WHAT’S in a name? Quite a lot if you are the head of St Paul’s school.
There are 14 St Paul’s schools in Manchester and the surrounding area - of every type, size and denomination.
And directory enquiries, the post office, parents and even, on occasion, the police don’t seem to know the difference.
Don Berry, headteacher of St Paul’s primary, Withington, Manchester, said: “We spotted a man with what turned out to be an air rifle in woodlands at the back of the school and rang the police.
“Unfortunately, they went to St Paul’s school in Prestwich, Bury.”
The head - who used to be the deputy head at St Paul’s, Stockport - als discovered when going through his budget that the school was being charged for supply teachers who had never set foot in the place. They were in fact based at St Paul’s high school up the road. Funnily enough, the other St Paul’s hadn’t noticed.
The school has also been forced to deal with a deluge of misdirected mail.
And it doesn’t help that there are two St Paul’s churches, both on Wilmslow Road - the same road as the school.
Mr Berry said: “It certainly seems to be the most popular school name in the area.
“Well, St Paul was famous for his travels. And we have our own road to Damascus - the road to Old Trafford.”
