Fireworks in Westbury

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Bristol's love affair with fireworks shows now sign of abating, with numerous fireworks displays planned across the city over the first weekend of November.

Here are the ones local to Westbury on Trym. Feel free to add any I've missed via the comments below.

Canford Park Charity Fireworks Fiesta

Date: Saturday 3rd November

Time: Gates open at 6.00 pm, display starts at 7.00

Cost: £4 in advance from local schools and St Peter's Hospice shops; £5 on the night.

Discounts: Under-threes are free of charge
 
What else: Food stalls with hot and cold snacks. No alcohol on sale, and none to be brought on site.

Bonfire: No. Nor any fairground rides. But there will be an "ambling band" and "a local celebrity." Thank you for asking, but unfortunately, I am otherwise engaged.

Organisers: Bristol Round Table and Clifton Rotary Club

Where does the money go: "Local schools" (not specified), St Peter’s Hospice Shops, Bristol Round Table and The Rotary Club of Clifton. Last year's event raised £20,000 for charity.

Where is it exactly? Here.  No designated parking on site. Those attending are encouraged to walk or take the bus. 



St Ursula's Firework Display

Date: Monday 5th November

Time: Gates open at 6.00 pm, display starts at 7.00

Cost: £5 in advance from the school office or on the night.

Discounts: Pre-schoolers are free of charge. A family ticket is £17 in advance or £20 on the night (2 adults and 3 children).
 
What else: A bar-b-q, snack bar and licensed bar.

Bonfire: No.

Organisers: St Ursula's E-Act Academy.

Where does the money go: The school PTFA. 

Where is it exactly? Here. .




















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St Ursula's to Become Boy's Academy by 2011?

In the aftermath of the general election campaign, during which Charlotte Leslie (MP) announced that St Ursula's School in Westbury on Trym was to begin the process of applying to become an academy, Trym Tales can reveal that plans are at an advanced stage for the independent Catholic School to formally seek academy status from September 2011.

Trym Tales understands that the Merchant Venturers have created a financial and educational plan which, if agreed, would see St Ursala's become a boys-only secondary school, possibly within 16 months.

The proposal for a boys' school on the St Ursula's site would complement the Merchant Venturers other flagship school - Colston's Girls' - which they support as sponsors and which was one of Britain's first independent schools to become a state-funded academy in 2008. It is understood that a "super head" would be appointed over the two schools, under the proposal.

Trym Tales understands that, while the proposed new academy (which would lose its distinctive Catholic identity) would cater for school years 7 to 11 only, the Merchant Venturers would seek at the same time to open a joint sixth form centre which would serve both Colston's Girls' and the new "St Ursula's", resulting in the closure of the sixth form at the Cheltenham Road girls' school.

It is unclear where this sixth form centre would be based, but the implication is that it could make use of the extensive grounds at St Ursula's to create a new purpose-built post-16 centre, which would be co-educational.

St Ursula's has been forced to reduce its junior school provision from this September and to close its nursery following continuing decline in its pupil numbers. The school is understood to be expecting fewer than 200 students attending its Westbury on Trym site this autumn.

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St Ursula's to Become an Academy?

The governing body of St Ursula's School in Westbury on Trym has decided to begin the process of applying to become an academy - a state funded independent.

The news was announced this evening at a packed public meeting at Westbury Methodist Church Hall organised by Parents' Voice - a new pressure group petitioning for a new secondary school for north west Bristol.

The announcement was made by prospective Parliamentary candidate Charlotte Leslie, who has recently been appointed chair of the governors at St Ursula's and was described by Labour candidate Sam Townsend, who was also spoke at the meeting, as a "political coup."

LibDem candidate Paul Harrod, the third Parliamentary candidate to address the meeting, had previously told the 200+ parents present that his favoured option for parents seeking a new school was that one of the local independents should be persuaded to apply to become an academy and that "St Ursula's is the obvious one that might want to consider" such a move.

Charlotte Leslie's carefully chosen statement was that, "I can announce today that St Ursula's will be taking steps to apply for academy status."

The question-and-answer session that followed the speeches revealed that the path for the Roman Catholic independent school to become an academy is far from smooth and that "taking steps to apply" is a long way from a done deal.

Particular issues that will need resolving before St Ursula's could become an academy include:

• does the city council agree that such a move would be desirable?
• what would happen to St Ursula's Junior School?
• who would be the sponsor to such a school?
• would such an academy remain a faith school? What would this mean for local parents who do not want their children to attend a faith-based school?

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