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St Helens Council is celebrating news that its bid to create world 21st century schools, which will inspire learning for decades, has been accepted.
The Government’s Building Schools for the Future (BSF) programme will now allocate £150-million to transform the Borough’s high schools.
The programme was launched three years ago and the Council began a Borough wide public consultation seeking residents views on what they would like to see in the new look schools.
This enabled the Authority to draw up an outline draft vision for its schools which obviously impressed the Government.
The Department for Education and Skills has a set process for councils to follow and if St. Helens enters the 2008 programme it will 2012 when the first new school opens.
In the meantime, the Council is planning a further round of public consultation.
Onc of the factors that will have to be taken into account is the projected fall in the number of pupils. By 2012 the Borough will not require as many places and this means the Council can plan to rebuild fewer schools.
Another proposal coming from the Liverpool Archdiocese is change to the current Catholic high schools. Options for future consultation includes:
* A new build Joint Faith (Catholic and Church of England) school for the community in Newton replacing St Aelred’s Catholic Technology College and Newton High School.
* A Joint Faith Academy with the Church of England and Catholic Archdiocese as joint sponsors
* A new build Aided Catholic High School for the community to replace the current St Cuthbert’s and St Augustine’s
The BSF programme will deliver a better future for young people encouraging more educational achievement, better motivation, more staying on for A levels in a high quality learning environment.
The new campuses will provide community bases offering more opportunities for local people. They will provide sports, leisure and cultural facilities, training and community learning.
Susan Richardson, Director of Children and Young People’s Services who says: “Building Schools for the Future is one of the biggest regeneration and investment projects St Helens Council has ever delivered. We are tremendously excited about the potential opportunities that lie ahead and look forward to involving local people in the future discussion and consultation.
