Garston Church of England School
Today, parents and church leaders launched a campaign to save Garston CofE primary, which has stood at the heart of the community since 1716 and is the last remaining school of its kind in the area.
http://www.mersey-gateway.org/pastli...medium/c22.jpg
1965
Liverpool council, which provides the funding, says the school in Holman Road is losing pupils and has been in slow decline for years.
But residents are determined not to give in without a fight.
The school's future was first thrown into doubt four years ago when the council said falling numbers meant it would have to close.
The community, including the local church and parents, mounted a campaign, collecting a 5,000-name petition, and eventually won a reprieve.
Today, a second campaign has been launched by the local people who helped to fund the existing school building.
Former pupil Lin Boyd, of Halewood, now a school governor, sent both her children to Garston CofE.
She said: "The school has a great deal of potential and a lot to offer our children both now and in the future.
"It is extremely important this school remains in the area as there are no other schools supporting a CofE education within the close vicinity."
Headteacher Rick Widdowson added: "This school is very special. It is like one big happy family.
"The school fills a large place in the community and although the numbers are low at the moment we are confident we can rise again."
The vicar of St Michael's Garston, the Ven Bob Metcalf, said the school was "crucial to the life of the community".
David Johnston, from the diocese of Liverpool, said: "Nothing will be decided about Garston until a full process of consultation has taken place with everyone concerned."
It is proposed that the school will close at the end of the summer term next year. A final decision will be taken in March.
Colin Hilton, executive director of children's services at Liverpool council, said: "Several years ago the council was persuaded to give Garston CofE School more time to implement a plan of recovery. At the time, it was stressed failure of the recovery plan would mean the school's future would have to be reviewed."
He added parents would have "every opportunity" to be involved in the consultation.
janewoodhead@liverpoolecho.co.uk
School's history
GARSTON claims the title of oldest school in the city, even though The Blue Coat school opened in 1708, as it has offered continuous education since 1716.
During its early years the school was in Kettlenook before moving in 1866 to Banks Road where it remained until July 1964. In 1962 a Buy A Brick scheme was launched to help to fund the building of a new school with families pledging six pence a week. They raised £10,000.
The council says:
"THE school was given a recovery plan several years ago. Regrettably, this has not worked. In the past three years, the number of children on roll has continued to decline, reducing to 81.
"Following an inspection by Ofsted in September a number of weaknesses were identified and the school was given 'Notice to Improve'."
The diocese says:
"IF the school were closed now we would lose the last remaining Church school in the area. It must be saved, not only for the children who benefit from it today, but also for future generations."
£20m business support centre at the Matchworks in Garston.
THE company that carries out Liverpool council house repairs and street cleaning has opened a £20m business support centre at the Matchworks in Garston.
Enterprise has taken 20,000 sq ft at the Urban Splash development and will take on more than 200 people to handle its growing outsourcing operations.
As well as the contracts with the city council, the centre also operate contracts in the insurance, education and central government sectors.
Members of Enterprise's Board and Liverpool civic leaders will visit the new centre today to meet members of the new workforce, many of whom have been recruited locally through South Liverpool JET (Jobs Education and Training).
Recruitment is continuing and by April next year more 150 people will have been taken on, with 220 expected to have joined the centre - which operates on a 24/7 basis - by the end of 2006. http://a248.e.akamai.net/6/592/1130/...ault/empty.gif
A business unit has been set up to operate out of the Matchworks centre, called Enterprise Customer Support Solutions, which provides customer relationship management and business support solutions to the public, private and utilities sectors.
Since establishing its new Liverpool base, Enterprise has won two Government contracts worth in the region of £120m per annum for seven years.
Enterprise chief executive Jack McGrory said: "We are delighted to have set up in Matchworks, a flagship site that will support the growth of our business over the coming months and years.
"We chose Liverpool to host our expansion over a number of locations due to the proximity to our head office in Lancashire and the availability of suitably skilled staff within the region.
"This will further enhance our presence in the city and will supplement our role as an official partner in the European Capital of Culture in 2008."
Business Liverpool worked with Enterprise since late 2004 to bring this project to Liverpool and has offered an ongoing support programme to the company.
The Northwest Development Agency provided financial support to help bring the company to the city.
The company is set to benefit from Selective Finance for Investment in England, a scheme that supports capital investment projects that lead to improvements in productivity, skills and employment.
