THE building schools for the future programme has had a mixed impact 10 years after 11 secondary schools closed in Burnley and Pendle, it has been said.

The programme, which was devised by the then Labour government, invested heavily in building new colleges in a bid to raise pupil attainment and achievement.

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The first wave of the £250million scheme was carried out in Burnley and Pendle which saw the closure of 11 high schools including, in Burnley, Ivy Bank High School, St Hilda’s RC Girls’ High, Barden Boy’s High School, Habergham Sixth Form, St Theodore’s Boy’s High, Towneley High School, Walshaw Girls’ High School, as well as Mansfield High School, Brierfield, Walton High School, Nelson, Edge End High School, Nelson and Gawthorpe High School, Padiham.

However, although the buildings are “first class” there is still a long way to go in terms of delivering educational improvements, according to Burnley Council leader Cllr Mark Townsend.

He said: “It has not fulfilled all of the aims and goals that were set at the beginning.

“We are still striving hard to get to that point in terms of improving kids’ attainment.

“The transformation from older to new schools did not go as well as we could have hoped and a lot lost confidence in the schools.

“More affluent parents have been sending their children out of the borough.

“But it is moving in the right direction. The leadership of the schools is now excellent, the direction of travel is right and everybody is pulling together to improve results.“I still have high hopes we will achieve what we set out to do.”

Cllr Gordon Birtwhistle, former Burnley MP, said the buildings themselves are excellent, but Hameldon is only half full.

“After a sticky start other schools seem to be doing well.

“If you have the right teachers in the right buildings you have a successful school. If you have the wrong teachers or management then the school does not become successful.”

Alan Whittaker, who was Lancashire County Council’s cabinet member for schools at the time the scheme was implemented, said: they started it in Burnley and Pendle because they were areas with over-provision of schools for the number of kids.

“Some of the premises were fairly old and decrepit and some were unsafe.

“It is hard to get enthusiastic about education when you are in a cold building and the taps do not work.”

“It was a very ambitious programme, but it transformed opportunities for kids in Burnley and Pendle.”