£15m to gradually rebuild a school (From Wirral Globe)

£15m to gradually rebuild a school

2:34pm Tuesday 14th November 2006 in Search By Staff reporter

WOODCHURCH High School is to get a massive £15m cash injection for a rebuilding programme over the next five years.

The school beat off fierce competition from several other Wirral Schools to secure favoured standing in the Government's Building Schools for the Future initiative. The national BSF programme is set to be delivered over a 10-15 year timescale across all secondary schools nationwide.

The Department for Education and Skills called on local authorities in the later phases of BSF - like Wirral - to submit the name of one high school for earlier rebuilding. Woodchurch High School's nomination is likely to be ratified by Wirral Council's cabinet tonight (Wednesday) Council education chief Cllr Phil Davies said: "It is brilliant news that one of our schools will benefit from a new state-of-the-art facility. Hopefully Woodchurch High School's nomination will be approved by cabinet."

He added: "There are certain criteria involved: we couldn't include our Private Finance Initiative schools; we had to focus on schools with poor quality buildings and schools had to have a good track record on including children with special education needs.

"The terms of the deals are that the new school must be up and running by 2009."

Cllr Davies said that Woodchurch High School had met all the criteria and had come out on top despite the closeness of the challenge from other schools.

“The terms of the deals are that the new school must be up and running by 2009.”

Phil Davies

He added: "There will be disappointment at other schools but they will be included in the BSF scheme when it is properly initiated in Wirral."

Wirral West MP Stephen Hesford said: "This is fantastic news. It will allow Woodchurch to renew itself. I think this decision is a great vote of confidence in what head teacher Beryl Holt has achieved over the last seven years.

"It recognises for example that the school should be able to do even more for the many pupils with special needs who attend Woodchurch."

Woodchurch High School head teacher Beryl Holt said: "Governors, staff and students, supported by parents, work really hard to make this school successful. They deserve and need the best facilities to make further progress on this already hard-won success.

"Inclusion is at the heart of the school ethos and we hope that if the recommendation is approved the new school would enable us to work in even greater partnership with our special schools to expand inclusion even further."