Gilesgate school to close, council confirms

4:45pm Friday 22nd March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Mark Tallentire, Reporter (Durham)

A SECONDARY school facing falling rolls and budget cuts is to close, education chiefs have confirmed.

Durham County Council held a six-week public consultation on ending 11 to 16 education at Durham Gilesgate Sports College, on Bradford Crescent, Durham City, late last year.

The school had shrunk to just 234 pupils aged 11 to 16 and its budget had been cut by £1.3m.

Today (Friday, March 22), the council confirmed secondary education would end. It is thought this could happen within weeks.

Headteacher Arthur Raymond said: “As a result of low pupil numbers in years seven to 11 it is difficult to continue to provide an appropriate education for pupils in these year groups and the school will just focus on its educational provision for pupils 16 to 19 only.”

The school’s sixth form, on a separate site off Providence Row, will continue.

Pupils entering year 11 in September will finish their secondary education in temporary classrooms at Providence Row.

Children entering years eight, nine and ten will move to other schools and there will be no new year seven intake.

Staff will learn their fate next week.

Dennis Southwell, the chair of governors, said: “It’s the only way forward at this time.

“The school is very saddened that it’s come to closure but it’s the only conclusion that could be found.

“We didn’t have the students to make the school viable and we’ve got to now put all our efforts into making the sixth form centre move forward in a positive manner.”

What will happen to the Bradford Crescent site remains unknown.

However, Councillor Southwell is unhappy that, while the school’s future was still unresolved, officials twice visited to see whether the buildings could host the new Durham Free School, set to open in September.

Peter Cantley, the new school’s headteacher, said the Department for Education had looked at a number of sites around Durham and it would make the final decision on where it will be based.

Julie McNamara, whose daughter Sophie, 13, attends Gilesgate, said: “I’m devastated it’s closing. It’s such a shame. But they haven’t got the money, so what can you do?”

Comments(13)

argo2013 says...
6:08pm Fri 22 Mar 13

And they said the free school would not affect state schools,they havn't the cash to keep gilesgate comp going,but people from the free school are interested in the site.How come there is money for the free school, but not the comp, parents should be asking that question.

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lesholloway says...
1:25pm Sat 23 Mar 13

.The parents have already asked the question - and they got the money to set up a free school in which they believe their children will get a better education.

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Colleen21 says...
5:47pm Sat 23 Mar 13

I don't know why they asked for parents say as it was already a done deal so some of the counclers said . All I can say is its a really good school and the teachers are great my son was so looking forward to going there in sep and when we found out he could not he was gutted . It's the kids and staff I feel sorry for .they never listened to what the parents had to say anyway . End of.

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argo2013 says...
5:54pm Sat 23 Mar 13

Judging by the doubts expressed in the media,they will be getting a very basic education,learning diy in technology classes don't think so.Thanks for informing everyone about where the free school will be,everyone was wondering what the big secret was,seeing as how it is only six months till it opens.How come there is no money for a state school,yet they can find money for a free school,doesn't it just prove it's about subverting the unions,and nothing to do with improving education?,What does tory millionaires care about working class getting a good education,seeing as how they treat people on low pay in other departments?

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argo2013 says...
9:35am Sun 24 Mar 13

I hope if the free school is in Gilesgate,i hope Geography is on the timetable,for the people running the school!!.The idea for this school was ,it would serve families south east of Durham city.The idea was that it would save children having to be bused across the city,having the school in Gilesgate will not solve that problem.

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drussy says...
11:00am Sun 24 Mar 13

The person who was the driving force behind the free school has resigned saying that the free school is not listening to the wishes of the parents anymore who want a school in or around Bowburn. The problems of buses are going to be exactly the same. You've got to wonder has the free school been hijacked for political purposes not its intended purpose ie providing local schooling for Bowburn/coxhoe/Kello
e areas schoolchildren

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argo2013 says...
12:50pm Sun 24 Mar 13

Has the idea for the free school been hijacked? the idea nationally is to subvert the unions,so education is under direct control of the government because of past disagreements between the tories and teaching unions.I wonder if the tories have thought about the fact that won't always be in power and they will delivering control over education to other political parties.

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The other side of the fence says...
2:25pm Mon 25 Mar 13

There has been no confirmation that the Free School will be at Gliesgate, this is only speculation, they visited the site, but nothing else.
You can't possibly blame the free school for the closure of Gilesgate, as it isn't even open yet! The numbers have been falling in Gilesgate for a number of years, hence the planned Accadamy with Belmont that fell through. The money isn't there to run it because there aren't the student numbers to run such a big site. It would be the same for any school. Numbers don't drop to 236 over night, and funding works on how many children are in a school, parents stopped sending their children there for what ever reason over at least the last 5 years.
The Children who the free school is aimed at would have got free buses to Durham Johnston, but I don't think any other school in the area. The parents want a school that they can send thier children too that is near them or provides the free buses.
Durham CC also needs to learn that if you build new homes (like the expansion in Bowburn) you also have to build the school places for them.

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lesholloway says...
4:21pm Mon 25 Mar 13

I don't think 'The other side of the fence' understands the concept of these posts - rational and objective argument is not allowed within the rules. Oh and btw he might have added that one
reason for the fall in student numbers @ Gilesgate is that six out of ten students fail to get 5 good GCSEs. No wonder parents are choosing elsewhere.

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argo2013 says...
5:33pm Mon 25 Mar 13

The schools results picked up when Les Holloway was voted out as chair of governers.It does affect Gilesgate generally when the government takes money away from state schools,because it is costing so much to set up academies.I think i was being very rational and objective,if the free school does turn out to be in Gilesgate. The original proposal was to set one up south east of Durham,to save children a long trip across the city.If the school is going to follow the original proposal,the time is running out to make a decision.Most of the teachers were at the school when Les Holloway was chair of the school,why was nothing was done about standards then,and are they happy with being told in the press they are substandard.

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lesholloway says...
6:03pm Mon 25 Mar 13

Surely you didn't think I was referring to you? Mind you 'The other side of the fence' has got one thing right - he/she hides behind a username.

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argo2013 says...
6:23pm Mon 25 Mar 13

Can we get some facts please Les,you said the school will improve when it is a free school,then you have said it's not settled yet,time is running out,what will a whole new team of teachers bring,except doing the governments bidding instead of having the protection of union representation.Judgi
ng by all the gaffs and u-turns made by the government god help the students.

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argo2013 says...
4:49pm Wed 27 Mar 13

Gilesgate was a sports college, the government took away funding from school sports, that would not of helped Gilesgate

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