CONTROVERSIAL plans are being drawn up to replace a run-down Salford secondary school with a £20m state-of-the-art city academy.
Some of the buildings at Canon Williamson C of E high school in Eccles - where just one in four pupils reached the government benchmark of five or more A*-C grade GCSEs - are run down.
But now school chiefs are drawing up plans to close the school and replace it with the Salford Academy, which would bring with it revamped facilities and greater freedoms to deviate from the strict structures of the National Curriculum.
Unlike traditional state-funded schools, city academies benefit from private sponsorship as well as government funding.
They are run independently from the local education authority and can vary the terms and conditions of teachers' employment.
The United Learning Trust - set up by the Church Schools Company to run the Manchester Academy - has already agreed to be the main sponsor of the project, which also has the backing of Salford Council and the Church of England diocese and has been given the initial go-ahead from the government.
Reality
But teaching union leaders remain critical, preferring that the school remains within the local authority and all teachers across the city's schools stay employed on the same terms and conditions.
Formal financial and feasibility plans are already being drawn up and - subject to government approval - the academy could become a reality within three years.
Neil Whitehead, head of Canon Williamson, believes the new city academy will build on the strong foundations already established by the school.
"This is welcome news which should be a real boost to education in this area," he said. "We're currently a Church of England high school, serving the Peel Green and Eccles communities, but we also receive students from all over the city.
"We have recently become a very successful and increasingly popular school and the new status will give us the opportunity to build further on this success."
"And Coun Keith Mann, Salford council's member for education, said: "This is a great opportunity to bring the best possible educational opportunities to this part of Salford."
The 750-pupil school will cost around £20m to get up and running.
The new academy could be open as early as September, 2005, with the new building open by September, 2006.
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As a pupil of the old school canon williamson i think it is very good to build this new school
I think it is an excellent idea! I am also a pupil from Canon Williamson, unfortunately i wont be here when it becomes the academy.
i go 2 c of e now and i think its a brill school and we do FAB shows which i hope they will be carried on to the new academy i excited but sad to leave c of e !!!
For your infomation canon williamson is not a 'run down secondary school'. It is a brilliant school where pupils are encouraged and supported by talented adults in all areas. However, I do agree that the academy will be better.
I am a former pupil of C of E High Sch. i spent only a year in the School and i got the grades i didnt expect to get. And that is what is called a Brilliant. Beauty of a school does not matter but having the best teachers and the good facilities to use matters. I got the grades because in the school i have the best teachers, good facilities and a good hardworking year. When talking about the best schools in salford...bring it on Canon Williamson Church of England is the best!!!
c of e is mint i go there now and we do do mint shows soph ur rite. the academy will b mint but c of e is da best up2 now
while i was there(95-00)the school was pretty run-down, and the buildings were falling apart, i haven't been past the school for a few years now so i haven't seen the changes.
as former students of C of E we can honestly say it was and always will be a hole
The figure quoted in this article of 1 pupil in 4 achieving 5 or more A* to C grades is incorrect.
The true figure was almost 60%.
da academy will b top! cannon williamson is a top scule and its gunna b better next year, shame a wont b der 2 go der coz am in me last year but the scules got gud teachers n well organised! loy (ian)
I am in year 10 of Salford City Aademy and it the best school ive ever been to i have the grades i always wanted and i know through year 11 my grades will get higher because of the great teaching we get.Unfortunately our new Academy has not been built yet so were still in the old building, i am looking forward to goind into the new building.
State of the art ( overused meaningless cliche ), for ??20 million, i find that hard to believe. If its going to look like the rest of the 'acadamies' ( educational warehouse )it will be a mess.Theres a recent report about an academy down south, and its failing badly.