Schools shake-up still on the cards
Education chiefs are hopeful that they can still scrap Spen Valley's middle schools.
Plans to reform the Whitcliffe Pyramid and abolish middle schools were under threat following the axing of the 55bn Building Schools for the Future project.
However, Kirklees Council officers are working on proposals to resurrect the plans, despite the lack of BSF money.
It is thought that the reorganisation could cost up to 6m and might be funded from a separate council budget.
Cabinet member for children Coun Ken Smith said that the authority was doing all it could to deliver the changes on time.
"After losing the money to make changes to the secondary schools to accommodate the shift, it might be just possible to make the changes using money from the primary capital budget," Coun Smith said.
"We hope that the knock-on effect on the secondary schools can be coped with and we're still looking at making changes to the primary system where we can.
"Most of the changes from three-tier to two-tier will be hampered by the lack of provision for the secondary schools.
"If the Whitcliffe Mount pyramid can be dealt with separately then we will do that.
"We expect several more decisions to be taken in September and October as well."
On Tuesday, cabinet approved statutory proposals to raise the age limit of pupils at Heaton Avenue First School. It is a necessary step in order to bring all primaries into line and ease the path for future changes.
Council officers met headteachers last week to discuss the situation facing their schools and a letter was distributed to governors.
It praised the recent exam results that saw over 52 per cent of Kirklees pupils achieving five or more top grades, while lamenting the 'opportunities lost' when BSF funding was pulled.
Cleckheaton councillor Kath Pinnock said she hoped that money could still be used to improve primary school buildings that needed it most.
She said: "It's critical that early decisions are made because the worst thing for parents and children is uncertainty.
"Children don't get a second chance at education, so the decision makers have a huge responsibility to make sure that kids' education is not affected by what's happening."
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Cleckheaton
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 15 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 10 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
