Wigan Local Education Authority

School Standards and Framework Act 1998

Proposal to discontinue St Thomas More Catholic High School, Wigan

Notice is hereby given in accordance with section 29(1) of the School Standards and Framework Act 1998 that Wigan Local Education Authority intends to discontinue

St Thomas More Catholic High School, Wood Street, Newtown, Wigan, WN5 0UQ from 31 August 2007.

Interim arrangements will be made for the pupils currently attending St Thomas More Catholic High School as follows:

Current year 7

There are no pupils in year 7 at the school.

Current year 8

Pupils will transfer to alternative schools on 1 September 2007.

Current year 9

Pupils will transfer to alternative schools on 1 September 2006.

Current year 10

Pupils will complete their education at St Thomas More Catholic High School and leave at the end of year 11 in June 2007.

Current year 11

Pupils will complete their education at St Thomas More Catholic High School and leave at the end of year 11 in June 2006.

Pupils who will transfer to alternative schools will be offered a place in one of the remaining Catholic high schools in the Wigan area, namely St John Fisher Catholic High School, Wigan, St Peter's Catholic High School, Orrell or St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, Ashton-in-Makerfield. Admission may also be sought to other schools which may have places available. Additional places may be created at St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, St John Fisher Catholic High School and St Peter's Catholic High School, as necessary, to accommodate St Thomas More pupils.

The local education authority (LEA) will provide assistance with travelling expenses, if appropriate, in accordance with the LEA transport policy.

Within six weeks after the date of publication of these proposals (that is by 30 March 2006), any person may object to or make comments on the proposals by sending representations to:

Director of Children and Young People's Services, Progress House, Westwood Park Drive, Wigan, WN3 4HH.

Within one month after the end of the representation period, the LEA will send to the School Organisation Committee for the area copies of all representations made (and not withdrawn in writing) within the representation period, together with the Authority's observations on them.

Signed: G M Rowney, Director of Children and Young People's Services

Date:16 February 2006

Notes

1.This notice relates to a proposal by Wigan LEA to close St Thomas More Catholic High School at the end of the 2006-2007 school year.

2.Because of falling rolls, the Governing Body agreed that the Liverpool Archdiocese and the LEA should consider a managed closure of the school.After a period of informal consultation, the Trustees of the Liverpool Archdiocese decided that it was in the long-term interests of continuing high quality Catholic secondary education in the area to close St ThomasMoreCatholicHigh School from 31 August 2007.

3.Pupil numbers in the area have declined rapidly and they are predicted to decline even further in the next 5 years. The school has over 60% surplus places.Small secondary schools, particularly those with a falling school roll, are often faced with financial difficulties, resulting in reductions in the number of staff. This affects the school's ability to fulfil its statutory obligation to deliver the national curriculum. To date the school has used balances to support the budget but these funds are exhausted and the school is facing a budget deficit that will increase as the number of pupils falls.

4.Pupil numbers at St Thomas More Catholic High School are:

Age / 11+ / 12+ / 13+ / 14+ / 15+ / Total
No: of pupils / 0 / 41 / 74 / 94 / 127 / 336

The Net Capacity of the school is 900.

5Pupils attending the school at 31 August 2006 will be allocated a place at one of the remaining Catholic high schools in the Wigan area, namely St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School, St John Fisher Catholic High schooland

St Peter's Catholic High school irrespective of whether they are Catholic or non-Catholic. Places will be allocated according to parental preference and the admission criteria for the schools. The planned timetable for transfer to alternative schools ensures that no pupil will have to change school part way through a key stage.

6St Thomas More Catholic High School is the designated Catholic high school for the following parishes: St Aidan's, St Cuthbert's, St Edward's and

St Jude's. The proposed designated high schools for children living in these parishes from 1 September 2007 are:

St Aidan's Parish: St Edmund Arrowsmith Catholic High School.

St Cuthbert's Parish (that part of the parish to the west of and including Norley Hall Avenue and Enfield Street): St Peter's Catholic High School,

(remainder of the parish including those roads east of Norley Hall Avenue and Enfield Street): St John Fisher Catholic High School.

St Edward's Parish: St John Fisher Catholic High School

St Jude's Parish: St John Fisher Catholic High School

7The admission numbers and admission criteria of St Edmund Arrowsmith, St John Fisher and St Peter's Catholic High Schools will be amended as necessary and alterations made to the buildings to accommodate additional pupils as appropriate.

8All comments on or objections to these proposals should be made in writing and received by the Director of Children and Young People's Services at the address given above by 30 March 2006.

9If the LEA receives objections that are not subsequently withdrawn in writing, the School Organisation Committee will consider the proposals. Otherwise, the LEA will decide the proposals.

10Information on the LEA transport policy is available from the Director of Children and Young People's Services at the above address.