New funding bid plan for extra school cash
A SCHOOL which was saved from closure is to be brought back into the city's £250 million Building Schools for the Future programme so it can qualify for refurbishment.
Education leaders at Stoke-on-Trent City Council are considering submitting revised plans to the Government so Trentham is not frozen out of investment in the city's secondary schools.
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But it's not yet clear if the local authority would be given extra funding to improve Trentham's building, or if the cash would have to come from the existing BSF budget.
The move comes just weeks after the school won a reprieve following an intervention by schools minister Jim Knight.
But because the council's executive and members' board had voted to remove Trentham from the programme altogether, a refurbishment had been in doubt.
Since then, Stoke-on-Trent South MP Rob Flello has met Mr Knight to help find a way forward.
The latest developments emerged at a scrutiny committee meeting yesterday, called to discuss the citywide proposals for reorganising secondary education.
Altogether, seven high schools are due to close to make way for five academies. One special school, Heathfield, in Chell Heath, is also facing closure as part of a merger with nearby Middlehurst School.
Ann James, leader of the City Independents, 'called in' the executive's decision to publish closure notices for these schools, prompting a further debate.
Although the notices will still go ahead, the children and young people's overview and scrutiny committee has now drawn up a list of other recommendations, including:
Holding a public meeting for parents, school staff, and governors from all the schools affected by proposals to create an academy in Park Hall.
It would look in more detail at the council's preferred site and whether alternative locations nearby could be considered. This could potentially open the door for the new school to be built closer to Bucknall and Berry Hill.
A further consultation with Blurton families over plans to replace Blurton High with an academy.
Ms James also asked the committee to recommend removing Heathfield School from the closure list, but this motion was defeated.
The committee, however, threw its support behind Trentham High being brought back into BSF.
Ged Rowney, Stoke-on-Trent's director of children and young people's services, said the "expectation" was Trentham would be included in a revised BSF strategy, covering 14 high schools.
Trentham and Hanford councillor Terry Follows, pictured, who is also a governor at Trentham High, welcomed the reassurance.
But he said Blurton families should be give a fresh chance to have their say over the future of Blurton High, now its fate was no longer tied to Trentham.
He added: "The consultation should be about whether they should have an academy or should have a new-build community school."
Ms James also called for a rethink over the location for the Park Hall academy, which is earmarked for an old gasometer site.
This academy would replace Bucknall's Mitchell Business and Enterprise College and Longton's Edensor Technology College, although it could also cater for part of Berry Hill High and Longton High's current catchment areas.
Campaigners have been calling for a new school on either the Mitchell site, or on open land off Wadebridge Road, in Berry Hill, instead.
Mr Rowney said Park Hall would still be named as the proposed academy location in closure notices for Edensor and Mitchell.
But he added: "If an alternative comes up, that sponsors are happy with, and that you are talking about being a few hundred metres away, there's room for manoeuvre."
Related links:
Delay in crunch talks over £250m schools plan
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Minister 'interested' in school alternative
Trentham parents celebrate saving their school
3 Comments
by Julie, Trentham
Tuesday, May 12 2009, 8:25PM
“I would like to thank Roger Ibbs for his support throughout the fight for Trentham.
Roger we weren't aware that Mark had "Gone down to London to plead the case"
Or indeed that you were behind the community all the way. How silly do we feel now to have ever doubted your intentions.
I really hope that Roger and Mark receive all of the attention due to them.”
by Nicky, Trentham
Tuesday, May 12 2009, 5:30PM
“I hope these recommendations by the scrutiny committee are approved as they give all the communities in the South of the city another chance to get their future schools more suited to them. It also gives the council a better chance for a better outcome.”
by Julie, Trentham
Tuesday, May 12 2009, 1:50PM
“I think the council will railroad Park Hall through - even though the cost of decommissioning the gasometer will be exhorbitant - out of spite. I wouldn't be in the least bit surprised if they'd rather waste money than apply common sense and logic and go for the alternative proposed site preferred by everyone but the council.”