Parents, pupils and residents are up in arms at Government proposals to of close two Stretford Secondary Schools and merge them to become one large academy. Stretford High and Lostock College of performing arts are the two under threat.

The if the proposal goes ahead the schools will cease to exist after the summer term finishes in July with the new academy opening in September on the two sites until one site is extended at one location, which at present is Stretford High on Greatstone Rd. The fury also comes on the back on the new Tesco store that is proposed on Chester Rd, while Tesco already owns some land there the plans to build one of the largest stores in the country rest on purchasing land at present owned by Stretford High for sports use. If the merger goes a head then where will the extra land needed accommodate Lostock pupils, some fear that land will be taken from Gorse Hill park and the money raised from the land sold to Tesco's which is owned by the school which is therefore councils and ultimately Trafford residents is then going to be ploughed in a private members club ie LCC, is causing some concern,.

Lostock parents have met repeatedly to organise the protests, and are gaining support from local residents, ex pupils and staff. They are in the process of trying to arrange meetings and are sending out letters to councillors and prospective MPs in the forthcoming election. A lot of complaints feel this is being rushed through with no proper consultation.

Many are finding it disturbing that that this is a disruption to the children and their welfare

'Its all about money and not our children's education', explains LesleyQuayle, one of the parents organising opposition to the plan.
'They want to rush this all through before the elections in May'.
Trafford Council David Acton feels 'the proposals are being driven very
much by the Tesco/LCCC plans, where they wish to sell Stretford High School
owned land to Tesco for £21M and then hand that capital receipt to LCCC,
which is a private members club. In my view it is totally wrong, and I'm not
convinced it's in the public interest. At the same time they wish to close
two schools, and build a new school on the Stretford site which, with the
sale of part of the school land, is very tight, and therefore
they will need to use part of Gorse Hill Park. All of this is to me is ill
thought out."
 
"Conservative, Shadow Children's Secretary, Michael Gove proclaims that, 'We know small schools provide an excellent education, so we should be doing every thing possible to support them.' Locally, Trafford's Tories seem to have different priorities. Teachers from all unions are opposed to Academies. The NASUWT union are
consulting members on possible industrial action at Stretford High. All pay
and conditions, union recognition, and holidays are at risk under any
Academy take over. The Anti Academies Alliance is a national body which
helps and co ordinates opposition to Academies.
Local spokesperson Mark Krantz, a retired teacher who taught at Lostock and
in Stretford for 27 years, is helping with the local campaign. He said, 'we
know in any move to an Academy many of the existing teachers will leave,
pupil exclusions will soar, and no real improvement will be seen in
educational outcomes. I believe young people should be encouraged to aspire
to more than just shelve stacking in a supermarket or glass collecting at a
members club."
 
For more information some useful websites 
www.savelostaockacademy.co.uk 
www.petitions.number10.gov.uk/soslostock
Ware www.savelostockacademy.co.uk www.petitions.number10.gov.uk/soslostock
http://www.nomegatesco.org.uk
 
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