The Dale and Peacefield proposed closure

[Dave]

Quote (Lisa Oldham @ April 11 2008,13:33)

..and then theres the possibly controversial argument.. which has got the most/best land to develop and so make the most money for the council!!

Of course - it's a no-brainer!   And on the face of it the Dale or Rose Hill would seem to be the most likely to get planning consent for housing.

[Lisa Oldham]

think theres a reason for people in Peacefield and Dale areas sending their kids to Rosehill!! Doubt they'd be too happy about being pushed back unless of course the standards in all schools were kept level.  Rosehill and ludworth are the most popular schools in the area so will be either Peacefield or Dale... my bets are on Peacefield myself though I think if one has to go common sense ( based on location) should say Dale as its so close to Rosehill.

I understand All Saints has got a very good new Head teacher and the popularity of the school is growing already so that will help their chances.

..and then theres the possibly controversial argument.. which has got the most/best land to develop and so make the most money for the council!!

[Dave]

Quote (Howard @ April 09 2008,21:11)

Rose Hill is the larger school, and already has many pupils who are from the All Saints and Peacefield catchment areas who could be moved back to the schools in their immediate locality. If they were moved back to their nearest schools then this would leave capacity in Rose Hill for Dale pupils to move in.

Howard's argument is perfectly logical, but the process has to be a slow and phased one - I don't think the Council would get away with moving kids from school to school like that.

[Howard]

If you look at the location of the schools then All Saints and Peacefield serve specific and distinct areas of Marple and neither are near their capacity. However, Rose Hill and The Dale are within a minute's walk of each other and could easily serve the same area. My guess is that it will be one of these two schools that closes, if indeed any closure goes ahead.

To take this theory a little further, Rose Hill is the larger school, and already has many pupils who are from the All Saints and Peacefield catchment areas who could be moved back to the schools in their immediate locality. If they were moved back to their nearest schools then this would leave capacity in Rose Hill for Dale pupils to move in. I think that The Dale would not be big enough to take the remaining Pupils from Rose Hill.

My guess is that The Dale is the most likely to close. I have no insider knowledge, just looking at it logically. I'm happy to be proved wrong as I went to the Dale myself!

[Dave]

Marpleian is right, they will not all close - probably only one of them.  The problem is that the number of children is going to decline steadily over the  next few years, so fewer school places will be required, and it makes most sense (economically and educationally) to close one school so that those that remain can keep their current size, rather than shrink all of them.  

It's all our fault, of course - if we were more active between the sheets then we wouldn't be in this position!    '>

[twinkletoes]

You can not close all the school in the area! it the dumest thing ive ever heard! what on earth is the council trying to do SHUT MARPLE DOWN!  The schools are the base of the comuittee all parents should be informed about this and what about the teachers? Where do they think the kids will go Manchester? Children need a stable routeen, friends in their area to help them grow and become social. I can't honestly see parent get children as young as 4 on to a train twice a day.
The council is killing our town!   '>

[wolfman]

Dear "Tricky" It is hard to know what to put on the site. Some things I thought would have been of interest were not and were removed. I knew  I could rely on you to put the matter right.

[Marpleian]

Presumably they are not actually planning on closing all the primary schools in Marple though so really only one or two of them must be at risk from closure?

[Tricky]

Wolfman - a polite request - if you are going to 'cut and paste' an item of local interest, please could you post the whole item ?

