the senior education officer told the governors.
    Mrs Pocock jolted up in her chair as if she had been bitten. ‘You are not trying to have another go at closing this school, I hope, Miss Tickleback,’ she said.
    ‘Tricklebank.’
    ‘What?’
    ‘My name is Tricklebank, Mrs Peacock.’
    ‘And mine’s Pocock.’
    ‘Well, now we’ve got that sorted,’ said the major, sounding irritated, ‘perhaps we might continue. You were saying, Ms Tricklebank?’
    ‘Sadly, it may be necessary for us to close some of the less viable schools,’ said the senior education officer, ‘but I should stress that for the moment there is no intention to close this particular school; I can assure you all of that.’
    ‘That is good to hear,’ said the Reverend Atticus.
    ‘As I said,’ she continued, ‘this school is not threatened with closure. The changes envisaged concern the future of the whole of the Education Service and it involves some of the small schools in the county.’
    ‘In what way?’ demanded Mrs Pocock.
    ‘If I might be allowed to finish,’ replied Ms Tricklebank sharply.
    Mrs Pocock scowled. The major drew a deep exasperated breath.
    ‘You will be aware that cuts have to be made in the education budget as a result of the declining numbers of children in the county, and that—’
    ‘They’re not declining in this school,’ interrupted Mrs Pocock. ‘If anything they are on the increase. Isn’t that right, Mrs Devine?’
    ‘Yes, it is,’ she replied. ‘In fact six new pupils started at the beginning of the term.’
    ‘Of course, from your point of view this is very good news,’ said Ms Tricklebank, ‘but in other schools the numbers are dropping and in some cases quite dramatically.’
    ‘Well, what happens in other schools is no concern of ours,’ said Mrs Pocock.
    ‘Well, it is, actually,’ the senior education officer told her. ‘There needs to be some reorganisation, with a number of smaller schools combining to make the most effective use of resources.’
    ‘So this school might be amalgamated with another one?’ asked the vicar.
    ‘It is likely,’ Ms Tricklebank replied. ‘They would form part of a grouping or consortium.’
    ‘And when might these amalgamations take place?’ asked the vicar.
    ‘Not until there has been a full consultation with all the affected parties – governors, parents and local interest groups. I should think, if it does happen, it would be at the start of the new academic year.’
    ‘Next September,’ said the Reverend Atticus.
    ‘I should think so,’ replied Ms Tricklebank.
    ‘And were we to enter into this consortium, the school we would amalgamate with would be the nearest one to Barton-in-the-Dale?’ observed Dr