Popular school
facing the axe!
EXCLUSIVE by Gary Skentelbery
A popular Warrington high school is set to be axed if council chiefs follow the recommendations being presented to members of the Executive Board next Monday.
These involve reducing the number of high schools in central and eastern Warrington from four to three, due to falling pupil numbers – and to close Woolston in the summer of 2012.
It is estimated that by 2014, the number of secondary age pupils will have fallen by over 1000 in the area.
Parents, carers, teachers, staff, community groups, residents, children and young people have all had the opportunity to comment on options for schooling in the area following an extensive programme of consultation by the council. Following the consultation, officers have put forward recommendations to the council?s Executive Board, that statutory processes are undertaken to:
Reduce from four secondary schools in central and eastern Warrington to three secondary schools
Close Woolston Community High School on 31 August 2012.
Dismayed local councillor Paul Bretherton said: “?The Woolston Community and the school itself are appalled by the outcome of this recommendation. I urge the Executive Board to think long and hard before rubber stamping this disgraceful decision.
“I and many others are highly suspicious that this is a political decision based around the fact that Woolston CHS sits within a Labour held ward, and that Padgate CHS sits in a currently held Liberal Democrat ward. Is the fear of losing votes more important than the future education of children in Warrington?
“Should the recommendations be endorsed by the Executive Board, they will be not only be depriving Woolston children of a Secondary education in their own community, but will also be responsible for ripping the heart out of that community. “Every child matters?.unless you happen to live in Woolston,? he added.
Meanwhile full copies of all the consultation responses are now available for viewing in Padgate and Woolston libraries as well as in council buildings.
The statutory consultation process also outlines:
That no pupils are admitted to Year 7 of Woolston Community High School in 2008;
That where possible all existing pupils will complete their education in Woolston Community High School;
Woolston Community High School partner primary schools to be partnered with Padgate Community High School;
That for 2008, the Published Admission Numbers in the area will be Birchwood Community High School 210 (7 form entry), Padgate Community High School 240 (8 form entry) and William Beamont Community High School 210 (7 form entry)4.
That a cross Council strategy is developed with the community and local Members to mitigate the loss of a high school.
Norma Cadwallader, Strategic Director of Children?s Services said: “Given the decline in pupil numbers, we believe this is the only way of securing quality secondary education for the area.”
The Executive Board will consider the recommendations at their meeting next Monday (September 17).
Experts predict pupil numbers will continue to fall.
Woolston launched a robust campaign to keep its local high school open.
Mrs Jill Robinson, head teacher for the last four years, led the fight.
She said at the start of the campaign: ?The school is a vital part of the local community, providing a first class education to local children. We have an excellent relationship with all the primary schools in the area and it would be disastrous if this link was broken.
?Woolston needs its own high school.?
An online petition has been launched at http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/SaveWoolstonHigh in a bid to get the council not to proceed with the closure.
To see an earlier video news report on the campaign to keep Woolston open click on the TV screen above
Have your say on the warrington-worldwide discussion forum by clicking here
Sports Minister backs
girl’s campaign to play
soccer with the boys!
by Mark Hemmings
MINISTER for Sport, Gerry Sutcliffe MP gave his support to an 11-year-old Warrington girl?s dream to continue playing mixed football when he visited the home of the Warrington Wolves!
Hannah Dale, aged 11 has been campaigning for girls over the age of 11 to be allowed to continue playing in mixed football teams – current legislation forbids girls to play in mixed teams once they reach the age of eleven.
She met Mr Sutcliffe, who pledged his support for her work and agreed that with the help of Warrington South MP Helen Southworth and the Wolves Foundation her dream could become a reality.
Hannah a pupil at Great Sankey High School plays for Crosfield Junior Football Club.
Mr Sutcliffe was impressed with the facilities and initiatives in place at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
He said: ?What Warrington Wolves have created here is simply fantastic. Their investment has provided enormous benefit to the wider community, and through local partnerships a real difference to the people of the town.?
After meeting the first team squad and Head Coach Paul Cullen, Gerry saw first hand how the Warrington Wolves Foundation acts as a ?hub? for the wider town community.
?Warrington Wolves provide inspiration to other clubs, and it’s obvious from my short time here that everyone is proud of their club and rightly so,? added Mr Sutcliffe.
