Worcestershire County Council

Catch up with developments as they happen.

Worcestershire County Council (WCC) is committed to raising educational standards and investing resources to improve opportunities for children and young people throughout the County and, as part of this, a rolling programme of area reviews has been taking place across Worcestershire.

In the autumn of 2002 officers from WCC began the process of reviewing education provision in the Wyre Forest  (i.e. schools in the Bewdley, Kidderminster and Stourport areas).

An almost two year period of consultation followed including the publication of two formal consultation documents, individual meetings at each school in the area, alongside a range of other public meetings.

Regular reports on the progress of the review were submitted to the County Council’s Cabinet and at their meeting on 5 July 2004 a decision was made to move from a three to a two-tier system in the Wyre Forest.  

Public Notices were issued on 20 January 2005 and 97 representations and a report from the Lea Street Action Committee were received by the end of the statutory consultation period.  At their meeting on 11 April 2005, the Schools Organisation Committee (SOC)  (86.11 KB) subsequently unanimously endorsed the proposals as set out in the public notices (the letter detailing the SOC decision can be viewed here). The SOC meeting concluded the process and provided the final decision on the review.

As a result of this process, preparations are now underway to close all 45 First, Middle and High Schools in the Wyre Forest area on 31 August 2007 and re-opening 30 new primary and secondary schools on 1 September 2007. Bayton Primary, St. Ambrose Primary and St. Wulstans Primary will remain unchanged while Sytchampton First School will move to the Droitwich pyramid of schools.

The reasons for the decision to change are based on the conclusion that a two-tier system will provide the best long-term solution for the Wyre Forest area, providing sufficient viable schools across an appropriate geographic spread while also supporting the 12 key issues identified in the first consultation document and debated as for the review.

As part of the review, the County Council is looking to invest approximately £160 million to improve educational facilities in the Wyre Forest. This funding will be spread over a number of years and the priority will be on ensuring that the new schools have suitable facilities and sufficient accommodation for September 2007.

Reports to Cabinet for meeting of:

Please select: 5 July 2004 5 July 2004 - Motion to Cabinet 15 March 2004 9 February 2004 9 February 2004 - Additional Information/Changes

Cabinet Minutes and Outcomes

Please select: 20 December 2004 - Church Schools (Word) 20 December 2004 - Church Schools (PDF) 5 July 2004 5 July 2004 - Appendix E 23 Februray 2004 - Update from Cabinet meeting of 9 February 2004

Public Notices:

Please select: 3 February 2005 - Sytchampton (Word) 3 February 2005 - Sytchampton (PDF) 20 January 2005 - Bewdley (Word) 20 January 2005 - Bewdley (PDF) 20 January 2005 - Kidderminster (Word) 20 January 2005 - Kidderminster (PDF) 20 January 2005 - Stourport (Word) 20 January 2005 - Stourport (PDF) March 2004 - A second consultation