12th June2007

Town Hall
Sheffield
S1 2H

Dear Sir

We would like to explain why the Green Group voted against Labour to save Wisewood and Myers Grove as local community schools.

The Green Party is in favour of truly local schools, even though it
goes against the grain of this government’s educational policy and funding We believe that having schools in the heart of the community where children and their parents live, work and play helps social and environmental sustainability. We believe that small schools have advantages which outweigh the supposed economies of scale and greater choice of subjects offered by larger schools.

Labour wanted an independent review, but repeatedly stated that they expected it to reach the same conclusion as the original consultation. Initially the Lib Dems wanted to re-open the consultation, which would have prolonged the uncertainty. But when they put an amendment clearly calling for a halt to the closure process and instructing officers to come up with a strategy to secure long term funding for both schools, we supported them.

We are under no illusions about the scale of the task needed to save these schools. The school governors, heads, teachers, parents, campaign groups, unions, council officers and political parties will have to work together to find ways to challenge the mantra that large schools are best. We will need to lobby the DfES (Dpt for Education and Skills) and our MPs. They have already shifted on the question of Trusts, indicating that a Community school, run by the Local Authority or parents and governors (without input from a private partner) might be acceptable.

Above all, we need to make it clear that this is not just an issue for Hillsborough, Stannington and Walkley. With falling rolls and the need to refurbish many other schools, what happens here will set a pattern for the city as a whole.

Cllrs Jillian Creasy and Bernard Little, Green Group