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From the Revd David Morphy, Director of Education, Diocese of Worcester:
“I am very disappointed that the proposals from Dudley MBC no longer fulfil promises to link the closure of Halesowen C of E School with the refurbishment and remodelling of Hasbury C of E School. These proposals are a severe blow to those of us who have been working for many years to plan for quality church school places in Halesowen.
“While I welcome the commitment by the Council to guarantee places for Halesowen pupils at Hasbury, I believe that the lack of a timetable for the refurbishment of the school could make it a less favourable option for parents.
“All those who have given of their efforts and energies to improve church school provision in the local community while reducing surplus places must be saddened by these proposals. I hope that in the weeks ahead we will hear news of realistic plans for redeveloping Hasbury which will show the serious commitment of the Council to work with the Diocese and other partners to provide church school places in a quality building able to deliver a modern curriculum”
The Diocesan Board of Education has been working with Dudley Council for the last five years to reduce the number of church school places in the Halesowen area as part of the Council’s review of primary school places. Our efforts have been related to reducing the surplus capacity by closing Halesowen C of E School while refurbishing and remodelling Hasbury C of E School.
The proposals published today are limited to the closure of Halesowen C of E School as from 31 August 2007, while making no provision for the improvement of Hasbury School. The proposals recognise that the Diocese, the Council and both schools have all made substantial efforts through a number of schemes to bring about the remodelling of Hasbury School. The Diocese believed the promises made by both councillors and Council officers that they were willing to spend council funds on the project.
The Diocese would have preferred proposals which delayed the closure of Halesowen until there was a clear prospectus for parents as to the size and nature of the Hasbury campus.
ENDS.
The Diocese of Worcester is one of 44 dioceses in the Church of England. It covers an area of 671 square miles and includes parishes in the County of Worcestershire, the Metropolitan Borough of Dudley, and a few parishes in northern Gloucestershire, south east Wolverhampton and Sandwell.
