A Labour Party proposal to put two schools on the same site would risk South Gloucestershire missing out on millions of pounds of central government school funding, the Chair of the Council’s Children & Young People Committee has warned. 

Committee Chair, Ian Blair, said: “The Labour amendment introduced at yesterday’s meeting sought to keep the struggling Grange School open, while simultaneously opening a planned new studio school on the same site. This despite the fact that we have been repeatedly warned that such a plan could make the new studio school unviable, putting at risk millions of pounds of Department of Education funding to replace the Grange site’s crumbling buildings.

“The original proposal, backed by South Gloucestershire’s head teachers, is to close the Grange in order to allow the new studio school to open in its place. This proposal was supported by the majority on the Committee at yesterday’s meeting, but Labour Councillors voted against, and have now referred the decision to full Council. The issue will now be voted on again on Wednesday 10^th December.

“I agree with head teachers that replacing the Grange with a new studio school is in the best interests of local children,” Ian continued. “The Grange has been struggling for some years, with poor grades, dilapidated buildings, and high staff turnover. Despite the best efforts of many teachers at the Grange, children are being let down by the current situation. A new studio school will offer better prospects for children, with better accommodation and a new curriculum concentrating on hi-tech engineering and creative media skills. The Labour Party’s proposals would put this progress at risk.”

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