Bishop's battle to save St George's High

Neal Keeling

January 26, 2007

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Bishop Terence Brain

THE Bishop of Salford has criticised plans to close a successful Catholic secondary school in the city.

The Rt Rev Terence Brain believes education chiefs should re-think a proposal to shut St George's RC High in Walkden.

He has urged council bosses to `find another way' of implementing a city-wide é110m improvement programme, which includes closing the 600-pupil school.

The school has seen its exam results improve to 58 per cent of pupils gaining five GCSEs at grade C or higher, compared to 47 per cent previously.

The Labour-controlled council voted to close the school last year, arguing there were not enough Catholic parents sending children there.

Rebuilt

Yet Harrop Fold school, on the other side of a hedge from St George's and until the past 18 months a failing school, is to be rebuilt at a cost of é25m with Private Finance Initiative cash.

In order to get money from the government's Building Schools for the Future programme the council decided St George's should close but other Catholic secondary schools in the city should be improved.

St Patrick's at Eccles and St Ambrose Barlow at Swinton would be expanded and All Hallows in Weaste would be rebuilt in Langworthy.

Bishop Brain said: "St George's exam results have been improving for years. What has Harrop Fold been doing for the same period? Why keep a school that has not done well open and close one that has?"

DO you support the Bishop's stance? Have your say.

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Richard, Middleton (26/01/2007 at 11:37)

No, the bishop is wrong. Catholic schools should be abolished as they divide the community. He boasts about his school's success at the detriment of the other school. Hardly a Christian attitude! It would be best for public funds to be used for the benefit of the whole community and not a smug few!!

Ace Riley, manchester (26/01/2007 at 12:49)

Yet another nail in the christian coffin we are loosing our identity slowly but surely in britain.

d dolan, ol14 7dn (26/01/2007 at 12:50)

surely the council should have looked at the grading of the pupils before deciding to close either school. has the council looked at this, or have they decided they could get more money by closing the catholic school and using the land for the expansion of the other school.

Michael, Rusholme (26/01/2007 at 14:08)

The grades are irrelevant. Will the Catholic school open its doors to non-catholics, non christians. I don't think so. The local council has to be concerned for the common good of all pupils in Walkden. When it comes to allocating scarse resources they have to think what would benefit the children of Walkden as a whole. It can't allocate funds to a school which refuses to open its doors to all, or one which if it could be persuaded to take in children of other faiths or none, would istill seek to mpose its religious beliefs on them.

Andy, Bury (26/01/2007 at 17:59)

Ace - do you go to church? Do you actively practice a Christian ethos? Most don't. We are a secular state.

I don't actually agree with this closure but it has nothing to do with undermining British identity

Matthew Wright, Castleford (16/02/2007 at 12:19)

The only place Catholic Schools divide the community is northern Ireland and thats because of Politicians throughout histo5ry getting their dirty hands involved

SHELBY, WORSLEY (17/02/2007 at 16:51)

St George's does take non-catholics and provides an excellent education. Slagging off Harrop Fold is not the answer either. Harrop Fold school has had many problems which hopefully are being put behind them due to the hard work of all the staff, pupils and parents. St George's is a small school but an excellent school. However, including St George's there are only 3 high schools in Walkden. Walkden High, St George's and Harrop Fold. Walkden High is consistently over subscribed which has meant that Salford Education authority have altered the intake criteria for this school from September 2007. St Georges, as a Catholic school can if they desire only take Catholic pupils and then there is Harrop Fold. I do not doubt that the reputation of Harrop Fold will improve in the coming years as money is thrown at it just as Walkden High will continue to achieve good results for the same reason and with the new building set to open in 2010. That said if Walkden only has 2 high schools this will mean it has 2 massive schools with children travelling quite some distances to get too school. I do know of parents who have moved their children from Walkden High School because children were not receiving the help they needed because the staff do not have enough time to devote to the pupils who struggle. Unfortunately it now seems that children go to school for an education but if they struggle the parents have to pay for extra tuition or if they can't afford to do this then the child's education will suffer. It is not good enough for any child to be allowed to fail because they are not receiving the help they need. This will become more commonplace as schools get bigger. St George's is a fantastic school which has a great future if the power's that be allow the staff to do their job. TEACH.

zowie, little hulton (23/02/2007 at 16:05)

why is every one dissin harrop fold just coz st.georges may be shuttin down, evn if harrop fold was rubbish and failing iam in year 11 an we are always in the papers coz pupils at st.georges think its our fault, harrop fold is getin better and u must stop thinkin that its rubbish even st.georges isnt perfect in every way, i have freinds who have mates in georges an all the things theye say 2 me like if anyone bullies any one in georges they should put on a blue blazer and go next door i think that georges is snobby with every one thinkin that theie prefect in that skool an harrop fold is well god

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