Birkenhead MP Frank Field pleads with Ridgeway High parents not to block academy plans

Oct 21 2009 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

BIRKENHEAD MP Frank Field has pleaded with parents of pupils at Ridgeway High School not to block plans to replace it with an academy school.

Wirral Council’s Labour and Liberal Democrat coalition has approved proposals to consult parents on the idea of creating a mixed-sex academy and an all-boys academy for pupils.

They would replace the existing Park High, Rock Ferry High and Ridgeway, all in Birkenhead, in a bid to tackle falling pupil numbers.

At a public meeting on Monday night to gauge parents’ views, some of the school’s governors said they had doubts about the plan – and Sally Reynolds, chair of the governing body, pledged Ridgeway would “continue to be here for as long as you want us to be”.

But Mr Field warned: “If you veto this, there will still be a review of secondary education in Birkenhead. We will not be able to keep the same number of schools open so my plea tonight is for you to continue this process.”

Parent-governor Gill Wilson said: “From a parents’ point of view, the review of secondary schools was about reducing roll numbers but it should be about standards.

“Ridgeway’s got the standards and it’s achieving. I think that’s getting missed.”