Senior member of Wirral Council’s ruling cabinet slams secondary schools revamp plan

Oct 7 2009 by Liam Murphy, Liverpool Daily Post

A SENIOR member of Wirral Council’s ruling cabinet has attacked the authority’s flagship plans to revamp secondary schools as “deeply flawed”.

Wirral Council last week agreed to begin consultations on plans to create two new academies in Birkenhead, including a brand new all boys school.

But former Liberal Democrat group leader and cabinet member Stuart Kelly said the plan for the boys academy “lacks sufficient ambition for raising the aspirations and prospects of the children”.

The proposals would see one mixed-sex academy and one boys’ academy for pupils currently at Park High, Rock Ferry High and Ridgeway High schools.

The academies plan arose out of the council’s ongoing review of schools in the face of falling pupils numbers.

But Cllr Kelly said: “I believe the proposals are deeply flawed and may actually damage the educational prospects of Birkenhead children for years to come.

“I am concerned that no evidence has been presented on the demand for a boys-only school in Birkenhead by parents and pupils, and I believe David Hughes’s prospectus for how the school will operate lacks sufficient ambition for raising the aspirations and prospects of the children he seeks to attract.”