Consultation on future of Ettingshall Primary School
Released: 13 July 2007
Cabinet councillors in Wolverhampton will next week be asked to authorise a public consultation on the future of a city school. Ettingshall Primary, in Herbert Street, has experienced a number of problems in recent years.
In November 2006 the school was placed in special measures by Ofsted for a second time and although staff at the school have worked hard to make real improvements since then, with local authority support, the council is still required to consider the school’s long-term future.
The Ettingshall ward has the highest proportion of surplus places in the city at 32.8 per cent and Ettingshall Primary School currently has 32.5 per cent surplus places.
At its meeting next Wednesday (JULY 18), the city council’s cabinet will be asked to authorise an informal consultation on the possible closure of Ettingshall Primary School with effect from the end of the academic year in August 2008.
Councillor Christine Irvine, cabinet member for schools, said: “It is always regrettable when we have to consider the closure of a school. Ettingshall Primary has had a number of serious problems in recent years and, although I want to congratulate staff on their hard work to make improvements, our focus has to be to find the best solution to safeguard the best possible future for all Wolverhampton children.
“The reality is that primary pupil numbers are falling across the city and the council is having to act to address this. Unfortunately less pupils does mean considering the closure of some schools most affected by the issue of surplus places.
“Throughout this process we will be working with parents, pupils and staff at Ettingshall to keep them informed and listen to their views.”
If councillors authorise the initial informal consultation it will begin at the start of the autumn term and run for approximately four weeks. The outcome of the consultation will be reported back to cabinet in October when a decision will be taken as to whether there needs to be a formal consultation on any proposed action.
Issued by the press office.