Last week, when the new plans were revealed for Salford's highs schools, the Salford Star ran a story that there was still an option to close St George's school, following the Schools Adjudicator's decision to keep it open.
Yesterday, as Salford Council approved the plans which leave the city's Catholic schools in limbo, Council Leader John Merry issued an unprecedented statement denying that there was a conspiracy to shut the school after its long and bitter battle with the Council.
"There is no agenda here" he stated "I want to make it absolutely clear that our proposal for St George's is for its refurbishment on the existing site. What we are asking Catholic schools and the diocese for is more options if they have any, simple as that."
While Option 2 includes refurbishment, Option 1 for St George's still includes "the possibility of closures and amalgamations, which would make a new building a viable possibility".
While the Oasis Academy MediaCityUK is being built for 900 places, even though it's going to be, according to Council projections, over 60% empty, the Council is insisting that St George's (with no surplus capacity) cannot be re-built on its existing site because it currently has only a 549 capacity and "a principle has been adopted that no school would be rebuilt at less than 900 places".
However another faith school, The Beis Yaakov Jewish High School, was recently re-built with a capacity of 275 places. The plot thickens…
* Read the Council Schools Press Release here
See previous St George's School articles here and here
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