thanks '>

Quote

THE Stockport Express can reveal the names of 15 primary schools facing an uncertain future. A confidential document leaked to the paper identifies schools in North Marple, South Marple, Heald Green, Edgeley and Brinnington - including Roman Catholic and Church of England faith schools. The figure goes beyond the number of schools quoted in an exclusive story in the Express last December, when we revealed that up to ten schools faced the axe as the Council seek to cut classroom surplusses because of the falling birth rate. Schools listed in the document include; The Dale, Peacefield, Rose Hill and All Saints in North Marple. Brookside and High Lane in South Marple. Outwood and Bolshaw in Heald Green. Edgeley schools Alexandra Park Infants, and Alexandra Park Juniors. Faith schools including St Joseph’s RC in the town centre, St Mary’s RC, Heaton Norris, St Ambrose, Adswood, and St Mary’s CofE, South Reddish Tame Valley in Brinnington The document - entitled ‘Primary School Organisation Strategy’ - was prepared by Michael Jameson, the service director and strategic lead for primary school organisation on Stockport Council. An education source told the Express this week: "It is undoubtedly true that schools will close. "I know that the consultations have been going on for a number of months and the schools in Marple have been talking among themselves about what is in the best long-term interest of the pupils, and have come to an agreement." However, a Council spokesman denied schools would face closure and said: "We can confirm that we are in discussions with these primary schools, but there are no plans to close the schools. "We are working positively with the headteachers and chairs of governors at several schools, including faith schools and their diocesan representatives, to discuss a range of options. "The Council stresses that no final decision has been taken." Nevertheless, Councillor Les Jones, the leader of Stockport’s Conservatives, believes schools do face closure and demanded the local authority put parents, children and teaching staff in the picture. Responding to the news Coun Jones said: "It’s typical of this Lib-Dem mal-administration. "They are not capable of running this borough. There are fewer things of more concern to parents than their children’s education. It sets a child up for life but if it fails it has the potential to injure that child for life. "Why is it that it has taken so long to get to the next round of school closures?" Mr Jameson confirmed there had been "slippage from the original timescales". He also added "progress in the faith schools has been somewhat slower due to the complexities in ensuring diocesan strategies for primary education are considered alongside that of Stockport Council’s." A Council spokesman added: "Proposals will be made to the Council executive in July 2008 and, if agreed, a formal consultation process would begin involving pupils, parents/carers, governors, teaching and other school staff, and the local community including ward councillors. People will have a chance to have their say and their views will be taken into account before the Council makes its final decisions. The Council’s principal aims are to continue to provide the highest possible quality of education for local children, and to make improvements to benefit the future of primary education in the borough."

[wolfman]

The Dale, Peacefield, Rose Hill and All Saints in North Marple.

[Lisa Oldham]

Call me cynical but

I suppose the choice "might" be how much money the council can make from the land after its gone....  

"Lovely" lot of demolition going on at my old primary Barrack Hill which was a beautiful old building.  No primaries close by to replace so no doubt lots more kids being driven to school round there... still LOADS of building space!!

I know the Dale fought rumoured closures off a number of times over the years and I expect they will suffer from yet another new rumour - people dont enrol their children in schools that might be up for closure.  Still at least the local kids have another local school close by

[eeyore21]

the dale was up for closure a couple of years ago, but managed to fight it off.

[wolfman]

I see the Dale Marple is mentioned in the latest newspaper report as a possibility for closure?

[wolfman]

MORE Stockport schools will be axed in the near future, according to councillors and education chiefs.

Local authority bosses say the continued high numbers of small primaries in the borough, many of which have numerous empty places, are not feasible - and to save money some will inevitably have to be culled.

Richard Bates, Service Director for Learning and Achievement, confirmed to the Express that his department is considering "which schools will be removed from the system", with a decision expected next year.

And one councillor fears the axe may well fall in Heald Green and Marple.

Edgeley and Cheadle Heath Councillor Sheila Bailey said: "There is a review; some schools will close. The schools that are likely to be looked at are in the Marple and Heald Green areas.

"There are huge numbers of surplus places in schools in those areas - the whole thing should have been done years ago."

Six primary schools were closed in 2004 when Stockport Council first began to tackle what was then a 4,000-place surplus.

Despite an outcry from parents, schools in Romiley, Reddish, Cheadle Hulme and Offerton were closed - and even Romiley Primary, a school that was actually oversubscribed, was very nearly forced to close too.

Coun Bailey added: "If they make as big a mess as they did with the Romiley situation then they’re in for some difficulties."

Since the last set of closures the Council has been reviewing all the borough’s primaries, weighing up various criteria including falling school rolls.

But with a 10 percent surplus of primary places remaining despite the previous closures, politicians say something must and will be done soon.

Heatons North Councillor Tom McGee said: "A decision is imminent. I wouldn’t be surprised if there is a range of primaries down for at least merger and at worst closure.

"We need to make bold decisions. We need to have a system that parents have confidence in, that will last."

A spokesman for the Council said: "After wide consultation with headteachers and governors, the process of assessment which all schools will be measured on was agreed.

"Following the assessment a number of schools and areas were identified as needing to be reviewed.

"Since June 2007 the Council has been working with the identified schools to consider potential future options.

"However, no firm decision has been made regarding the future of any of these schools and the Council is still exploring all possibilities."