Schools Adjudicator approves Heywood school closure

The Office of the Schools Adjudicator has published a decision on a request by Rochdale Council to vary the admission arrangements of Heywood Community High School. The school will close on 31 August 2010 as part of the Council's Building Schools for the Future Programme and the Council has requested that admission to the school should cease from September 2008. The adjudicator, Mr John Simpson, approved the variation.

Schools adjudicators are independent of the Government. They decide on school organisation issues, disputes on land transfer and assets and admission arrangements which cannot be resolved locally. They were appointed under the School Standards and Framework Act 1998. Their role is to look afresh at all cases referred to them, considering each case on its merits and taking account of the reasons for disagreement at local level in the light of the legislation and the guidance in the School Admissions Code.

Copies of the determination reached by the adjudicator can be obtained from the Office of the Schools Adjudicator. It can also be found on the Schools Adjudicator Website - www.schoolsadjudicator.gov.uk. Individual adjudicators are not in a position to comment on their decisions but, if clarification of those decisions is needed, enquiries can be addressed to:  The Office of the Schools Adjudicator, Mowden Hall, Staindrop Road, Darlington DL3 9BG.