Shock News for Greenlands December 5th 2012
Two Blackpool high schools are set to merge and become an academy in a new multi-million pound school, The Gazette can reveal today.
Collegiate High School will be knocked down and rebuilt and merged with Bispham High School.
The merger, if approved, is likely to happen in January 2014 with the new 900-place school scheduled to open on Collegiate’s Blackpool Old Road site in September 2015.
Governors and senior teachers at both schools were told of the plans late yesterday by education leaders after the funding for the shock plans was agreed by Government.
One union leader today described the move as “appalling” and said teaching jobs will be at risk while fears have been raised over the idea of a private company effectively taking over the school.
Both schools have seen their pupil numbers slump in recent years due to falling birth rates.
They were also among a host of Blackpool schools to miss out on millions of pounds of cash for rebuilding when the Conservatives scrapped the huge Building Schools for the Future (BSFF) programme.
Sue Harrison, Blackpool’s director of children’s services, today said the plans would be put out to public consultation and said she was speaking with governors.
But The Gazette understands the funding is dependent on the schools merging, with Education Secretary Michael Gove insisting any new school must be an academy.
Collegiate, which last year enjoyed its best ever GCSE results, has seen its pupil numbers fall to below 500 - it was more than a thousand less than a decade ago - while Bispham has around 870 pupils.
School pupil numbers have hit record lows but are set to rise again around 2016.
If the scheme is agreed, all new Year 7 pupils will start at the Bispham site in January 2014 with a gradual progression of all other pupils to Bispham while the demolition and rebuild takes place at Collegiate.
Efforts will be made to prevent disruption to Year 10 and Year 11 pupils, who will be in the midst of busy GCSE exams, throughout the move, education bosses have vowed.
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Greenlands
Christmas Tree Lights
Switch on 2012
Report
Greenlands lights switch on.
5pm on a dark and cold Thursday and dozens of residents braved the elements and turned out to the switch on of the Greenlands Christmas Tree lights.
Everyone entered into the spirit of the evening by joining in with community carol singing led by teachers from Bispham High School to music and song recorded by the School Choir.
All were treated to mince pies and cup cakes courtesy of the Co-op and the Spar. Mulled wine was supplied by the local Councillors and there were soft drinks for the children.
The lights were switched on by Tia and Olivia, the children of Jason Stephenson from Coastal Waste Ltd: who has kindly part sponsored the costs of the tree.
After the switch on Councillor Wright thanked everyone who turned out on such a cold evening with special thanks to the members of the Police, who were dressed in vintage police uniform and to the council officers for facilitating the event.
Pictures
Merry Christmas everyone
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Happy Halloween Happening
The weather was wet and cold but this did not dampen the enthusiasm of the many families who turned up to Happy Halloween Happening in the Rock Gardens on Saturday the 29th of October. Along with the Friends of the Rock Gardens group were members of Council staff who gave up their time to help out on stalls and to run the hot drinks stand. Both Greenlands Councillors were there doing their bit. Christine Wright manning the Tombola stall along with Councillor Amy Cross and members of the Friends group, Chris Ryan who volunteered to stand in the stocks and have cold water sponges thrown at him all afternoon and to Ann Park who entertained the little children with spooky stories. There are many people to thank in making this first event by the rejuvenated Friends group a success despite the weather. Thanks must go out to all the Council officers and staff who gave their time, to all the Councillors who came to support the event such as Amy Cross, Sylvia Taylor, Graham Caine, Mark Smith and Simon Blackburn who presented the prizes to the fancy dress competition winners. Thanks also to the Circus School who entertained the children and to Mr Alan Bennett (the bug man) who brought along loads of creepy crawlies (which can be found in the Rock Gardens) to show to the children.We would also like to thank Charlie Caroli Jnr: for coming along and judging the fancy dress competition. Not forgetting to say a big thank you to the many who donated prizes for the fancy dress competitions and also a poem and picture competition which children from four Primary Schools had entered. A list of all the winners is below along with a selection of Pictures taken on the day. Apart from the weather a good time was had by all.
Charlie Cairoli with one of the kids Chris Wright with Charlie Cairoli sorting out the competion winners
Fancy dress competition winners
(8 and over) ( 7 and under)
Jodie, age 10 winner Phoenix age 5 winner
Holly age 9 runner up Kyle age 3 runner up
Charlotte age 10 runner up Joseph age 3 runner up
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"Access only" signs
At last after four years of campaigning and petitions by the residents Access only signs have been installed in five streets in Greenlands where parking for the local residents has in the daytime been a nightmare. Both councilors Christine Wright and Chris Ryan made it one of their aims to push for this in their election campaign. This has now been achieved and there are now a lot of happy residents.
The streets affected are Sidney Avenue, Lime Grove, Gresley Place, Hayfield Avenue and Leys Road.
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