Council Shows Continued Commitment to Drive Up School Standards
Friday 5th November
2010
As Bedford Borough Council continues its
ongoing drive to improve education standards, Mayor Dave Hodgson
has confirmed multi-million pound school improvement plans for
schools in the Bedford Academy catchment area and for a new Putnoe
Primary School. The Mayor has also moved to end any uncertainty
following the Government’s termination of the Building Schools for
the Future Programme (BSF), with the decision to formally publish
notices to revoke plans for a move to a two-tier schools system
across the Borough now that funds for the reorganisation are no
longer available.
Commenting, Mayor Dave Hodgson said: “This
week we have made major decisions as we drive forward our plans to
invest in our local schools and drive up standards. We have
confirmed our intentions to open a new Putnoe Primary School,
involving the expansion of Putnoe Lower School through a £2.5
million extension on the Woodside school site. We are also
continuing with plans for a multi-million pound improvement and
expansion of the lower schools in the catchment area for the
Bedford Academy, which is due to expand to an 11 – 18 secondary
school.
“Meanwhile, the decision to formally revoke
the bulk of the plans for restructuring across the Borough should
end any uncertainty following the Government’s termination of the
expensive and bureaucratic Building Schools for the Future
programme. Since the cancellation of BSF, we have been focused on
other ways of funding major capital investment in our schools.’
“The formal removal of these plans also
provides clarity for the future, demonstrating that the Borough has
moved forward from the two tier versus three tier debate and is now
focusing on local solutions for improving our schools that meet the
needs of individual communities. We want to work with schools to
drive up standards for the benefit of local children.”
The plans to move to a two-tier schools system
across the Borough were dependent upon receipt of BSF funding from
national government. After a consultation held following the
cancellation of BSF, Bedford Borough Council has determined to
publish formal notices to revoke most of the reorganisation plans.
These plans involved extending the age range of all lower schools
and upper schools to create primary and secondary schools across
the Borough, and the closure of the middle schools. The revocation
proposals will be in place for six weeks during which anyone can
submit comments or objectives on the proposals to the council.