A bright new era of education for 11-16 year olds in Barrow has been agreed today at a meeting of Cumbria County Council's Cabinet.
The decision means a new Academy school will replace Alfred Barrow, Parkview and Thorncliffe schools with a new Academy from September 2009. The Academy will be built on the Parkview School site and the brand new buildings are expected to be up and running by September 2011. Until then the new Academy will be run from the existing school buildings. Today's decision has also approved significant investment in St Bernard's Catholic High School and Walney School so they can be enlarged to provide 1,000 and 900 places respectively.
The total investment in improving education for 11-16 year olds in Barrow will total £30m in what has been billed as a once-in-a-generation opportunity to provide the best possible education for young people in Barrow.
The decision to revamp secondary education in the area was backed up by local views, with consultation revealing that 67% of local people agreed that secondary education provision in Barrow needs to change. During the consultation process it emerged that the most popular option with local people was the so-called Option 1, which involved running four 11-16 schools in Barrow. However, the capital resources (£36m) required to deliver Option 1 would not be available for 8-10 years - meaning the desire for change could not be delivered.
Cabinet has now agreed to proceed with Option 4 (replacing Alfred Barrow, Parkview and Thorncliffe with an Academy and enlarging St Bernard's Catholic High School and Walney School) as it can be implemented over the next 2-4 years. This was the preferred outcome of the vast majority of governing bodies, key partners and stakeholder organisations. It is also being backed by the co-lead sponsors the University of Cumbria, Barrow 6th Form College and Furness College as well local politicians and the business community.
Cllr Jim Buchanan, Cumbria County Council's Cabinet member responsible for children's wellbeing, said:
"We have now agreed a way forward and can start on an exciting path which will transform secondary education in Barrow. The new Academy has the backing of the key figures in education in Barrow. We have taken this unique opportunity to invest in the education of schoolchildren in the area and it will lead to a step change in standards and quality.
"This has been an emotive issue and not all local people support the idea of an Academy in Barrow. But nevertheless it is clear that change has to happen and this decision has the backing of local headteachers and principals. The clock is ticking and two of Barrow’s five schools are in special measures. The educational outcomes for the town’s young people are nowhere near as good as they should be. Over the next decade the number of secondary age pupils is set to continue to fall significantly and many of the school buildings in Barrow are out of date and not suited to modern teaching and learning processes.
"We have attempted to be flexible and responsive during this consultation process. Opposition groups have made alternative proposals and these have been considered by the Department for Children, Schools and Families. However they have made it clear that these alternatives would not be possible. We have to choose a path that can be delivered and that has what has been done today. I hope that all parents, teachers and local people will now get behind the local Academy so that the best possible education can be delivered for local children," said Cllr Buchanan.
Notes
- In autumn 2005 Cumbria County Council set up the School Organisation Forum under the chairmanship of former head teacher Roger Alston to carry out a major strategic review of education in the county.
The review is taking place because the number of school age children is going to fall considerably over the next 20 years - meaning one in three classroom places in the county will be empty by 2017 unless something is done now. The school reorganisation is designed to ensure Cumbria has the right number of schools of the right size in the right place and with buildings fit for education in the 21st Century.
ENDS
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