RIDGEWAY, Rock Ferry and Park High schools will be closed if a new proposal to create two multi-million pound academies in Wirral is approved by the council.

The new schools will be in addition to Birkenhead High School for Girls, which will become an academy from September.

The proposal could see one mixed-sex academy on the former Park High School site and another single-sex boys' academy.

The move has been welcomed by Birkenhead MP Frank Field, who said it would give local children the chance to "achieve secondary education worthy of the name".

But leader of the council's Conservative group, Cllr Jeff Green, said he was "shocked" by the announcement.

He said: "Ridgeway's inclusion to be closed is news to me. I shall be seeking an urgent meeting with our education executives to clarify this position.

"I am dismayed that the council sees fit to announce these major changes to education provision via the local media before they are discusssed in the town hall.

"It is local government by press release."

The council says the new ‘superschools’ would offer educational facilities to rival the best schools in the country.

The move follows an initial proposal in November to look at opening one academy to serve Rock Ferry High and Park High pupils.

Since then, Birkenhead High School for Girls has announced that the go-ahead has now been given to establish an all-ability state-funded girls’ academy on its site.

This meant an imbalance in school places available for boys and girls in Birkenhead and has led to the new proposal for a boys’ academy.

The new schools will be in addition to Birkenhead High School for Girls, which will become an academy from September.

The new state-of-the-art academies would serve pupils currently at Rock Ferry High, Park High and Ridgeway High School.

The scheme will be heard at the council’s cabinet meeting next Thursday and, if approved, will then move to the consultation stage, when staff, pupils and parents at the three schools affected will be able to make their comments.

Councillor Phil Davies, Wirral’s cabinet member for children’s services, said: “This is an extremely exciting idea.

"Wirral would have three brand new state-of-the-art academies, with millions of pounds to invest in building on the expertise and excellent work that already takes place at Ridgeway High, Park High and Rock Ferry."

Ridgeway High headteacher Pauline Roberts said: “Ridgeway School has been judged by OFSTED as being an 'outstanding' school in every aspect of its educational delivery.

“Our pupils, parents and staff are rightly proud of what Ridgeway has achieved and the ethos that exists within the school.

" I can assure them that, if the proposal goes ahead, I will be working with the local authority, sponsors and other local schools to ensure that what we have achieved is not lost.”

Peter Bennett, headteacher at Rock Ferry High School, said: “I welcome this academies programme which brings the number of academies in Wirral to three.

“The proposal to build a new, multi-million pound academy to serve boys from Rock Ferry High School and South Birkenhead is a huge and well-deserved vote of confidence in the local community and in Rock Ferry High School.

“The proposed brand new school would be among the best built and the best equipped in the country. It would offer an unrivalled range of opportunities, both academic and vocational."

Park High headteacher Steve McMahon said: “Parents and students in Birkenhead already have a choice of very good schools but these academies will raise the bar still further still further."

Frank Field said: “This is the last serious chance we have to achieve secondary education which is worthy of its name in Birkenhead.

"These new academies will transform the pattern of education and how it is delivered in Birkenhead.”

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