So after the lies and half-truths from Labour about a “merger” and a “new Catholic High School” – which by complete coincidence coincided with the local election period (don’t worry Cllr Merry, I still have your leaflets) – the truth about the future of St George’s High School has emerged this week. It’s no surprise to learn that our Labour Council wants to close the school down completely after all.
Staff, parents and pupils at St George’s, and local residents in the wider community are right to feel that they have been singled out and picked on. Since the Building Schools for the Future programme was first dreamt up two years ago, almost everything on the agenda has been altered in some way or other, but the zeal of Cllrs Warmisham and Merry to close a very successful school serving local children across Walkden and Little Hulton is undimmed.
The attitude from the ruling Labour Group towards parents, staff and pupils at St George’s has been nothing short of appalling from day one, and I am disgusted that supposedly experienced Councillors have continued to demand the closure of a very good school rather than risk the humiliation of thinking again – even though it would be in the best interests of children and parents in this City.
As a ward Councillor for Walkden South, St George’s continues to have my full support. The Council continue to deny local residents their chance to have a full say on the proposals, and have refused to call a public meeting as part of the new consultation process. I believe that parents should be able to have their say, and it is typical of our Labour Council that they refuse to hold a meeting just because they know that the feedback is likely to be unfavourable.
Is this not just typical of the Labour Run Council. They will not listen to the community and have a short memory. As a result of their meddling eight years ago another successful school was forced to close resulting in the merged school rapidly going into special measures from which it has only recently recovered. The amount of damage caused to the education of children in the interim is immeasureable. However the Education Authority are adamant that another successful school (St Georges) must close. That would fit in nicely with the plans to fill the still surplus places in the local newly built PFI school recently opened in September. Seems extremely ironical to me however as the reason given for closing the two schools in 2000 was to address the problem of surplus places. Sack the lot of them and put someone in charge that is more concerned about the education of children and not just the financial implications.
I sometimes despair Ian of whether you can understand the simplest things even after it has been explained to you. At the meeting it you attended it was in answer to your question pointed out that Ambrose Barlow had approval for a sixth form and therefore if the school opened under that name it would mean that parents would be served by a new sixth form. You apparently would rather sacrifice this in semantic pointless arguemnts. The fact is the new building is meant to serve the pupils of both schools. As for Labours performance on Education I am proud that this Authority has been one of the most improved Authorities in the Country while I have been Leader and the Average performance of our Schools at GCSE level is above the National Average.
I’m delighted to see that St. George’s continues to have your full support (and that of your party) Iain.
This fight isn’t over yet. This is a fight which can be won, which should be won and which must be won.
It is completely unacceptable to close St. George’s.
Now now, John, you know very well I understood that point fully. Of course you were well aware of the Sixth Form money when you made the original decision back in the spring, and that didn’t stop your local election candidates talking about a “new school”. I have the leaflets.
You say that St Ambrose Barlow is there to “serve the pupils of both schools” but there are over 1350 children at those two schools at present – and they are both hugely oversubscribed.
The provision of sixth form education at St Ambrose Barlow is not mutually exclusive with the continuation of St George’s and you know that very well. Every other aspect of the BSF programme has been changed, so perhaps rather than continue to stubbornly refuse to admit that you got this one wrong you should take another look.
Most Local residents in the vicinity of St Georges school would like to know what planing developements the Council has in mind for any such vacated land if the school closes! i say “if” but considering this Government I probably should have said “when”. Any such plans for developement ?should be displayed for public perusal ?according to the law of the land and could i remind every one in my opinion this present government will not win the next election,as regards the school [St Georges]? where would the pupils be relocated to when it closes,dont try to fix some thing that is not broken