Last updated 12:34, Monday, 05 January 2009

GOVERNORS at one of the schools set to merge into the new academy have backed a dual-site campus.

Chair of governors at Thorncliffe School, Craig Foster, told the Evening Mail that the body were in favour of a two-site academy in Barrow.

A final decision on the academy will made at tomorrow’s Cumbria County Council’s cabinet meeting.

Mr Foster said governors made the unanimous decision at a recent meeting, and for the first time are able to speak out with their preference.

Mr Foster said: “In the initial consultation the governing body felt it was better not to have a corporate view, we wished to remain apolitical and it was decided we would have individual views.

“But we held a meeting on October 15 and we decided that we would take a corporate view that for the best reasons for the learners of Barrow, a dual-site was better.”

Governors intend to outline their full reasons for preferring the two-site option in a letter they will send out to parents.

Mr Foster, who has been on the board for eight years, said: “There were concerns that we would have a difficulty with culture, transport and geography and a limited size with one site. With two sites, the transition will be less disruptive and the two specialisms will be split more evenly.

“It was felt that the support we get from the community was too big to lose, and we took the view that the parents wanted two sites.”

When asked about concerns the academy could not possibly open in September 2009, Mr Foster said a two-site option was also more viable.

He said: “Opening the academy in 2009 is a tight timeline, but two sites would ease that a little bit.”

Although he explained all teachers would, in theory, retain their jobs, Mr Foster added that the number of governors would have to be cut.

He said: “Some teachers are concerned about their jobs, but every teachers will be transferred to the academy in theory, but not necessarily doing the same job.“However, the governance module has not been formalised, but all the current governors of the three schools can’t possibly be on the body of the academy.”

Mr Foster stressed it was important parents and pupils are made aware of the governors’ views, and asked the other schools to make their views heard.

He said: “We’re at the heart of this, and it’s important that everyone is given the full information. Up until now parents have only had it from one side, and all three schools need to step up and give their corporate view.”

In December, Parkview governors unanimously supported the single site.

In an online response to the county council, the governors said: “The six mini schools element of the planned academy ensures that a family feel will be achieved, even with 1,200 students on site. A split site would provide a poorer education to students, because of some aspects of provision would be divided between the two sites, and therefore not accessible to all.”

The Evening Mail was unable to contact governors at Alfred Barrow School this morning.

Barrow and Furness MP John Hutton said: “I very much hope the cabinet will recognise that there is a clear consensus for the two-site option, not only amongst the general public, but also amongst the professionals involved in education that I have also had close contact with.”

Moira Swann, CCC’s corporate director of children’s services, has backed the two-site option, and recommended that the academy be permanently located on both the Thorncliffe and Parkview sites.

The cabinet meeting takes place at Forum 28 in Barrow, from 10am and is open to the public.

Solicitors Leigh, Day & Co, acting on behalf of an anonymous Barrow parent, have written to the county council and the government asking for the academy plans to be suspended, pending the outcome of a dispute over the academy plan in Camden.

Roger Titcombe, spokesman for pressure group, Our Schools Are Not For Sale, said: “The Camden case concerns whether the proposals of academy sponsors should be subject to European rules relating to fair and open tendering.

“The government’s case is that such proposals are charitable and non-commercial and so the rules do not apply.”