Sports Minister Gerry Sutcliffe presents a signed Football and Rugby Ball to 12 year old Hannah Dale watched by Helen Southworth MP.
Raising the game for
Disabled people
?RAISE the Game? was the message being delivered to those who attended a special Jobcentre Plus and Warrington Disability Partnership dinner.
More than 30 local employers gathered at Warrington?s Halliwell Jones Stadium with the aim of promoting the recruitment and retention of disabled people in the workplace.
Jimmy Wagg from BBC Radio Manchester acted as host while Dave Thompson MBE DL, founder and co-ordinator for the town?s annual Disability Awareness Day, dispelled many of the misconceptions surrounding employment and disability, by recounting his own experiences.
The event also gave three local businesses and organisations, Five Star Cleaning Services Ltd, NWSG and Security Staff Training Services and The Tim Parry Jonathan Ball Foundation for Peace, the opportunity to be recognised as top achievers in the employment of disabled people, when they were presented with Two Ticks awards.
The evening ended with a number of employers pledging their support to a variety of Jobcentre Plus initiatives including, work trials and free training, a general commitment to work more closely with the voluntary sector and support organisations including Warrington Disability Partnership.
Festival set to be
bigger and better
by John Hendon
THE popular Lymm Dickensian Festival is set to be bigger and better this year and a new website has been launched to promote the event! Following on from last year?s ?best ever attended? festival ? the Rotary Club of Lymm and Lymm Round Table Clubs, who now organise the entire event are determined to ensure its future by improving both the finances and popularity of the community event.
Rotarian Mike Evans, a member of the organising committee, said: ?We have appraised everything that happened on the day in 2006, and we are planning to make changes, which will widen the audience appeal.?
?To achieve all of our objectives it is important that we gain even more sponsorship and advertising support. There will of course be increased publicity for those who are assisting us.?
Lymm Dickensian Festival is regarded by many as the most important day of the year for local charities, shops and pubs ? to get involved or to find out more information visit www.lymmdickensian.com .
One in seven men will
suffer domestic violence
by Mark Hemmings
THE Warrington based Relationships Centre, a charity specialising in Domestic Violence services in the Northwest says the town bucks the national trend, with a third of their clients being male!
They predict one in seven men in Warrington will experience domestic violence at some point in their lives.
The Relationships Centre, which specialises in providing services to those affected by domestic abuse, reports that one third of those accessing its services are male.
Spokesperson Marissa Hankinson, said: ?We are a non-gendered service which is unusual within this sector, and our services are available to both males and females.
?We provide information, advice, guidance and support to men who have been affected by domestic violence along with counselling, mediation and personal development programmes such as Positive You for Men.”
Jason, a survivor of domestic abuse said: ?I had recently left a relationship but my partner would not accept that it was over between us and her behaviour became very erratic and started to involve violence and criminal damage.
” In one incident, the Police were called, it was only then that I was made aware of services such as The Relationships Centre. With their help, I took some personal safety advice. In addition, they were also able to offer me one-to-one support.?
If you would like to know more about the services available then contact, The Relationships Centre on 0800 783 9636.
Croquet club in
Wonderland!
by staff reporter
LEWIS Carroll inspired Culcheth Croquet Club as they supported a Red Cross Charity Event at Walton Gardens in Warrington.
Themed on Alice in Wonderland, the club set up a croquet lawn and displayed the club trophies on offer – a hedgehog for the singles championship and a flamingo for the doubles championship!
Despite the poor weather a number of players attended the event with young children, who rounded off the themed afternoon by following the Alice in Wonderland Treasure Hunt.
Police hunt for hit
and run driver
by staff reporter
POLICE in Warrington are hunting a “hit run driver” following an incident when a 14-year-old girl was knocked off her bike on Sunday, September 9 around 5.10pm on Long Lane near to the junction with Beatty Avenue.
The girl was cycling in the direction of Padgate when she was in collision with an orange coloured car displaying L’ plates.
The car failed to stop and drove off in the Padgate direction. The girl was taken to Warrington Hospital where she was treated for minor injuries.
PC Derek Jones of the Collision Unit is appealing for the driver or any witnesses to call him on 01244 613865 or contact Crimestoppers Anonymously on 0800 555111.
