CYP Now - Interview: Pushing state boarders - Melvyn Roffe, chair, StateBoarding Association

For most people, the Labour party's recent commitment to expanding the state boarding sector came as a shock. Melvyn Roffe was one of the few people who had seen it coming - but even he had to do a double take when he finally witnessed the Government's proposals earlier this year.

"Although it wasn't entirely a surprise, I was still a bit taken abackto see it in black and white," he says. "But I was very pleased becauseI think it was the first time that any political party has recognisedthat boarding schools have a value to the overall system of educationand social care in the country."

Roffe is headmaster of Old Swinford Hospital, a state school nearBirmingham where more than 50 per cent of the pupils board. He is alsochair of the State Boarding Association and in this role he is enjoyingan ever-closer relationship with ministers and education officials.

The association represents the interests of the 35 state boardingschools in England and Wales and for the last few years it has beentrying to persuade the Department for Education and Skills to raisetheir profile and to make them accessible to a broader range ofchildren. In particular, Roffe has been calling on the Government toopen the state boarding sector to vulnerable children whose parentscan't afford the hefty accommodation fees.

Register Now to Continue Reading

Thank you for visiting Children & Young People Now and making use of our archive of more than 60,000 expert features, topics hubs, case studies and policy updates. Why not register today and enjoy the following great benefits:

What's Included