News: Education Secretary revisits her Rotherham school

Education Secretary, Justine Greening this week visited Oakwood High School in Rotherham, the comprehensive secondary school she attended as a pupil in the 1980s, for the official opening of its new, state-of-the-art buildings.

The school has undergone a £12.2m refurbishment as part of the Government's Priority School Building Programme, which is focused on rebuilding and revamping school premises. The new facilities at Oakwood High include specialist science, art and music rooms, a large gymnasium, and a separate dining hall – all under one roof.

The Conservative minister, who went on to attend Thomas Rotherham College, was given a tour of the school by current pupils and by former teachers Richard Townsend and John Bingham, who taught at Oakwood High during her time as a pupil at the school.

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Education Secretary Justine Greening said: "Returning to Oakwood High School was incredibly special to me. I had amazing teachers here who inspired me.

"I want every young person to be able to reach their full potential and great teachers are at the heart of that. It's great to be back in Rotherham and to see Oakwood High helping raise the aspirations of new generations of young people from the area, making sure they have the skills and knowledge to achieve their goals."

.@JustineGreening "It's been amazing to be Secretary of State for Education & to be able to come back" @OakwoodHSchool in #Rotherham pic.twitter.com/T5A3DvXoCy

— DfE (@educationgovuk) October 26, 2017

David Naisbitt, headteacher at Oakwood High School, said: "We understand that children and young people need positive role models. Here in Rotherham, our young people need to see that opportunity does not lie beyond their grasp – it rests firmly within the realm of their possibilities.

"There is no better example of what can be achieved than the Secretary of State; a local girl, educated in her local community.

"The new school building will act as a beacon and stands as a clear statement to this community of the value of education."

The first comprehensive school educated secretary of state for education studied at Southampton University, earning an MBA from the London Business School and used to work in business.

Kier Construction was the lead contractor on the Oakwood project.

Oakwood High School website

Images: DFE

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News: TRC academy consultation begins

The Rotherham school and sixth form college that were both attended by the Education Secretary, Justine Greening, are set to join together in the same Academy Trust, under new proposals.

Consultation is now underway on plans for Thomas Rotherham College (TRC), a sixth form college to become a 16 to 19 academy and join with Inspire Trust, an existing multi academy trust which currently comprises Oakwood High School and Sitwell Junior School in the borough.

TRC was told to look at joining a multi academy trust following the findings of a Government review into skills in the Sheffield city region.

A series of Area Based Reviews (ABRs) of provision are being carried out with the Sheffield city region one of the first three areas. Each review starts by assessing the economic and educational needs of the area, and the implications for post-16 education and training provision, including school sixth forms, sixth form colleges, further education colleges and independent providers.

The Government announced in 2015 that sixth form colleges could explore the academisation route. Governors at TRC believe that this is the best way to build on the college's strengths, secure its financial position and deliver ever better opportunities for its students.

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Dissolution is planned for August 31 2017 - just as TRC celebrates its 50th anniversary, after which the former Rotherham Grammar School will continue to operate as normal after joining Inspire Trust. Students will be able to continue their courses of study on the same campus, the College will continue to use the name of Thomas Rotherham College for all marketing purposes and there are no plans for major curriculum changes or changes to entry criteria or our catchment areas.

The plan is for the Regional Schools' Commissioner to consider the application in June 2017. An "academy order" will be need to be signed off by the Secretary of State for Education and the Trust would enter into a funding agreement direct with the department, taking it out of local authority control. The current Education Secretary is Rotherham-born Justine Greening, who studied at both Oakwood and TRC. The first comprehensive school educated secretary of state for education went on to study at Southampton University, earning an MBA from the London Business School and used to work in business.

The consultation points out that the main benefits to the proposals are the ability to share expertise and resources, and to support the transition between each phase of education even more effectively. It added: "The ability of the Trust to reclaim VAT will provide additional funds to Thomas Rotherham College to allow substantial continuing investment in our students, staff and facilities. This will allow us to operate on a level playing field with schools and academies who are already able to do this."

