ABSTRACT
Since the early 1970s we have witnessed a marked decline in the school population, and this has brought with it profound consequences for the organisation and structure of schools. Problems have taken the form of agonising decisions as to whether, and if so, to what extent and at what pace, to take surplus school places out of use; whether particular schools should be reduced in size, or amalgamated, or closed down altogether; whether schools which are retained should be rationalised by merger of sixth form provision, by provision of sixth form colleges or tertiary colleges; whether staff capacity should be reduced or redeployed, with potentially damaging effects upon the curriculum; whether, on the other hand, surplus places should be retained through maintenance of pupil capacity at or near existing levels in order to bring about an improvement in staff-pupil ratios, and to provide a residue of capacity to cater for an upturn in the birth rate and a subsequent rise in pupil numbers. These are merely some of the choices which have been faced by educational administrators in the light of falling rolls: there are many others.
