Education u-turn in Heywood

Rochdale Education Chiefs were taught a lesson by Heywood pupils and governors as dramatic events unfolded at a meeting on Friday 22 September. The meeting, that local councillors Colin Lambert, Jacqui Beswick and Alan McCarthy claim was "clearly arranged to deliver the result the LEA and Rochdale wanted", resulted in a less than committed acceptance of the plans put forward in the report - surveys conducted amongst pupils representing their fourteen schools across the Borough showed 70% voted against everyone being forced to attend the proposed new sixth form college.
 
Education Chiefs admitted that mistakes had been made and that an apology and explanation would be published next week.

Councillor McCarthy said: "This was a spin meeting that spectacularly spun out of control. The lesson being - don’t force people to believe what they want, ask them and fully explain the options. In a democracy people will decide for themselves, either by having a say or voting with their feet and choosing to go elsewhere.

"Now we have a fresh start and Heywood people are equal with everyone in the Borough."

Executive Director for Children Schools amp; Families, Terry Piggott said: "The proposals for post-16 education across the borough are just that - proposals, which will be subject to extensive consultation. This was the first of more than fifty meetings involving pupils, parents, governors and staff.  It must be emphasised that no decisions have been taken. Any decision to close a school would ultimately be taken not by the Council, but by the independent Schools Organisation Committee. If that committee is not unanimous, then it's the Independent Schools Adjudicator who has the final say.

The meeting brought together representatives of all fourteen secondary schools in the borough. It was an opportunity to outline the proposals aimed at improving post-16 provision across the borough. The youngsters present at this meeting said the choice of course was the most important criteria when choosing post-16 education.  Plainly a bigger and specialist post-16 college can offer more choice than a smaller school-based sixth form."