Don't rename schools

I particular enjoyed the contribution by Cllr David Lee, the Conservative leader of Wokingham Council including his reference to story from January that I had missed about a primary school run by Sheffield Council dropping the word school to call itself a "place of learning" instead in order to sound less institutional.

"Banning words is not generally a good idea; take for example our friends and defenders of all things good in Sheffield where Watercliffe Meadow Primary School banned the word "school" after governors decided that the traditional description sounded too "institutional". I can suggest an old English word for this kind of nonsense but I think it might not be acceptable in a Localis Policy Platform. Although I am against banning words there are exceptions I would make to this general principal.

These may include "Ideas Stores", usually known to us as "Libraries". Or "Predictors of Beaconicity", otherwise known as "A well performing authority". Or what about "Community Engagement", otherwise known as "Talking to your Residents". I would like to politely suggest to people who undertake Community Engagement that they could get better engagement by talking English to them, they might then get the input they seek."

To read this publication in full, please click here