Treasury axe falls on our schools
PLANS to merge Spalding's Gleed schools have been scuppered now the Government has snatched away millions of pounds promised for a brand new building.
A massive rebuild at the Holbeach George Farmer Technology and Language College - a key part of its bid to become an academy - hangs in the balance and the school must submit a fresh bid for cash.
On Monday, Education Secretary Michael Gove scrapped 719 school revamps and announced a further 123 academy schemes were to be reviewed on a case by case basis.
Money for rebuilds was promised via the national school redevelopment programme, Building Schools for the Future, and the scheme itself was flung on the scrap heap with Mr Gove branding it "dysfunctional".
This is the second time in seven years that the Gleed schools have been promised a brand new building and had their hopes dashed.
Gleed Girls' Technology College headteacher Liz Shawhulme said: "It is very disappointing really, I think, for the whole of Spalding because we could have had some really exciting facilities for the young people here but we will continue to do what we do with the facilities we have.
"The first plan was announced just before I arrived and it's a case of hopes raised and hopes dashed again."
Gleed Boys' headteacher Geoff Cowley said: "We are disappointed but not surprised. As you know the Government have decided not to spend their money in Spalding - that means we will remain in our sub-standard buildings doing the best we possibly can for the students.
"I have spoken to a few people around the school - they are flat and they are disappointed but, because of the recent edicts that have been coming from the Government, nobody is surprised."
The George Farmer Technology and Language College partners St Guthlac School in Crowland in a secondary education federation headed by executive headteacher Steve Baragwanath.
Its academy plans involve a 65 per cent rebuild of the Holbeach site along with the transfer of the Crowland pupils to Holbeach and closure of the St Guthlac school.
Mr Baragwanath said the federation is beginning the bid process again and will submit an "expression of interest" to the Government this month.
He said: "It's a game of high stakes really. It's got potentially tremendous benefits for the communities involved if it's successful, but it's also got the risk of raising expectations and disappointing people if it's unsuccessful."
He said the school will make the "strongest possible case" for replacement of its 1950s buildings because they are unsuitable for educating children in this day and age.
It is not known when the Government will give a verdict on the new Holbeach submission.
For more on this story and reaction see this week's Spalding Guardian.
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Weather for Spalding
Thursday 09 February 2012
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