05/08/2010

Council's Cut's Appeal Highlights Pupils' Futures

Leaders of a local council in England are set for crunch talks with Westminster Education Secretary Michael Gove to save Sandwell's schools' modernisation programme from the axe.

Council Leader Darren Cooper and Chief Executive Allison Fraser will be leading a delegation with Mr Gove in London to put the case for Building Schools for the Future (BSF).

They want the Government to reconsider its decision to axe nine projects in the rebuild and refurbishment programme.

The Government sparked confusion last month by mistakenly announcing all of Sandwell's Building Schools for the Future projects could go ahead.

Cllr Cooper said: "I will be pleading the borough's cause and telling the Secretary of State about the harm this decision will do to generations of young people.

"We need to modernise all our schools, not just some, and Building Schools for the Future was delivering this transformation.

"For the scheme to be stopped when we are so far down the line is wasteful, short-sighted and heart-breaking for pupils and parents."

Two BSF schools are under construction in Sandwell, Smethwick and Rowley learning campuses.

The council is currently developing plans for a further three schools, Oldbury Campus, Tipton Campus and Wednesbury Campus. Three academy schemes have been called in by the Government for further discussion.

(CD/GK)

Related UK National News Stories
Click here for the latest headlines.

29 January 2004
More schools gained 'specialist' status
More than half of all secondary schools have now gained specialist status, School Standards Minister David Miliband has announced.
16 February 2005
Specialist schools improving faster than other schools
Specialist schools are performing better than other schools in England, a report by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has reported. The education watchdog found that pupils in specialist schools have performed better at GCSEs since 1998 and the rate of improvement in GCSE results was also faster in these schools.
01 March 2005
Gang culture 'widespread', schools report finds
Gang culture is 'perceived to be widespread' in England's schools, a report by the Office for Standards in Education (Ofsted) has found. The education watchdog said that one in five of the secondary schools visited reported that problems with gangs were perceived although few schools had firm evidence of it.
30 June 2015
Pupil Premium Impact Will Take Time - NAO
The National Audit Office (NAO) has said the full impact of allocating money to schools for poorer pupils 'will take time'. The department's report said the Pupil Premium has 'potential' to bring about a more significant improvement in outcomes. However, it added there was still 'more to do' by schools and government.
15 November 2012
BHA Mount Legal Case Against Faith Schools
The British Humanist Association (BHA) has today begun a potentially landmark high court case aimed at halting what campaigners call the "back-door" spread of new state religious schools through England, approved by councils without residents being given a choice of alternative.