There is a nostalgic regret in the thought of all the consequent decline that may ensue for the smallest village schools, but that will be a short-lived thing that cannot stand by comparison with the opportunities in life a fuller education may bring for the schoolchildren.
Accommodating boys and girls aged 11 to 16, there were 137 pupils on roll on the opening day, with the number expected to grow to between 270 and 300 by approximately 1967.
The children came from the villages of Billinghay, North Kyme, South Kyme, Anwick, Walcott, Martin, Timberland and Witham Bank; those from Martin and Timberland had previously been sent to Ruskington Secondary Modern School, but existing pupils there had the option to chose to move over to Lafford, which some did.
The catchment changes, which also affected the secondary modern schools at Ruskington and Billingborough, caused controversy amongst parents in affected areas and governors at the Sleaford Secondary Modern School, where the roll was expected to fall (along with the range of courses) to enable this policy.
[19] In 1982, Lincolnshire County Council approved funding for a £105,000 extension at Lafford, to be built in 1983, which added a science laboratory, design and technology room and cloakrooms to accommodate the increasing number of children on roll and deficiencies in the existing science and technology facilities.
[23] The issue of its small roll returned again in October 1986, when a study commissioned by the County Council predicted that Lafford's roll would fall by 17% by 1996, and proposed closing the school in several options for consolidating schooling in the wider Sleaford area; doing nothing was assessed as being the most expensive option.
Two years later, the Council's education officers suggested that some of these schools merge, close or federate to make them more economical.
[39][40] The County Council began consulting parents in 2008 about closing Lafford due to falling numbers.
Despite denials from Watson, parents complained that he had lost "passion" for the school and that St George's "cherry-picked" the most able pupils.