A HISTORIC year of tremendous innovation and brilliant success, despite political interference in education, was reported by head David Hinks, at Towneley High School, Burnley, annual prize giving.

Much of the innovation centred around the school's state of the art Information Computer Technology development, with the creation of wholesale changes in the administration system with Internet access and E-mailing facilities.

"The ICT explosion is with us and at Towneley we intend to be at the forefront,'' said Mr Hinks.

But the year didn't start quite like that. Fewer than the promised total of pupils arrived, with a loss of £30,000 from the budget. On the curriculum development front the task was one of coping with changes in syllabus, changes in exam rules and entry regulations, in other words - business as usual.

Mr Hinks added: "We were deluged by new legislation, much of it contradictory, but that is normal. It's a pity that politicians have never met the maxim: 'If it isn't broken why fix it?'"

The school had an outstanding year in sport, the brass band had a vintage year, another success was the school choir while the school council was one of the best.

Success bred confidence and confidence bred success, with the best GCSE examination results in the history of the school. The results were a stunning achievement

Mr Hinks's champagne moment of the year was in July, when the school band walked out to applause at the Royal Festival Hall, London.

Mr Hinks said the Government wanted specialists schools, but he was still a believer in balanced education which met the needs of the individual. At one extreme, Towneley had superb ICT facilities, at the other, one of the country's top brass bands, all underpinned by the Towneley trade mark, relationships.

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