Good news re new schools at Littlewoods on Edge Lane

I have been sitting on this story for nearly a week, but had promised Ben Turner at the Echo not to blog about it until the newspaper printed its story. I dont know why I bothered, given the slant he has put on it.

You will remember that I was approached by the governors of St Hilda's CoE school on April 16th to see whether they could move to a new school on the Littlewoods site, along with Archbishop Blanche CoE school(one of St Hilda's primary movers and shakers lives in Fairfield). Because St Margarets CoE school, who had been initially identified as suitable to move to the site, were refusing to come (because they have such a negative view of Edge Lane for some reason), the whole project was in serious jeopardy. I could see a situation arising where no schools came, we lost the building and the chance for top quality education for our kids in Fairfield.

So, I made an appointment to see Tim Warren who is the lead officer of the BSF programme (Building Schools for the Future) and asked him to consider this arrangement, given that St Margaret's were determined not to come. He was very interested in the idea and very excited when I told him how far the school was prepared to go to achieve this, mooting the idea of co-ed schooling.

Anyway, as a consequence, the governors of the three schools met last week, with representatives of the diocese and the council, and have now agreed to this, subject to it being formerly passed at Governors meetings.

It is fantastic news and I am really looking forward to seeing the next more detailed set of plans.

Incidentally, LibDem Councillor Paul Clein who also lives in Fairfield, obviously read my blog on June 14th and a couple of days later wrote an entry on Ben Turner's blog (the Echo journalist) more or less saying the same thing. (Edit: Paul's wife Jan has written to me to say that Paul would never read my blog, although she clearly does!)

This has earned him the credit for the idea from the Echo journalist here

I want to make it clear that the idea came from the school itself, nobody else. It is an insult to suggest otherwise, they have worked so hard to make this dream come true for their pupils, it is not for politicians - or indeed journalists - to be taking the credit.