National Challenge for Rochdale School
17 June 2009
A groundbreaking school partnership has been given the
green light- the first of its kind in the borough.
Proposals were approved on Monday 15 June, by Secretary of State
for Children, Schools, and Families Ed Balls, for the amalgamated
Balderstone Technology College and Springhill High School to become
a National Challenge Trust School in 2010.
This status will see the new school partner up with the
successful Middleton Technology School, the new Rochdale Sixth Form
College and the council, to raise the educational standards at the
new school and improve GCSE results.
The education partners will bring their wealth of experience to
help set up the school, share their resources, teacher training and
management expertise.
Both Balderstone and Springhill School have been below the
government's National Challenge target of GCSE grades but have been
making continuous improvements to secure a brighter future for
pupils.
Raising education levels
Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, Cabinet Member for Children, Schools
and Families, said: "These proposals will build on the progress
Balderstone and Springhill School have been making and raise the
education levels for the new school when it opens.”
Terry Piggott, Executive Director for Children’s Services at
Rochdale Borough Council said: "These plans are part of the
council’s commitment to secure a successful future for the new
school and ensure pupils will benefit from a first class
education.”
"Becoming a National Challenge Trust School, the partnership
will strengthen the leadership and governance whilst providing the
commitment and support to help it fully meet the needs of our
children and drive up attainment beyond the National Challenge
target."
Support for pupils
There will be substantial funding available over the next two
years for the school, to provide a bespoke package of support for
pupils and create a transformational approach from the outset.
There are a number of National Challenge schools across the
country- where fewer than 30 per cent of pupils get five GCSE’s-
which have been benefitting from tailored support such as learning
mentors for pupils, 1-2-1 tuition and extra revision support.
The new trust school for Rochdale is the only one of seven
schools that was announced yesterday, and the only one in the
Greater Manchester area.