Warwickshire News Mine

The council’s cabinet today agreed in principle to establish an academy and to develop a detailed plan, known as an expression of interest, with a sponsor and the Department for Schools, Children and Families (DCSF). It is proposed that the academy would replace Manor Park School and Alderman Smith School in 2010. A formal consultation will be carried out at a later stage.

The cabinet also agreed to a number of other recommendations for the area including undertaking a consultation on proposals to establish George Eliot School as a National Challenge Trust school from September next year.

A report, Raising the Bar – Narrowing the Gap, was presented to Cabinet on November 6 detailing a major project to raise educational standards, improve school buildings and deal with surplus places in Nuneaton. It was subsequently called in by the Children, Young People and Families Overview and Scrutiny Committee and debated by a special full council meeting on Monday (November 24).

Councillor Alan Farnell, Leader of Warwickshire County Council, said that the council had to grasp this opportunity for Government funding.

He added: “We were put in an impossible position. We could either wait indefinitely for the Building Schools for the Future money, or have £30 million invested now into an academy in an area of deprivation in Nuneaton.

“We had to make an expression of interest to the DCSF at this stage. The Government has confirmed the money is available and our information is that they would only support an academy to replace Manor Park School.

“For a school to serve this part of Nuneaton, any further postponement meant that we could have lost this pot of money and the opportunity to invest.”

Cllr Izzi Seccombe, the council’s Portfolio Holder for Children, Young People and Families said: “It is fantastic news that we have gone a step further to secure this huge investment. This supports our main ambition to ensure that every child has the chance to achieve and become the best they can.

“Education in Nuneaton will now take a big stride forward into the 21st Century, and this will be delivered to some of the most challenged communities in the County.”

The review of secondary provision in the area has been driven by the council’s commitment to raise levels of educational attainment and transform secondary schools in the area. It has been set up to improve results, the condition of school buildings and address the fall in pupil numbers which has brought a high number of surplus places.

The DCSF is supporting the need to look at organisational changes for three Nuneaton schools who fall into its National Challenge category of not achieving the benchmark figure of 30 per cent five A*-C grades including English and Maths.

The Government’s flagship academies are publicly funded, all ability, independent schools established by sponsors working in partnership with the Government and local authorities.

A National Challenge Trust School is a new Government initiative which receives significant additional revenue streams. It is a similar model to the existing Trust School scheme and involves a link-up with a strong educational partner from a high performing school, college or university.

The governors of North Warwickshire and Hinckley College have given a commitment to sponsor the academy, and to continue their partnership with George Eliot School.

Other proposals approved by the Cabinet include developing St Thomas More Catholic School, Hartshill School, Higham Lane School and Etone School on their current sites through the Building Schools for the Future programme. The council is seeking to bring this forward from the planned date of 2013.

Although school standards in Nuneaton and Bedworth have significantly improved this year, attainment levels are still below that of other parts of Warwickshire and the country as a whole. In 2007, 48 per cent of pupils in Nuneaton and Bedworth achieved 5 A*-C GCSE grades compared to 62 per cent nationally.

The council believes that although the gap is narrowing, the status quo will not allow schools to make the necessary progress, particularly those facing the most challenging circumstances.

The local authority is also concerned by the condition of school buildings in the area and wants to ensure that all secondary students, their families and the wider community have access to high quality learning facilities and services.

Link to WCC