Schools decision has to be the right one

Posted By: Dale Mulgrew
Date Posted: 05/06/2007

Building Schools for the future – a phrase of controversy of late if you are a parent with a child in the Rochdale education system, but for those who are unaware this is a government investment programme to revitalise some of our ailing secondary modern buildings.

Let me add that I was elated that Rochdale’s bid to qualify for the programme was successful before Christmas and this equates to the Borough’s schools having a jackpot of £156 million to share, which will make an enormous impact. We need to spend this money wisely to ensure the future provision of secondary education will continue to bring success in academic standards and drive high attainment in pupil development – also it is vital that we put our pupil’s education first instead of saving money.

The final report on how to best spend this money from the council’s schools service was presented to the Cabinet last week. This affirmed that the preference for one of the most controversial elements of the programme – the new school for Rochdale South - amalgamating Balderstone and Springhill secondary schools – was to host this new school at a remodelled building on the site of Springhill.  I was furious and puzzled when I heard this news. The rationale as outlined before about schools and the community and the future strategy for an entire neighbourhood seems to have been eliminated.  I must make the clear point that both schools serve our community well – the point being that there is clearly not enough pupils to have 2 fully functioning schools so close.  It would be amiss of me not to mention some of the positive points at Balderstone.  I am simply against ripping the heart out of the Balderstone community by building housing on that site – we do not want to lose the excellent sports facilities including the climbing wall and sport’s hall.  Over a thousand local people use these facilities every week and to lose this would be a travesty!  The programme of activities at the school is far reaching including adult classes in languages and vocational subjects like IT, painting etc.

The site at Springhill would be better used for a training facility for Council Staff, Councillors and would be an excellent facility for all the new staff at the Kingsway Business Park.  The report discounts the idea that the Springhill site could continue to exist as a learning establishment, but transformed into an adult learning and training centre helping people to re-skill into employment by the virtue of a prime location on the cusp of a new business park. The council itself spends huge sums of money on training and training venues, a better use of your money would be to create such a new centre and save on vital resources.

This is a decision which needs to look at education first; education is the lifeblood of our community and has a far wider reach than beyond provision for the under 16’s and can provide social mobility. That opportunity for people of all ages, abilities and ranges should be offered if they want to opt in, and we should opt in for the Balderstone site.

Councillor Dale Mulgrew