Hundreds of new secondary school places set to be approved

Hollingworth Academy

Councillors sitting on Rochdale Council’s cabinet committee will be asked to approve extra school places at nine secondary schools across the borough at a meeting on Monday (15 December).

Education bosses say the number of pupils starting secondary school will start to increase from this year onwards and warn that schools will have to expand from September.

Plans are being put to councillors to create 270 new places at nine schools across the borough and if approved, the plans would see 180 new places introduced in Rochdale and Pennines Townships, 60 in Middleton and 30 in Heywood.

The proposals include:

• 30 extra places at Wardle Academy from September 2105.
• 30 extra places at Hollingworth Academy from September 2015.
• 30 extra places at Cardinal Langley RC, Middleton from September 2016.
• 30 extra places at Holy Family RC CE College, Heywood from September 2017.
• 30 extra places at St Anne’s Academy, Middleton from September 2017.
• 30 extra places at Falinge Park High School from September 2018.
• 30 extra places at Kingsway Park from September 2018.
• 30 extra places at Matthew Moss for September 2019.
• 30 extra places at St Cuthbert’s RC for September 2019.

In a report to councillors, Chris Swift, Rochdale Council’s School and Organisation Development Manager, says: “The number of children expected to require year 7 places in secondary schools across the borough is expected to increase from 2,337 this school year (2014-2015) to an estimated 2,819 by September 2019.

“The level of demand varies across the borough and in some areas demand will continue beyond 2020.

“The view of the working group is that extra places can be provided by expansion on current school sites. Overall there is enough space in the secondary sector to accommodate the growth in intakes until 2017. After then more places will need to be available.”

It is understood that schools will need to provide more than 480 additional places by 2019.