Labour in Leeds

Secondary school to remain on City of Leeds site

Secondary school education will remain in Hyde Park after Leeds City Council agreed to retain a school on the site of City of Leeds.

The council’s executive board followed recommendations by Education Leeds to maintain an 11-16 school at City of Leeds and establish new governance arrangements by September 2011.

In April, Education Leeds was asked to work with the school and organisations connected to it to develop alternative proposals to closure. A range of options were considered - including alternatives which had been put forward by the school’s governors and Leeds Metropolitan University.

A project team - consisting of the City of Leeds’ governing body and headteacher, representatives from a local high school and primary school, Leeds City College, Leeds College of Building, Education Leeds and Leeds City Council’s children’s services department - agreed any school on the site would need to see fast improvements made and would need to secure a broader confidence in the future stability, quality and effectiveness of the school.

It also agreed that retaining a school on the site which had new governance arrangements would improve outcomes for young people, improve community cohesion, build on the strengths of current provision, be attractive to young people and their parents and be supported by key partners.

Labour Councillor Judith Blake, executive board member for children's services, said:
"The support from parents, governors, staff and pupils surrounding this school was not something that could be ignored. It has shown just how important a school is to a community and we can now look forward to building on the successes at City of Leeds for the benefit of local young people."

Labour Councillor Jane Dowson, executive board member for learning at Leeds City Council, said:
“I’m pleased that the recommendations put forward by Education Leeds have been agreed. City of Leeds has demonstrated great potential and I have been impressed by the levels of passion and commitment shown by staff, governors, pupils and the local community. This decision signals the beginning of a process that will ensure a first class education is available to young people in the Hyde Park area.”

Chris Edwards, chief executive of Education Leeds, said:
“We want every young person – regardless of where they live or which school they go to – to be able to learn in the best possible school and have the opportunities to help them achieve all they can.

“The recommendations we put forward represented the best of the many suggestions that we considered regarding the school’s future. The decision to maintain a secondary school on the City of Leeds site provides a real opportunity to build on the passion and commitment that has been demonstrated by the school, governing body, its partners and the wider community.”