Rebuilding of school moves a step closer
COUNCIL bosses have agreed how they will work with the Department for Education (DFE) to support the rebuilding of schools whose existing facilities are set to be wholly or largely replaced.
Whitworth Community High School will be among the first three Lancashire schools to see construction work carried out under the government’s school rebuilding programme, designed to upgrade educational facilities in England.
The facilities earmarked for a revamp have been prioritised either because their buildings are of a specific construction type that requires replacement, or because their condition has placed them in the highest category of need for attention.
Now Lancashire County
Council’s cabinet has authorised senior directors at the authority to “negotiate and enter (into) any agreements deemed necessary to support the effective delivery of the programme and protect the interests of the county council”.
County Hall leader Phillippa Williamson said that it was “good to see some investment coming into the fabric of our schools”.
Labour opposition group leader Azhar Ali also welcomed the funding, but questioned why a review of school place capacity at Whitworth Community High could not have been done “all in one go”.
“There are a lot of children from Rochdale that actually go to Whitworth (school) and some of the kids (in the vicinity of) Whitworth actually don’t get to go (there) – maybe it was a missed opportunity (and) additional capacity could have been built in for future-proofing education in the Whitworth area,” said County Coun Ali, reflecting concerns that he said had been raised by borough councillors and residents.
Speaking before last week’s meeting, Whitworth Community High headteacher Gill Middlemass said: “We are delighted to be one of the first 12 schools in the national pilot of the DFE school rebuilding programme and are very much looking forward to work commencing in earnest on our new school building.
“Our current Laingspan building (design) from the 1960s will be replaced by a modern, modular design which will not only meet the needs of our school community but will complement the natural environment in visual and aesthetic terms.
“It will be a light and airy, green-roofed, net carbon zero construction with enhanced facilities and accessibility – a building which will reflect our students’ ambitions and our school’s aspirations of ‘climbing higher’.”
The current school accommodation at Whitworth will be replaced with a two and three-storey L-shaped block, constructed adjacent to the current buildings – although the sports hall block will remain.
Building work will take place in such a way that pupils will not need to move into temporary classrooms.
The new building will be ready to be occupied from January 2023, at which point the remaining phases of demolition and landscaping will be completed.
The Observer understands that the DFE and contractors are confident that accessibility issues at the Hall Fold site can be overcome.