There is no intention for staff contracts and terms and conditions to change.

David Naisbitt, headteacher at Oakwood High School and a director of Inspire Trust, said: "There will be people who talk about the financial gain in these extremely challenging financial circumstances. We know that budgets are not getting any better and will, indeed, become increasingly tighter. As they say the budgetary envelope is not increasing in size.

"Yet the underpinning principles or reason for coming together with this iconic post-16 institution is to provide an enhanced educational experience for the children and young people of this community. Writ large in our submission is an educational vision and underpinning educational principles and priorities. We have a desire to establish a truly exciting and innovative learning community; which will enhance and will boost the educational opportunities within this town and within this region."

The consultation runs until June 16 2017 and a public consultation event is also planned for Monday May 22 between 5 – 6 pm at the college.

TRC website

Images: TRC

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News: Greening thanks Rotherham teachers

Justine Greening MP has used her first conference speech as Secretary of State for Education to thank her teachers in Rotherham for opening up opportunities for her.

A reshuffle under new Prime Minister, Theresa May, saw the government department for skills moved over from business to education so that Greening's department now covers everything from early years, schools and further and higher education, to adult skills and apprenticeships.

Speaking at the Conservative Party Conference at The ICC in Birmingham this week, the Rotherham-born minister, who attended Oakwood Comprehensive School, spoke about her party's desire to "give people control over the things that matter most in their lives."

Greening said: "All parents have their hopes and dreams for their children, but in practice, for most, they can never really take their eye off the economic realities of everyday life. And what's it like for the children in those families? Well, I was one of them, and when I think back to my own childhood, growing up in Rotherham in the eighties: All I wanted was a level playing field. I didn't expect any more - but I didn't think I should expect any less either. And neither did my parents. And nowhere was that more important to me than in my education.

"I loved going to school. Herringthorpe Primary, Oakwood Comprehensive, Thomas Rotherham College. As the first comprehensive school educated secretary of state for education, I want to say thank you to the teachers in all those schools that opened up so many opportunities for me. We all remember great teachers, and no other profession has the power to transform futures so much.

"My job - our job now - is to make sure that today's children, whatever their background, get the best start. And to me, that means three things: knowledge and skills; the right advice at the right time; and great, challenging, life shaping experiences.

"These are the building blocks to help young people be successful in their years ahead."

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Greening, who is also Minister for Women and Equality, added that she is determined to "put the quality of technical education on a par with the quality of our academic education," transforming the technical skills route with University Technical Colleges (UTCs) and three million more apprentices, at the same time as transforming the academic route through free schools, academies and grammar schools.

As part of a focus on social mobility and finding and nurturing "rough diamonds", the department is establishing Opportunity Areas where local partnerships will form with early years providers, schools, colleges, universities, businesses, charities and local authorities to ensure all children have the opportunity to reach their full potential.

The MP for Putney, Roehampton and Southfields talked about the role of business, adding: "Business has a vital role because British business is the ultimate opportunity giver. I want to see businesses spotting and polishing up the talent of a new generation, the rough diamonds, to make sure we unlock all the talent of our country, especially in these Opportunity Areas where it's most likely to be missed.

"Business has such a great role to play, setting young people's sights high and broadening horizons. It's hard to aim for an opportunity if you don't even know it's there."

Images: CBI

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News: Screen Yorkshire to put £2.5m into production

Screen Yorkshire, the organisation that champions the film, TV, games and digital industries in Yorkshire and the Humber, has announced that it is to invest £2.5m into production over the course of 2016.

Screen Yorkshire works to secure and support the very best projects, companies and individuals, helping to make Yorkshire and the Humber one of the most sought after destinations for production in the UK. As an investor it operates the £15m, ERDF-supported Yorkshire Content Fund.

