Scrutiny panel gives school lifeline

A Black Country school which is facing closure has been thrown a lifeline, with more discussions on its future set to take place.

A children's scrutiny panel looking into the fate of Sneyd Community School in Bloxwich wants to look further into the possibility of turning it into an academy run by a trust.

Members of Walsall Council's children and young people scrutiny and performance panel met last night to discuss recommendations made by the authority's cabinet to close the school.

Earlier in the month, members of the cabinet unanimously backed plans to shut it by August 31, 2012, and decided that a 11-19 academy was not a viable option. They also agreed to a small period of consultation before a final decision was made in September.

But decision made by the cabinet was called in by Councillor Ian Shires, as well as a number of other councillors, and discussed at the meeting last night.

Councillor Shires said: "We want the cabinet to look into the viability of turning the school into an 11-19 option in the further consultation they have ordered.

"There has been a change in portfolio holder since the new leader of the council was put in place and we believe things have changed since the original decision to close the school was made. We are not looking at keeping Sneyd School open in its current form, but to keep it open in the form of an academy run by a trust."

At the meeting Councillor Eileen Pitt agreed saying the scrutiny panel should now ask for further information from the office of the school's commissioner about the viability of turning the school into an academy run by the Ormiston Trust, which has approached representatives from the school.

Members of the scrutiny panel agreed a recommendation to review the outcome of the academy discussions which took place with the Office for the Schools Commission, the headteacher of Sneyd Community School, council officers and the deputy leader, and if appropriate ask that officers have informal discussions with the Ormiston Trust, with the view to progressing an academy at Sneyd.

There was also a recommendation that if in the event that it is decided to close the school, financial assistance with the transitional costs of pupil transfers be provided to parents.

The cabinet is also looking at the possibility of turning the school into a university technical college which would be aimed at 14 to 19 year-olds.

Education bosses have said the school has been failing for years and due to falling numbers, see no other option but to close it.