Monday, 18 July 2016, will be the 10th anniversary of saving Prestwich Arts College (and Broad Oak High in Bury) from closure.
The proposals came from (the then Labour-run) Bury Council which had reviewed secondary school provision in the Borough and decided to reduce the number of schools. It was actually to reduce by three schools, as Coney Green and Radcliffe High merged to become Radcliffe Riverside at the same time.
In Prestwich there was a huge amount of opposition to the proposals. Prestwich Arts College (‘Prestwich High’ to many) was a school which was full, and one which was particularly good about getting extra forward progress for pupils across a wide range of ability. Prestwich residents were rightly concerned that there would be insufficient places for Prestwich children to attend a high school in Prestwich.
There was a great campaign to save the school, led by parents, governors, teachers and the whole school. The team of Lib Dem councillors in Prestwich were very proud to support the campaign and help as much as we could on the Council.
It is great that the school has gone on to prosper and achieve in the last 10 years, and continue to be a good school at the heart of Prestwich.
Many thanks for recognising and remembering this fantastic campaign that kept Prestwich Arts College open 10 years ago, and for your support at the time – I was proud to have been involved, and that my son put his heart into the campaign too. His fellow students were amazing, which I think is the only criticism of your report as they weren’t given a special mention – many of them worked really hard and of course, learned valuable skills in the art of negociation among other things . . . Thanks again . . .