Consultation set to begin for Wirral Academy plans (From Wirral Globe)

Consultation set to begin for Wirral Academy plans

5:01pm Wednesday 17th February 2010 in News By Craig Manning

A CONSULTATION on plans to merge two Wirral secondary schools and create one new Academy in Birkenhead gets underway next week.

The new Academy would mean the closure of both Park High School and Rock Ferry High School, where pupil numbers have been falling steadily for a number of years.

Parents, the local community and other interested parties are being asked to have their say about the proposal, which Wirral Council believes is the best way forward for the education of young people in Birkenhead and which has the backing, in principle, of the governing bodies of the two existing schools.

The lead sponsor for the Academy will be the University of Chester, with the University of Liverpool, Wirral Metropolitan College, Birkenhead Sixth Form College and Wirral Council as co-sponsors.

The Vision for the Academy says the school would specialise in Applied Learning with an emphasis on Health and Social Care and Science and Technology.

Parents of pupils at both schools will receive consultation documents in the next week or two asking for their views and they will have the opportunity to attend consultation events as part of the consultation process.

Other people can also take part by writing to: Secondary Places Review – Closure Proposals, Director of Children’s Services, Hamilton Building, Conway Street, Birkenhead CH41 4FD or by e-mail secondaryplaces@wirral.gov.uk

Further information and a feedback form are available on the Consultation website below.

The consultation runs from Wednesday 24th February until Wednesday 7th April 2010.