A new ‘super-school’ will be built, despite the threat of government cuts.
A controversial proposal to merge two schools in Swinton was approved by Salford council’s ruling Labour cabinet yesterday.
Swinton High and Moorside High will be replaced by a new £25m, 1,350-pupil school built on Moorside’s playing fields.
The scheme was first proposed in 2006 but has been delayed due to uncertainty about the Building Schools For The Future (BSF) programme – which was slashed by the new coalition government.
Salford will lose up to £50m from its £165m BSF budget.
Officers from Partnerships For Schools - the quango that manages BSF – yesterday met senior council officers to discuss where cuts might be made, just two hours after the cabinet approved the merger plan.
Swinton councillor Bill Hinds, who supports the move, had earlier told the cabinet meeting: “Local residents are concerned about traffic and hundreds of children roaming around the area. We have ensure that the local authority will do everything to limit the inconvenience.
“But if we miss this opportunity we condemn children from Swinton to being taught in schools that are totally inadequate. We have got to grasp the nettle.”
Derek Antrobus, another Swinton councillor, said: “We don’t want to end up with a situation where two old schools can’t compete against more modern schools.”
The merger has been supported by the 21st Century Learning Commission, an independent organisation assessing local education authorities.
But Swinton High headteacher John Biddlestone has said he would prefer refurbishment of the existing building, and Neil Ogden, headteacher of Moorside, claims parents no longer support the merger.
Moorside has a capacity of 1,060 and currently has around 800 pupils. It is judged by Ofsted to be a good school which is re-establishing itself after a difficult period, including time in special measures.
But a report by the 21st Century Learning Commission said it was ‘not fit’ for purpose.
The school’s preferred option had been for a refurbishment.
Swinton High was named Specialist Arts School of the Year in 2009.
There are 971 pupils on the roll and a total capacity of 1,075. The school has severe maintenance issues with a repairs backlog of more than £1.3m.
John Warmisham, a member of the Salford council cabinet, said: “Swinton deserves a new school.
“Moorside is very old and needs replacing. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”
Nick Page, the council’s acting director of children’s services, said: “We need to be clear the commitment has already been made. It would cost more not to do it.”
neal.keeling@men-news.co.uk
Tweet
Comments
Login or Register to comment
I suppose that there will be a dividend for Salford when they eventually sell off the two present school sites for housing.
Hold on a minute, New school capacity 1350, Currently Swinton 971 + Moorside 800 = 1771 = 421 potential future pupils being shipped to a different school or the New Swinton school being majorly overcrowded !!
Maybe the planners/Learning commission need to re-evaluate.
Why build this school next door to the East Lancs, noisy, dangerous, very busy and not good for your lungs, good luck during the morning rush hour its bad enough now.
Moorside has 800 pupils
Swinton has 971 pupils
Total 1771
New school has 1350 places
i think the council needs a maths teacher
Two headteachers who before the election were intotal agreement for a merger and then thought they would get money to go it alone, this years admissions for both schools are down 50% so merging is the most sensible idea. Parents have been told money is available for both schools and it is not, kids deserve the best in education and should not be the pawns of political one upmanship has is the case here.
It'll be a big school.
Whether it is a super school remains to be seen.
It probably won't be.
I don't think snooty people like the BBC staff coming north will be sending their kids there.
Homogenisation of everything is going steady then. Schools, religions, countries, sports....
I went to Moorside hight and left in 99, the place was falling down around our heads then and my friend who went to Swinton High said thast that place was no better. We used to bake in the summer as the windows wouldn't open, they were that warped.
I am saddened that the only reason for meeting these two successful high schools is the fact Salford gets a new school. It seems that those making these decisions are so blinded by this they are ignoring the views of pupils, parents, staff and governors of the current schools.
A new school does not make a school that parents want to send children or where children wish to go. Look at Harper Green, Oasis and Salford Academy ... all new builds or soon to be built yet massively undersubscribed.
Unlike the the film "field of Dreams", when it comes to schools "if you build it, they will come" definitely does not occur.
Once again, do NOT be blinded by the prospect of a new school.
The headteacher of Swinton High would prefer refurbishment.
Given that a significant proportion of the school was built in 1911, I would think that that is not the best option.