Plans revealed for £1m extension to Rossendale school

4:00pm Wednesday 19th December 2012 in News Photograph of the Author By Chris Adams

How the extension could look How the extension could look

PLANS to create a £1million extension at a Rossendale school have been unveiled.

Bacup and Rawtenstall Grammar School, in Waterfoot, controversially converted to academy status earlier this year despite teachers staging a walk-out.

The proposals could see a new, purpose-built, two-storey complex, housing eight maths classrooms and a science laboratory replacing current temporary classrooms.

The school’s governors intend to submit a bid for funding to the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund, run by the Department for Education, by the end of January 2013.

Head teacher Alan Porteous said a total of £950,000 would be needed for the proposals to become a reality.

He said: “The project is part of our strategic development plan for the school buildings and comes subsequent to a similarly sized building to cater for our English department which was funded and project managed by the local authority.

“This proposed building will replace current temporary accommodation which is unfit for purpose and will provide for our maths department, another core subject.”

If the school’s bid proves to be successful when the grants are announced in April 2013, the money must be spent before April 2014.

Mr Porteous estimated it would take nine months for building work to be completed, and said the school’s decision to convert to academy status was telling.

He said: “Academy conversion has enabled us to bid for funding from the Academies Capital Maintenance Fund, which is only available to academies.

“Governors carefully considered the opportunities that we could offer students, staff and the wider community when converting to an academy.”

The proposed new building and six new car parking spaces would be situated on the right-hand side of Glen Road, with a flat area and disabled access planned to counteract the steep road’s traditional access problems.

The extension will also enable the school to boost pupil numbers from its current figure of 1,209 to around 1,300.

Comments (3)

8:35pm Wed 19 Dec 12

Sagacious 1 says...

This is the only positive news to come out of Rossendale this year. Seems that Alan Porteous is not the bogeyman he has been made out to be since he took over the school and converted to academy status. One thing that is certain is that Rossendale children are very fortunate to have options for BRGS, when most of the other fine Grammar Schools in Lancashire were forced to close their doors of opportunity due to socialist political correctness. We are very lucky that the BRGS custodians of the past successfully fought to keep the school selective in order to allow children to a achieve their true potential.
This is the only positive news to come out of Rossendale this year. Seems that Alan Porteous is not the bogeyman he has been made out to be since he took over the school and converted to academy status. One thing that is certain is that Rossendale children are very fortunate to have options for BRGS, when most of the other fine Grammar Schools in Lancashire were forced to close their doors of opportunity due to socialist political correctness. We are very lucky that the BRGS custodians of the past successfully fought to keep the school selective in order to allow children to a achieve their true potential. Sagacious 1

3:27pm Thu 20 Dec 12

The Roomster says...

As a former pupil of BRGS (when it was a "proper" local authority Grammar School) I welcome the investment and new facilities - although far less of the intake is from Rossendale than used to be the case, so it's more accurately positive news for all the sharp elbowed middle classes from across East Lancashire than it is for Rossendale!

However I do have major issues with the fact that schools appear to have to succumb to the bribery and threats on offer through the Academy process in order to receive new investment.

I am also very suspicious of headteachers and governors who appear to want all the benefits of public funding with none of the democratic accountability that comes with being part of the local education authority

If BRGS needs these facilities they should be provided - end of story and the odious Mr Gove should not be using taxpayers money to pursue his very personal and suspect ideologies around education and his apparent desire to take us back to some fictitious 1950's paradise!
As a former pupil of BRGS (when it was a "proper" local authority Grammar School) I welcome the investment and new facilities - although far less of the intake is from Rossendale than used to be the case, so it's more accurately positive news for all the sharp elbowed middle classes from across East Lancashire than it is for Rossendale! However I do have major issues with the fact that schools appear to have to succumb to the bribery and threats on offer through the Academy process in order to receive new investment. I am also very suspicious of headteachers and governors who appear to want all the benefits of public funding with none of the democratic accountability that comes with being part of the local education authority If BRGS needs these facilities they should be provided - end of story and the odious Mr Gove should not be using taxpayers money to pursue his very personal and suspect ideologies around education and his apparent desire to take us back to some fictitious 1950's paradise! The Roomster

6:02pm Thu 20 Dec 12

Sagacious 1 says...

What BRGS should plan next is to open a satellite grammar school to take advantage of the recent changes in the law which allow this. Maybe Rochdale would be a good place, which would then leave more places at Waterfoot for Rossendale children.
What BRGS should plan next is to open a satellite grammar school to take advantage of the recent changes in the law which allow this. Maybe Rochdale would be a good place, which would then leave more places at Waterfoot for Rossendale children. Sagacious 1

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