Headteacher pleads for school to stay open

8:54pm Wednesday 19th December 2007

Comments (0)   Have your say »

THE headteacher of a school threatened with closure is asking education bosses to rethink their plans in light of a "good" report from Government inspectors.

St George's RC School in Walkden has been earmarked for closure under proposals put forward by Salford Council to reorganise education in the area.

As part of £150 million plans, some schools are being extended and refurbished, while the school on Parsonage Drive is the only high school which takes in students from Bolton, Walkden and Little Hulton, threatened with closure.

The formal consultation is now over and final decision is due to be made in the near future.

Head of St George's RC, Philip Harte is a leading a high profile campaign to stop the school from being shut.

He said: "St George's has been very active for over 12 months trying to persuade Salford City Council to keep our school open. It remains oversubscribed, popular, successful, and well run.

"I would ask councillors to please spare a few moments to read the report. They will see we are a good school' with a number of outstanding features'."

Ofsted inspectors gave the school a grade 2 - good - rating.

The team reported: "Achievement and standards are good. Students make good progress from year seven to 11.

"Over a sustained period examination results demonstrate year-on-year improvement. Staff have established a strong aspirational culture where success is celebrated."

The personal well-being and development of pupils was described as "outstanding" with students maturing into "very well rounded and thoughtful young people". Teaching was said to be "good with some outstanding aspects".

Singled out for praise was Mr Harte for providing outstanding leadership.

School governors were also praised for setting challenging targets and being the St George's RC "critical friends".

Ofsted inspectors concluded that the school has "excellent capacity for further improvement".

Suggestions to further improve the school were to tackling underperformance in a "small minority" of departments, and improve pupils' assessment procedures.

The school said it has strategies in place to address the issues raised.

Mr Harte said: "The consultation process is now over and soon cabinet and possibly the whole council will debate and vote upon our future. I think the results of the consultation process will indicate the very high levels of support to keep us open.

"I ask all council members to reflect upon this report and before important decisions are taken, to consider the consequences of closing such a good school, and serving its community so well, many of which are in areas of considerable deprivation. The Ofsted team visiting, remarked upon how the school's performance was all the more remarkable, because of the local circumstances.

"We at St George's can continue to achieve the results and standards that any other City Council would be proud of. Let us stay iIn Salford please."