Applications are now invited from projects looking for investment up to £500,000 and which can go into production in the next 12 – 18 months.

Screen Yorkshire has now made over 35 investments since it launched the Yorkshire Content Fund in 2012. The latest call for applications comes as the company marks one of its most prolific and successful years since it exited the screen agency network in 2011.

Filming took place in 2015 of the BBC TV adaptation of David Walliams' book, Billionaire Boy, with key locations including Wentworth Woodhouse and Oakwood High School in Rotherham.

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Wentworth Woodhouse, the largest privately-owned house in Europe, was previously seen on the BBC as a backdrop for one of the most ambitious TV dramas ever undertaken in the UK - Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell (pictured). The magical drama was another investment from the Yorkshire Content Fund and was the largest scale production that Screen Yorkshire has ever invested in.

Sally Joynson, chief executive at Screen Yorkshire, said: "We are really excited to be making this announcement about our plans for 2016. It's a great time to be based in Yorkshire and the north of England and the announcement is a reflection of our ambition to grow production and the industry even further.

"The Yorkshire Content Fund has demonstrated its credentials as a major investment resource for film and TV production in the UK and a significant driver of activity for the Yorkshire and Humber region. We are very optimistic about the prospects for the forthcoming year."

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Other recent investments include the feature adaptation of Dad's Army, which is one of its most successful investments to date, having grossed more than £8m at the UK & Ireland Box office. Currently in production and also backed by the fund are Paddy Considine's highly anticipated second feature, Journeyman and Channel 4's National Treasure, starring Robbie Coltrane and Julie Walters. Forthcoming releases in 2016/17 which are supported by the YCF include Swallows & Amazons, ID2:Shadwell Army, The Railway Children, How To Talk To Girls At Parties, The Hunter's Prayer and Dark Angel.

Screen Yorkshire website

Images: BBC

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News: Kier involved in second Rotherham school rebuild

Kier Construction is working on a second school redevelopment project in Rotherham as consultation begins on the rebuilding of Wath Victoria Primary School.

It comes as further schools in the borough are confirmed as making it onto the Government's school rebuilding programme.

As a leading construction, services and property group, Kier has already won £153m worth of contracts through the first phase of the £2.4 billion government programme that is rebuilding 260 of the schools in England in the worst condition. It was named as a contractor on multimillion pound plans for the rebuilding of Oakwood High School in Rotherham where applicants hope to start on site this winter with the new school building planned to be complete by July 2016 (pictured).

Now, a public consultation has been organised by Wath Victoria and Kier Construction for this Thursday showcasing the new school building that is designed to accommodate 280 pupils aged 3-11, with an additional 26 nursery places. Plans for the new school, set to be located within the grounds of the existing school, are set to be submitted this month and set for completion in April 2016.

Like Oakwood, Wath looks set to be a capital funded project, funded directly by the Education Funding Agency (EFA), though the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP).

£98m worth of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects at Abbey SEN, Aston, Hilltop SEN, Milton, Oakwood, St Pius and Swinton in Rotherham were stopped by the coalition government in 2010.

The ambitious plan by the Labour government to rebuild every secondary school in England was controversially axed by Michael Gove, the then Secretary of State for Education, who told the Commons at the time that the scheme had been hit by "massive overspends, tragic delays, botched construction projects and needless bureaucracy."

More than 700 school building projects in the country were cancelled when BSF was scrapped and it meant that only one school on Rotherham, the converted Maltby Academy, progressed a major revamp.

The government said today that thanks to the Priority School Building Programme, school buildings are being rebuilt faster and cheaper than those built under the Building Schools for the Future initiative. Under the BSF it took three years for construction work to begin. This was slashed to one year for the Priority School Building Programme, with projects costing around a third less.

This week the government announced details of how over £4 billion will be allocated between 2015 and 2018 to schools, local authorities, academy trusts, and voluntary-aided partnerships to help them improve the condition of schools across the country.

