Exeter

Parents of pupils at St Margaret's School in Exeter have taken to social media in an attempt to stave off closure.

On Friday staff were told that a lack of students meant the operation was no longer financially viable.

St Margaret's School has issued an official statement confirming it is to shut.

The Exeter Daily has been told that all staff will stay in place until August 2013.

However, it states that the school is no longer finacially viable.

Parents and pupils have taken to Facebook to express their disappointment after it was revealed that St Margaret's School in Exeter may close.

St Margaret's School in Exeter is set to close. Rumours began circulating this week and, we are told, the devastating news was delivered to staff yesterday afternoon.

A source has told The Exeter Daily that low admissions have forced the decision.

The governors of West Exe Technology College have appointed acting head Vicki Carah as the school’s permanent new headteacher.

Mrs Carah was one of six candidates for the post who were interviewed in a three-day process. She has been acting head since last summer.

Chair of Governors Peter Scott said: “We were extremely pleased by the quality and calibre of candidates.

“A rigorous and transparent interview process, over three days, culminated in the decision to appoint Vicki by the panel of seven governors.

“The panel had tough and challenging decisions to...

Devon and Cornwall Police have developed a safe internet training course for primary schools in Exeter.

The course guides attendees through the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (CEOP) ‘think U know?’ suite of activities for children.

Community safety officer Julia Watton says, “With the internet being used for every aspect of our lives, it’s imperative that children are educated in its uses and safeguarded from its dangers”.

Some of Exeter’s primary schools already have specific teachers trained in this area, but the local policing team wants to offer...

With the recent collapse of Jessops, Comet, HMV and Blockbuster, employees are finding themselves in a situation where they are having to assess their rights and entitlement.

Employee Rights

There is a difference between an employer being in liquidation and administration. If your employer is in liquidation, there is no continuing business and you will have no job. Where your employer is in administration, an administrator will be appointed and will be brought in to see if the business can be kept alive and whether a buyer can take over the whole of the business.

...

Cold weather across the West Country is likely to drive more birds into gardens in their search for food. It could mean bumper numbers of garden birds seen in the RSPB’s annual Big Garden Birdwatch this weekend.

Devon & Somerset Fire and Rescue Service helped to free a man from his car following a road traffic collision near Countess Wear in the early hours of this morning.

Fire crews responded to a call at 2.14am, sending one fire appliance from Topsham, one fire appliance from Middlemoor and the Heavy Rescue Vehicle from Middlemoor to the scene.

One male was released from the vehicle by Fire Service personnel using small tools and a spine board. The casualty was then taken to hospital by ambulance.

Anyone hoping for a weekend of sledging and snowball fights will be bitterly disappointed.

Despite many parts of the UK being affected by the wintry weather, the forecast for Exeter over the next few days is wet and windy.