Woodland Primary School leads the way on community schooling

Woodland Primary School is setting a trend for other schools to follow, accoring to Heywood and Middleton MP Jim Dobbin.

Mr Dobbin mentioned the Regent Street school in Parliament yesterday and said that other schools should support their local communities in the same way that Woodland does.

In a question to Ed Balls, the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, Mr Dobbin said: "The funds spent on new schools can provide futuristic buildings such as Woodland primary school in Heywood, which replaces three local primary schools and a special feature of which is extended community provision with a management structure to suit the local community."

Mr Dobbin wants the secretary of state to encourage other schools to follow the Heywood school's lead.

Mr Balls said: "We announced last week more than 100 different projects totalling £200 million, in order to invest in the co-location of services on school sites, which often include health services and wider support for parents. That vision of the 21st century school, with services coming together, is a vital part of our vision for the future of schools. We want to ensure that every parent and child gets the help that they need, so that children can then learn when they get to school."