Building Schools for the Future
BSF is the biggest single government investment in improving school buildings for over 50 years. The aim is to rebuild or renew every secondary school in England over a 10-15 year period.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is it?
Salford Local Authority has been allocated £150 million to refurbish or rebuild nine of its high schools of which The Swinton High School is one.
The proposal relating to The Swinton High School is that we amalgamate with Moorside High School to form a mixed high school for 1500 pupils aged 11-16 years. This proposal is open to full consultation which ends on 25th October 2006. A second phase of consultation relating to The Swinton and Moorside High schools is likely to then occur immediately afterwards.
Is it good or bad news?
The governors’ position is that this is excellent news for the children who would choose to attend The Swinton High School in future years. It will not affect those pupils presently attending our high school since the proposed improvements will take place after they have left our high school.
It is also good news for Swinton and Salford because it will be served by a state of the art specialist college serving the community.
How will this improve our community?
There is substantial evidence that a successful thriving high school which works in partnership with its community can be a positive force for the economic well being, regeneration, self esteem and confidence of that community.
This is an ambitious role and a responsibility which we would be privileged to assume.
How much will the new school cost?
While there are no figures quoted for each school, we would expect the newly amalgamated school to have an amount equal to the greatest single amount of money allocated since it will be one of only three complete new rebuilds in the BSF programme and it will be equal in size with the biggest high school.
What are the governors doing next?
The governors of The Swinton High School are committed to working in partnership with Salford local authority and the governors of Moorside High School to secure the best possible provision for our two school communities in anticipation of the day when we become one.
Will there be money for computers?
£17 million is likely to be allocated to ICT computers and modern technology. We can expect that the newly amalgamated high school will have a substantial investment in computers and modern technology on a scale previously only ever dreamt of.
What does this mean for children presently in primary schools who choose either The Swinton or Moorside High School?
Junior age children are likely to start at either The Swinton or Moorside High School and then transfer together to the newly amalgamated high school later on in their high school years. The details of how this would happen are likely to become clear in the next few months.
Where will the school be built?
We expect that the newly amalgamated school will be built on a new site in the Swinton area and that pupils and staff will then move into the new building on a date as yet unknown.
What about uniform?
These details will be worked out a lot nearer the time.
Keep checking back to the website to find out more news as we know it.
John Biddlestone
(Headteacher)
Public Statement on Salford’s
Building Schools For The Future
Proposals
13th September 2006
“The proposal to build a brand new high school in Swinton is excellent news for the children and the community of Swinton and Salford. We will work with all parties in those communities to ensure that our future pupils have the best possible facilities and equipment in a brand new high school building.
It has long been our vision for our community to have a brand new purpose built school with community sports and performing arts facilities and this exciting announcement brings us considerably nearer to realising that vision in the next few years.
Our pupils and staff deserve the best possible buildings, staffing and technology available to give our pupils the flying start in life that they deserve and we look forward with great enthusiasm to the opportunities that a brand new high school in Swinton will bring us.
We will continue to work in partnership with our neighbours and look forward to planning our brand new school with all interested parties at their earliest convenience.”
Statement released and approved by:
Mrs. J. Davies, Chair of Governing Body
The Swinton High School,
a specialist college for the performing arts
Councillor (Swinton North) Jim Dawson, Vice Chair of Governing Body
The Swinton High School,
a specialist college for the performing arts
Mr. John Biddlestone, Headteacher
The Swinton High School,
a specialist college for the performing arts