Doomed school wins specialist status

A WARRINGTON school which is due to be closed in three years time has been awarded specialist school status.
Woolston High School – which will close in August 2012 – has been designated a special school for science, by the Department for Children, Schools and Families.
The irony of the situation has not been lost on Warrington North MP Helen Jones (pictured), who was one of those who campaigned for the 51-year-old school to stay open.
She has sent her congratulations to the school – but also aimed a broadside at Warrington Borough Council.
She said: “The school is to be closed by the Lib Dem/Tory alliance which runs the council.
“The awarding of specialist school status to Woolston High School shows that it has made significant progress. Congratulations to all at the school who have worked hard to secure this status.
“It is unfortunate, to say the least, that the Lib Dems and Tories have decided to close a school good enough to achieve Specialist School status.”
Children who would normally have gone to Woolston will, after 2012, go to Padgate High School, which is to be re-named Lysander High School.
The council has expressed regret that Woolston High has to close, but has pointed to dwindling number of pupils in the area and blamed Government-imposed restrictions which force local education authorities to take action to reduce the number of surplus places at schools.
In fact, it is not unusual for schools awarded specialist status to be closed.
Frodsham School, a specialist science and technology college, is due to close this summer.
Ironically, the decision to close it was taken by Cheshire County Council, which has itself been abolished while the school is still open.