The Council is rightly proud of education in Wirral. Teachers, governors, parents and pupils all play a part in this success. To provide the best education for children the LA must make sure money spent on education is used in the best possible way. This means spending money on real children, not on empty places.
The Council has to review its school places to make sure that across Wirral, empty or surplus places stay below 10%. It also has to consider taking action when a school has 25% or more surplus places.
It is right that there should be some surplus places for parental choice. However, in Wirral the number of secondary age children is falling. This means that some schools are getting smaller, producing a significant surplus of empty places.
Also, each school needs enough pupils to pay its costs in full. When pupil numbers become too low, the school is at risk of financial problems, and may have to cut back spending on staff and other resources. It also puts more pressure on teachers because they have to take on additional responsibilities.
The number of empty places in some local secondary schools in parts of Wirral is far too high. The Council must take action to reduce this number of empty places.
There will be an on-going programme looking at every area of Wirral over the next few years. The first phase of the Secondary Places Review is looking at Birkenhead and Bebington.
The current consultations are to help decide what changes should be made to reduce surplus places at schools in these areas.
Feedback Form for Consultations
Frequently Asked Questions on Academies (FAQ) (Word Format)
External Links
Foundation and Trust status - more information
Federation - a guide for parents
Current Consultations
Establishment of a new Academy
This consultation ended on 30th April 2010. The consultation website can be accessed here
Birkenhead and Bebington Review - Park High and Rock Ferry High Schools
School Consultations on change of status
These consultations are operated by the governing body of the school.
Responses to the consultation should be made directly to the school concerned.
Wirral Hospital School - Final consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation - ends 9th June 2010
Closed Consultations - For information only
Hilbe High School Humanities College Preliminary consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation - ends 14th January 2009
Pensby High School for Girls and Pensby High School for Boys -
Consultation on Hard Federation - ends 19th March 2010
Hilbre High School Humanities College Final consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation with a Trust - ends 14th October 2009
Woodchurch High School Preliminary consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation with a Trust - ends 16th October 2009
Weatherhead High School Media Arts College Final consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation with Trust - ends 19th June 2009
Bebington High Sports College - Final consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation with a Trust - ended 10th December 2008.
Woodchurch High School - Preliminary consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation with a Trust - ends 4th July 2008
Calday Grange Grammar School - Final consultation on change of status from Foundation to Foundation with a Trust - ends 23rd June 2008
South Wirral High School - Final Consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation - ended 14th April 2008.
Ridgeway High School - Final Consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation - ended 29th January 2008.
West Kirby Grammar School for Girls - Final consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation - ended 31st December 2007.
Wirral Grammar School for Girls - Final consultation on change of status from Community to Foundation - ended 26th December 2007.
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