Warwickshire News Mine

If it gets the go ahead, the brand new school would receive up to £30 million in funding and provide significant numbers of young people in Nuneaton with a better education from September 2010.

The six week consultation is an important opportunity for the community to comment on the proposal and shape the plans for the proposed Academy to replace Manor Park School and Alderman Smith School.

Warwickshire County Council yesterday published a consultation document to parents, governors and staff of the two schools concerned, as well as to schools, libraries and the wider community. It is available on the county council website at http://www.warwickshire.gov.uk  The consultation invites the views of anyone interested in the proposal to email academyresponses@warwickshire.gov.uk or write to the county council.

The county council is holding public meetings on Monday 5 October at Manor Park School and on Wednesday 7 October at Alderman Smith School. These meetings will give the public the chance to talk directly to representatives from both the county council and its education partner, North Warwickshire and Hinckley College.

Mark Gore, head of service, transforming education at Warwickshire County Council, said: “The West Nuneaton Academy proposal is central to our purpose of delivering strong, popular and successful schools across Nuneaton.
“The consultation document shows how the Academy can tackle under-achievement, bring in much needed capital investment and address the problem of surplus places.

“It also sets out our exciting vision of how North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, working with the county council, will use its experience and expertise to deliver higher standards and opportunities for young people in the area.

“While other academies have gone down the route of bringing in a private sponsor, we have carefully selected a strong educational partner, North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, which is rated as Outstanding by Ofsted.”

North Warwickshire & Hinckley College, the sponsor of the proposed Academy, is working closely with the county council to support the consultation process. During the six week period the College is putting in place a number of mechanisms to help people find out more about the plans, including a dedicated section on its website, http://www.nwhc.ac.uk/academy, an information leaflet, a visit to an up and running Academy and a telephone hotline to answer any questions.

Marion Plant, Principal and Chief Executive of North Warwickshire & Hinckley College added: “Over the next few weeks we will be working very closely with our colleagues at the county council to support the consultation process and ensure that as many people as possible understand our vision for the proposed Academy.

"I firmly believe that an Academy is a fantastic opportunity for Nuneaton - it will make a positive difference to the lives of youngsters in our town by providing a high quality and inspirational learning experience to raise standards and transform lives.”

The four page information leaflet produced by the College, which is being sent to parents and carers of pupils at Alderman Smith and Manor Park schools, as well as local community groups and other stakeholders, details the vision for the Academy, the features and benefits it would bring to Nuneaton and the role of the College.  It also provides information about the consultation process and how to take part. Copies of the leaflet are available online at http://www.nwhc.ac.uk/academy

A visit to the Thomas Deacon Academy in Peterborough will enable those who have not had experience of an Academy see for themselves what can be made possible through this type of school. Taking place on Monday 5 October, parents, pupils and staff are among those who will be invited to join this exciting fact-finding Academy trip.

The College is also launching an Academy telephone hotline to answer any questions about its involvement in and vision for the proposed Academy. The hotline will be staffed Monday to Friday during October from 9.30am - 4.30pm.

Mark Gore added: “It is vitally important that the community understands the benefits that an Academy would deliver, makes its voice heard and seizes this opportunity to shape one of the most exciting schools improvement plans that Nuneaton has ever seen.”

“If the Academy becomes a reality, the town will benefit from a one-off, massive investment in young people’s education that will put pupils on a strong footing for the future,” concluded Marion Plant.

Link to WCC