Academy bid in battle for Barrow Primary School

Saturday 19th February 2011, 11:29AM GMT.

A closure-threatened Shropshire school has launched a bid for academy status which could safeguard its future.

Campaigners fighting to save Barrow Primary School today said it had applied to the Government for funding under the Government’s free schools scheme, which allowed schools to act independently of their local authority.

If the funding was approved it would still be funded by the state and would be known as a free school or academy.

Barrow, which is one of the county’s oldest primary schools, is one of nine schools which have been earmarked for closure by Shropshire Council.

Simon Pennington, who is leading the school’s campaign, said the academy status bid would not happen overnight.

“We are waiting for the new schools network to assign someone to us to work on the proposal,” he said. “We have put the message out to the parents to update them on where we are up to and we are also working towards our formal response.”

It is the fourth time the school, which was last saved from closure three years ago, has faced the axe in 25 years. Any messages of support and suggestions to help save the school can be e-mailed to savebarrowschool@btinternet.com

View more: Shropshire Council news.

1
out of school

February 19, 2011 at 19:39

(i) “applied to” is not the same as “has been granted” (although Gove is so desperate to try to prove his flagship policy is the failure it so obviously is that you never know”

(ii) As a free school they’ll be funded mainly on pupil numbers so they’ll get much less money than now.

(iii) At least they won’t be taking money from every Shropshire pupil’s pocket, like they are now.

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2
Barrow Parent

February 21, 2011 at 11:04

We are not taking money from every shropshire pupils pocket as stated by the above. Every child has a right to a good education and as a parent i have the right to send my child to the school i want to. If the school closed we would be forced to send our children to one of the other broseley schools, something i did not want when my child started school hence why my child goes to barrow.

Barrow is such a close , friendly school where all of the children know each other and look out for each other. We are always told when taking our children on trips that the children are the nicest, most polite and well behaved children.

Would my child receive a better education in a class of 30 + as apposed to 16? I dont think so.

It would be a real shame to loose barrow school after so many years and the parents and teachers will do what they can to save it.

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