Labour councillors representing both Heatons North and Heatons South wards are concerned at the growing crisis in primary school places, especially in the central part of the Heatons, and have called on Stockport Council to concentrate its proposals around Tithe Barn Primary School and the Peel Moat area.
The Council’s other proposals that included the possible demolition of Freshfield Nursery School, increasing the size of Didsbury Road Primary School by 50% and putting a primary school at Priestnall School are not acceptable and must be dropped.
Cllr Colin Foster, Shadow Spokesperson with responsibility for School Admissions and Heatons South ward councillor, said: “We need to create primary school places where the demand is in Heaton Moor and all efforts should now be concentrated on this.”
5 thoughts on “Labour councillors call for urgent action on Heatons school places shortage”
I am now adding to my previous response, when I suggested that a new school should be developed, never did I mean that they should remove a small community school and use their name to rebrand another school which we all know will not represent one thing about Tithe Barn. I appreciate that Michael Gove is unrealistic when Local councils have to build new schools but what you are suggesting is a loophole, you are not expanding Tithe Barn you are removing it entirely and it is insulting to all parents and Carers that you think that by taking its name that we would be satisfied with this decision.
Thanks for getting in touch with us.
This is clearly a very difficult situation, not least for the Children and the Parents affected by the lack of School places in certain parts of the Heatons. We are keen to look at a number of proposals which would help allieviate this problem and increase school capacity in the local area, however we have released this statement to make our opposition to the demolition and closure of Freshfield crystal clear and for the Labour Group, this solution must be removed from the list of potential solutions.
Clearly the Peel Moat site would be a suitable location for a new school however, Labour’s proposals moved at the July 2012 Council Meeting mean that Peel Moat will reopen as a part community venture of which the Council has just completed the tender process for a community partner, so we should see some progress on this in the next few weeks.
If you have any further queries please do email me and include your address details too.
Surely when planning was given the go ahead for the old peel Moat site a school should have been included
Having just approved the construction of 200 new houses on the site of the former Stockport college off Buckingham road, the situation is not going to get any easier. Even if only half the family’s have one child that is 100 places required probably at primary age. Thirteen children at each year group. Where are they going? St. Thomas’s has no more space.
There is an ideal unused space next to there – the unused sports centre ground. Use your heads! Build a new St. Thomas’s school there with two classes per year group. This would be an improvement for the present school as some green space could also be provided.
This sounds like the best idea. If the proposals to build a school at fresh fields nursery is madness. The traffic would be horrendous.
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