Rotherham schools: Brinsworth Comprehensive (which has already submitted plans for work to its sports hall); Saint Pius X Catholic High School; St Bernard's Catholic High School; Newman School and Harthill Primary School have been successful in their applications to the second phase of the PSBP, and will "now have the condition needs in one or more of their buildings addressed as part of the programme."

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said: "It is crucial that we invest properly in education, so that every child has a fair start in life. ​Thousands of pupils will benefit from better, brighter, warmer classrooms thanks to this ​funding.

"Children can't learn and teachers can't teach in schools that are cold and have leaking roofs.

"To create a stronger economy we have to invest in a fairer society so that our young people can be successful in the future."

Education Secretary Nicky Morgan added: "As part of our long term economic plan, we have continued to invest in school buildings which will ensure we can deliver even more great new schools, transform the learning environment for tens of thousands of pupils and their teachers whilst delivering value for money for the taxpayer."

After missing out in the first round, Swinton Community School and St. Pius X Catholic High School were put forward by Rotherham Council for much needed repairs. The council's cabinet also agreed to put forward Badsley Moor Lane Junior School, Harthill Primary School, Wales Primary School, Laughton Junior and Infant School and Newman School.

Images: Kier / Oakwodd High School

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News: Wildgoose gets Rotherham school work

Wildgoose Construction has secured the contract to build the new £6m Eastwood Village Primary School in Rotherham.

Plans were passed earlier this year with council architects designing a three storey building on stilts to address concerns over flood risk and overdominance of surrounding properties.

Acting on a particular pressure for school places within the Eastwood and St Ann's areas, Rotherham Council secured £3m from the Government last year and have progressed plans for a new central primary school on allotment land on Eldon Road.

The council plans to borrow the additional funding required over a payback period of 60 years and eventually, the school will be capable of accommodating 315 pupils comprising 45 in each year group, together with a 44-place nursery. The Central Learning Partnership Trust has been chosen as lead sponsors for the new school.

The first completely new primary school to be opened in the borough for over 20 years, the 1,400 sq m development will cost £6.3m and will be constructed with two upper floors over an open basement level, in effect making the building three storey.

The basement will be used for staff parking, areas for recreation and outdoor classrooms, with the ground floor accommodating the classrooms, office, reception, hall and kitchen. The first floor will accommodate further teaching areas and a library.

Cllr Christine Beaumont, Cabinet Member for Children and Education Services for the Council, said the school will be a "much-needed" facility for this area of Rotherham.

She added: "I am delighted to see work starting on this site. Helping people reach their potential in deprived communities is one of the Council's key priorities and this kind of regeneration will assist in raising attainment levels."

Derbyshire-based Wildgoose has also recently started work on Dalton Medical Centre on Saville Street which is a new build medical centre in Rotherham with a pharmacy and associated works attached. At a value of £1.7m, work is anticipated to complete date of June 2015.

Previous work in Rotherham by Wildgoose includes the £3.4m MyPlace centre, a £2.2m housing project at Albany Road, Kilnhurst and the transformation of the former Kimberworth Comprehensive School into a £2.9m children's services centre. The contractors also recently completed the £1.4m new build pub at Waverley.

A planning application for a significant new build school on the site of Oakwood High School in Rotherham was approved by the planning board last week. Kier Construction are to build the school and hope to be complete by July 2016.

Wildgoose Construction

Images: RMBC

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News: Kier in line for Rotherham new school contract

Kier Construction looks to have secured the multimillion pound contract for the significant new build school on the site of Oakwood High School in Rotherham.

In 2012, the school, formerly known as Oakwood Technology College, made it onto the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP), the government's centrally managed programme set up to address the needs of the schools most in need of urgent repair.

With 1,000 children on site on a daily basis, in a building that was designed for maximum of 600 pupils, plans have been developed for a three storey school building with a sports hall to replace the current buildings at Oakwood.

