Merger plan for under-threat school

A closure-threatened Black Country school could be merged with another nearby secondary, it was revealed today.

Struggling Sneyd Community School in Bloxwich, could be combined with Frank F Harrison Engineering College.

Education bosses are looking at a scheme to combine the Vernon Way, school with the college which is located little more than a mile away in Leamore Lane. It is hoped strong leadership from Frank F Harrison could help save Sneyd, which has suffered a string of poor results.

Cabinet chiefs will make a final decision on the school's future on March 18.

Other options include the establishment of a National Challenge Trust school, an acad- emy on the site for 11-19-year-olds, or closure of the school with the significant enlargement of another to establish a 14-19 specialist academy alongside 14-19 or 16-19 provision on the Sneyd site.

But the merger move was backed today by Walsall's shadow leader Councillor Tim Oliver, who said it could be in the best interests of pupils in Bloxwich.

"It is something we are interested in," he said.

"Frank F Harrison is a very well-led school, but obviously any plan could not be to the detriment of existing children at either school.

"Now it's about whether officers can come up with a practical way of doing it.

"Does it mean they work as entirely amalgamated schools, or just with an amalgamated senior team?

"The devil is in the detail. But what we definitely do not want is a situation where children are being shipped all over the borough."

Councillor Zahid Ali, Walsall Council cabinet member for children's services, refused to rule out a merger of Sneyd with Frank F Harrison, but said the matter would be decided next month.

"The Children's and Young Peoples Scrutiny and Performance Panel is due to meet on March 5 when it will discuss the working group's deliberations and consider making further recommendations to cabinet on the future of the school," he said.