ExclusiveBy Alan Irving

Last updated 23:00, Wednesday, 25 June 2008

WHITEHAVEN could be getting a state-of-the-art Academy School. Some £30 million of investment has already been promised by the Government.

The plan is for a complete re-build on the site of the existing 1,400-pupil Whitehaven School at Hensingham.

MP Jamie Reed, who has won government approval for the Academy, told The Whitehaven News: “The decision to accept this £30 million investment will now rest with the governors of Whitehaven School and Cumbria County Council.”

But he added: “A brand new school in Whitehaven on this scale will revolutionise education in the town.”

The chairman of the school’s governors, Steve Bright, said: “We have looked at Academy status and believe it could offer a strong investment in the future education of young people in Whitehaven.”

The MP also helped secure the funding for the new Westlakes Academy at Egremont which will open its doors in September. It combines Wyndham School and Ehenside at Cleator Moor, which close at the end of the summer term.

Plans at Whitehaven are for a stand-alone Academy without any merger or private sector investment, unlike the Westlakes Academy which has strong support from the nuclear industry.

“The proposal for a brand new Whitehaven Academy offers more than a new school – it is an opportunity to help shape a truly exciting future for us all,” said Mr Reed.

The Academy move comes six months after Whitehaven School was given en a “notice to improve” warning after an Ofsted inspection.

Head teacher Malcolm Smith declined to comment except to say that “the notice to improve places the school in a position where academy status could be proposed by the local authority. This led to rumour and uncertainty among staff and students.”

Mr Smith added: “The school’s response to the notice to improve has been very positive. Staff have worked very hard to ensure that students’ chances in this year’s examinations are as good as they can be and signs for examinations already sat are very promising.”

The MP said of the Academy proposal: “It will revolutionise education in the town not only complementing Westlakes Academy but also sitting nearby to the University of Cumbria campus and the Nuclear Skills Academy (Energus) at Lillyhall as well as the redevelopment of an expanded UCLan campus and the arrival of Manchester University’s Dalton Centre at Westlakes Science Park.

“This represents the single largest investment in education and training in our local history, and our schools and most importantly the pupils of those schools must be in a position to access them fully.”

The MP went on: “An improved educational infrastructure means that we will keep more of our young people who will in turn create new opportunities and grow our economy.

“This school would transform communities and, in my opinion, it will both raise aspiration and expectation as well as helping to fulfil those expectations. As a parent, and a former Whitehaven School pupil, I am excited about the opportunities presented by this project. A number of potential partners have expressed an interest in becoming involved in the Academy so far, including a series of serious academic partners.

“I do understand that projects of this scale will cause some nervousness amongst teachers – as change always does with everyone – but this needn’t be the case. Although the funding is secure, and I hope the project is approved, there are still details to be worked out and the teaching staff can have a significant role in helping to produce these details. I hope that they will do this.

“I discussed the possibility of a new school with the governors over 18 months ago. A great deal of thought and work has gone into this since then and the governors have always informed the teaching staff of developing propositions as and when there has been anything concrete and factual to inform them of.

“There is no compulsion for the governors or the school to seize this opportunity, but I doubt it will come around again, and the opportunity – and the money – would quickly find a home in a different part of the country.

“I want to see four outstanding secondary schools in Copeland; St Benedict’s, Millom, West Lakes Academy and the Whitehaven Academy.

“As a community we should always strive for excellence. Without the success of projects such as this, our ambitions are unlikely to be realised. By successfully working for new schools, new health facilities, a new acute district general services hospital and new nuclear developments, we can build a new West Cumbria.”

Cumbria County Council said in a statement: “The prospect of significant resources to further improve secondary education in West Cumbria is positive news. As government expects, we will need to look at this opportunity in the wider context of our strategic plans for the west of the county.”