A planning application has now been submitted, put together by architects at the Building Design Partnership, listing Kier Construction as the contractor. As a leading construction, services and property group, Kier has already won £153m worth of contracts through the first phase of the £2.4 billion programme that is rebuilding 261 of the schools in England in the worst condition.

A capital funded project, funded directly by the Education Funding Agency (EFA), the new building at Oakwood will be located near Moorgate Road on the site of the existing science block and lower gym. It locates the teaching accommodation in a block that runs parallel to Moorgate Road with the sports hall, PE, music and drama spaces located together to the rear of the site facing the playing fields to the south.

The teaching block comprises three storeys with classrooms located either side of a central corridor. The performance block is two storeys but as the site rises from Moorgate Road the levels allow this to be set at level 1, a full floor height above the entrance level, creating a better relationship with the adjacent sports pitches.

David Naisbitt, headteacher at Oakwood High School, said: "We very much hope to have a purpose built school projecting a strong and positive image out onto Moorgate Road. This main arterial route needs to have strong statement about what education can be and we believe that the plans for this project very much allow for that message to be communicated.

"We hope that a new build will allow for us to work beyond the core hours and we would hope to develop a building which would be used by greater numbers of our community.

"Our intention and commitment is that the building will match our high expectations for learning and academic success and very much believe that this project will add to the outstanding provision which Oakwood High School brings to this community."

With plans submitted, the applicants hope to start on site this winter with the new school building planned to be complete by July 2016.

A second round of the national PSBP has recently been announced. After missing out in the first round, Swinton Community School and St. Pius X Catholic High School are being put forward by Rotherham Council for much needed repairs.

Oakwood High School website

Images: Building Design Partnership

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News: Brand new school planned for Oakwood

A construction project for a "brand new school" at Oakwood is making progress again, four years after the entire school building project in Rotherham was stopped by the coalition government.

£98m worth of Building Schools for the Future (BSF) projects at Abbey SEN, Aston, Hilltop SEN, Milton, Oakwood, St Pius and Swinton in Rotherham were stopped by the coalition government in 2010.

The ambitious plan by the Labour government to rebuild every secondary school in England was controversially axed by Michael Gove, the Secretary of State for Education, who told the Commons at the time that the scheme had been hit by "massive overspends, tragic delays, botched construction projects and needless bureaucracy."

More than 700 school building projects in the country were cancelled when BSF was scrapped and it meant that only one school on Rotherham, the converted Maltby Academy, progressed a major revamp. A new Business and Enterprise centre opened at the Academy last year. The centre is one of two new buildings as part of the £10.9m construction programme undertaken by BAM Construction that also includes refreshing, remodelling and refurbishing other parts of the academy's estate.

Now, plans are being progressed for a significant new build school on the site of Oakwood High School on Moorgate Road. In 2012, the school, formerly known as Oakwood Technology College, made it onto the Priority School Building Programme (PSBP), the government's centrally managed programme set up to address the needs of the schools most in need of urgent repair. With the £2.4 billion first phase of the programme rebuilding 261 of the schools in England in the worst condition, a second phase was recently announced.

With 1,000 children on site on a daily basis, in a building that was designed for maximum of 600 pupils, plans have been developed for a three storey school building with a sports hall to replace the current buildings at Oakwood.

Writing to parents earlier this year, David Naisbitt, headteacher at Oakwood High School, said: "We are at present negotiating with the Department for Education about the funding of a new school building for Oakwood High School. Working together we believe that we can deliver a "brand new" school on this site by the summer of 2016. This will be a modern and "fit for purpose" school building that would allow us to further enhance our educational provision.

"We are all committed to working to ensure that whilst the project is being built that we do not impact in any way upon the learning of our pupils at the school."

Oakwood was not included in the private finance projects already announced for Yorkshire and could be a capital funded project, funded directly by the Education Funding Agency (EFA). The contractors framework and the selection of a lead contractor for the project is being finalised.

Oakwood High School website

Images: Oakwood High School

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