Green light for partnerships for Rochdale School

Rochdale Borough Council has been given the green light to a groundbreaking school partnership - the first of its kind in the borough.

Proposals were approved  by Secretary of State for Children, Schools, and Families Ed Balls, for the amalgamated Balderstone Technology College and Springhill High School to become a National Challenge Trust School in 2010.

This status will see the new school partner up with the successful Middleton Technology School, the new Rochdale Sixth Form College and the council to raise the educational standards at the new school and improve GCSE results.

The education partners will bring their wealth of experience to help set up the school, share their resources, teacher training and management expertise.

Both Balderstone and Springhill School have been below the government's National Challenge target of GCSE grades but have been making continuous improvements to secure a brighter future for pupils.

Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools and Families, said: "These proposals will build on the progress Balderstone and Springhill School have been making and raise the education levels for the new school when it opens.”

Terry Piggott, Executive Director for Children’s Services at Rochdale Borough Council said: "These plans are part of the council’s commitment to secure a successful future for the new school and ensure pupils will benefit from a first class education.”

"Becoming a National Challenge Trust School, the partnership will strengthen the leadership and governance whilst providing the commitment and support to help it fully meet the needs of our children and drive up attainment beyond the National Challenge target."

There will be substantial funding available over the next two years for the school, to provide a bespoke package of support for pupils and create a transformational approach from the outset.

There are a number of National Challenge schools across the country- where fewer than 30 per cent of pupils get five GCSE’s- which have been benefitting from tailored support such as learning mentors for pupils, 1-2-1 tuition and extra revision support.

The new trust school for Rochdale is the only one of seven schools that was announced yesterday, and the only one in the Greater Manchester area.