Mark Hughes, NWDA executive director of enterprise, innovation and skills said: "The attraction of new businesses to the region is an important economic driver, improving investor confidence as well as being a major source of wealth and job creation.
"The NWDA is pleased to have been able to offer financial assistance to Enterprise plc to support their new operation in Liverpool."
tonymcdonough@dailypost.co.uk
:PDT11
Consultation over future of school
COUNCILLORS have agreed to start asking the public if Liverpool's oldest primary school should close.
Parents, teachers and other schools will be consulted on the future of Garston primary.
The decision was made by Liverpool council's education select committee last night.
GARSTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
Save our School Committee had met this evening and is really positive. the school has the support of local councillors Peter Millea and Frank Roderick.
A PUBLIC MEETING WILL BE HELD ON 8 FEBRUARY 2006 AT 6.30 AT THE SCHOOL - ALL THE COMMUNITY MUST ATTEND. It is very important that we let the council and Diocesan officials know just how strong our feelings are.
The Committee asks that the whole community, old pupils and teachers etc (however far away you are) writes or preferably e-mails the Liverpool Echo, the Diocese of Liverpool Board of Education, The Royal Family...anyone and everyone.
In the words of Councillor Frank Roderick "THE SCHOOL MUST STAY"!!!.
:PDT_Armat
GARSTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
I'm an old(!) pupil from the 60s and had two kids who went and one still there. One argument is that during the last reprieve 5 years ago, the school's future was dependent on the regeneration of the housing in the area. This has been excrutiatingly slow and, by the council's own admission, has really only just begun. We think that we should be allowed to stay open and reap the benefits of regeneration or the situation would be that the with the increase in population the remaining schools would not be able to cope and - guess what - portakabins or a new school would have to be built. The council cannot see past the end of their nose, but we know that already!!! the really sad thing is the lack of support from the Diocese of Liverpool. As the only Anglican school between Dingle and Woolton, and being 300 years old, you would think they would want to help. However, the silence has been deafening!! There are wider issues here - for instance being a Parish Church left without a Vicar. Of course the congregation of the Parish Church is very supportive, but the power and authority lie with the Bishop and the Diocesan Board of Education. Everyone who can write should write - have your say, get involved - PEOPLE POWER!! (Thanks for the opportunity to rant :PDT_Armat - and to get the point across when nobody elses seems to be listening).
Garston Church of England School
OOOOh! don't know anything about that one - would be interesting though, wouldn't it? All that good land and a little school stuck in the middle taking up the space......:unibrow: I think we should be told......
Garston Church of England School
As many people as possible need to be at the school that night - this affects everyone in the community. All the other schools should be worried as well as in Councillor Clein's words, Garston cannot sustain the number of schools it has now. The other schools in the area have falling numbers as well - not just C of E. However, the other schools cannot take pupils from every year group - so all the kids will be split up. Springwood has the PPI building fiasco to sort out, and of course none of the other schools are Anglican schools, the nearest is Bishop Martin in Woolton.
Put this date in your diary: 8 February 2006 @ 6.30pm
Garston C of E School, Holman Road, Garston.
garston church of england school
Thanks Garstonlad - we need to be packed to the rafters that night - as many people there as possible to show the Council and the Church what we think of all this. It's the Diocese that are not supporting us - the local parish church are all as angry as we are - Garston CE is the Church Day School so it is very much part of the local church community.
It affects all of the community - not just CE pupils - the implications of this go further - our kids have got to go somewhere after all so all the other schools must have their say as well.
Be there or be square!!!
GARSTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
Just heard that if there is anyone who find its difficult to attend the meeting at the school on 8 February 2006 at 6.30 pm due to lack of transport or who doesn't like to go out at night, there is a bus that will pick people up, free, gratis and for nothing. The bus will take people to the school and back home again. For more details ring the school and ask for a member of the Save our School Committee.
HAVE YOUR SAY - THE SCHOOL MUST STAY
GARSTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL
Dya honestly think I will let anyone forget!!!
Anyways - click on this link and register your views in the new Save Our School Website - also listed are e-mail addresses for the Bishop (I am sure her will love that), the Echo and the lovely Councillor Clein (!):$ik:
Get your letters in folks - don't miss the opportunity to have your views heard.
www.savegarstoncofe.co.uk
GARSTON CHURCH OF ENGLAND SCHOOL