Two Dudley secondaries will be bulldozed and replaced with ’super schools’ while another will shut forever under a £200 million overhaul revealed today.
Pensnett High is set to close while Holly Hall Maths and Computing College and The Crestwood School will reopen as brand new academies.
Educational bosses today unveiled their vision for the future of secondary education in borough which will also include major revamps at other dilapidated schools including Castle High, Coseley, Ridgewood, Pedmore and Leasowes secondaries.
The popular Hillcrest School in Netherton will be expanded to cope with an extra 30 pupils per year group. The overhaul will be funded through the national Building Schools for The Future initiative (BSF).
Dudley’s cabinet member for education Councillor Liz Walker said: “Although academy schools have not always been my agenda, we will seek to establish two of them in the borough.”
It is thought the council would not have been eligible to receive cash through the BSF scheme. It is expected the plans will be put into action by 2010.
4 Comments
Bigger is not always better.What about the travelling arrangements for those who will have to travel,considering the cut backs on school transport.As a citizen of Dudley I want the best for our children. Is this it? We have no choice but to trust those who are entusted with such a responsibility for the education of our children.
After reading the article about Pensnett High School and Crestwood Senior, being merged as one and an academy built on one site, no doubt the buildings will be bigger and better, but after having to choose a secondary school for my son recently, and having read ofsted reports, how do we know that
academically, this, will make the school a better place to be and learn for all pupils concerned? A large amount of money may improve facilities but what about the teaching and learning? Pensnett School was failing pupils academically not because of the size or age of its buildings
my son is a yr 10 pupil at pensnett school and not the school but the staff have failed him he has know chance . i have begged for meetings with them because my son has had no home work at all .when told my son had walked out of class on a number of occasins an i was never told , when i asked them why “we gave him the benefit of the doubt ” so he was nt getting his education ,he was nt safe! i remember when pensnett school was ,was a school to be proud off ,when MRS Ascott AndMR Bainbridge were there my older son struggled with his school work but they and their staff gave him a future . both mine and my partners family went to pensnett school . dont bulldoze the school replace the staff and give pensnett high school pupils the chance they DESERVE!
i dont think all the staff r 2 blame as sumtyms students dont give them a chance i am a student and i still dont like the idea but u cor blame the staff