Stoke-on-Trent school offers degrees to residents

ADULTS could be taking degrees and other higher education courses at a high school under radical plans to improve skills in the community.

Sandon Business and Enterprise College, in Meir, is in talks with Staffordshire University and hopes to draft in university staff to teach programmes on the school's site.

Potential students could include pupils' parents, young mothers, and people who have either been made redundant, or who want to retrain for new jobs.

Sandon is thought to be the first school in the city to look at hosting degree courses for residents. Previously, they have either been taught on university campuses, through colleges or workplaces, or via distance learning.

The plans are part of Sandon's bid to become the first trust school in Stoke-on-Trent, which will mean it has more freedom over the way it operates.

Its trust partners will include both Staffordshire and Keele universities, who will also be offered seats on Sandon's governing body so they can spread their expertise.

Headteacher Barbara Hall, pictured, said: "It will be about raising aspirations.

"We want more young people to progress to university.

"We are also looking at adult learning, including access courses and degree courses. We want to support adults back into the education system through this.

"Sometimes, people are put off going to university and see it as a step too far. But if the course was offered in their local community, at their local school, they might do it."

The higher education could take place during normal school hours, with a crèche available so full-time mothers can fit studying round their childcare commitments.

Other work to grow out of the trust partnership could include getting more university students to mentor schoolchildren so they see university is within their grasp.

And school staff could be teaming up with Keele University academics to investigate different teaching strategies and to carry out research in the classroom.

The Government has now approved the first stage of Sandon's trust school application.

Miss Hall said becoming a trust school would not mean breaking away from local authority control or changing the school's admissions policy.

Instead, it would involve creating a charitable trust, which could oversee the school's land and buildings and also have an input into curriculum development.

The school would still be funded through Stoke-on-Trent City Council.

Paul Richards, deputy vice-chancellor of Staffordshire University, said: "We are delighted that Sandon High School is moving forward in its bid to become a trust school.

"This is an exciting opportunity for us to work creatively with the school, and the community it serves, and is part of our strategy to provide higher education provision where people want it most."