Cabinet to vote on future of education

Jan 10 2008 by Neil Atkinson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOP councillors are set to determine the fate of schooling in part of Kirklees.

Kirklees Council’s Cabinet will be recommended on January 16 to change to a two-tier pattern of schools to raise standards of attainment and provide top quality education and learning opportunities for young people in the Cleckheaton, Birkenshaw and Gomersal area.

A report to the Cabinet follows extensive consultation with parents, schools, staff and governors on the future pattern of schools and education for the Whitcliffe Mount pyramid.

The meeting will be held at Cleckheaton Town Hall, and will start at 7pm

If the meeting approves the two-tier recommendation, the next stage will be to draw up detailed proposals for implementing the changes.

At the moment children transfer from first schools to middle schools at the age of nine, and then to secondary schools at the age of 13. Under a two-tier system they transfer from primary schools to secondary schools at the age of 11.

Clr Jim Dodds, Cabinet member for Children and Young People, said: “The key issues for consultation were switching from three-tier to two-tier, how many high schools do we need for the area – one large one or two medium size ones, and how best to meet the needs of primary pupils.

“We cannot draw up detailed proposals for the latter two until Cabinet makes a decision on the recommendation to move to a two-tier system.

“Raising standards, levels of attainment and achievement, and modernising and improving schools in the area are part of the £400m investment in the coming years in schools across Kirklees under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

“The three-tier system – which only a handful of local authorities in the country still have in place - has served the area for many years, but is now failing to deliver to children educationally the high standards we are striving to achieve.

“The new pattern of schools and learning are aimed to serve the local towns and communities for the next 50 years, so it is vital we get it right.

"It is too early to say which sites will be developed for the new pattern of learning under the reorganised programme.”

Talks with parents and others saw a vote in favour of a two-tier system – 46% backed two-tier as opposed to 31% wanting to keep three-tier education.

There was also more support for having two high schools than one, although that decision will be made when proposals are developed following next week’s Cabinet, as will those for primary education.

Clr Dodds added: “Specific proposals for high schools will be made in the context of the provision across the whole of north Kirklees as part of the schools for the future programme.”