School head in

rift with bishops
WESTMINSTER Archdiocese's ill-fated attempts to cut down the number of schools in its central Division One area have run into more trouble with a rift between the headmaster of a Chelsea school and the diocesan education authorities.
The bishops have proposed an amalgamation of St Thomas More School, Chelsea, and the nearby St Edmund's. In a letter to parents of prospective pupils, the head of St Thomas More, Mr Gerard Austin, says: "The Governors, staff and parents are, as the Governors have stated, unable to accept any such suggestion."
Mr Austin quotes a resolution by the school governors which says: "The Governors of St Thomas More with full support of teacher and parent representatives remain unable to agree to implement the plan (of the bishops) as at present formulated."
But the resolution Mr Austin quotes was passed when the Chairman of Governors was Mr Anthony Bartlett. Since then a new chairman, Fr Robert Gates has been appointed. This week the new chairman was not available for comment.
Since Mr Austin's letter, Bishop David Konstant has written to all head teachers of Catholic primary schools in the Central London area to "clarify the situation". Bishop Konstant has also sent round copies of his letter to parish priests in the area.
In the letter, Bishop Konstant explains that a feasibility study group has been set up to investigate the proposed amalgamation. Not until this group has drawn up its report can the governors of the two schools be able to make their final statement.
The implication of Bishop Konstant's letter is that Mr Austin's letter has muddied the waters by claiming a firm decision by his school's governors to reject amalgamation when no such firm decision has been made.