Thumbs-up for Wyebridge bid

3:31pm Friday 4th April 2008

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AMBITIOUS plans to transform a Hereford school into a state-of-the-art academy have won council backing.

Herefordshire Council supported a £22 million scheme to redevelop Wyebridge Sports College into an academy.

Cabinet members approved an outline business case last Thursday, hoping to unlock £2,195,000 in capital investment to refit and refurbish the 900-pupil school.

Final permission lies with the Secretary of State for Children, Schools and Families, while formal notice must be given of the school's closure on August 31, to reopen as an academy.

The funding agreement will be between the sponsors of the academy, the Hereford Diocese, and government's Sponsorship for Schools programme. It will be managed as a charitable body, subject to the same inspections and admission policies at maintained schools.

Councillor Chris Chappell - who lavished praise on the scheme - dismissed previous claims the academy would be run as a church school, while senior LEA officer, George Salmon, confirmed no church places would be offered.

With a 220-student sixth form and ICT system that would benefit the wider community, Coun Chappell called the scheme "an exciting prospect" for South Wye.

"This development has come a long way and it's actually far better than I had ever anticipated," said Coun Chappell.

"I would prefer to call it a community centre and not a school, because the whole idea of schools now is to offer a complete range of facilities for the community."

The current headteacher has been appointed principal, with further appointments in the coming months. If approved, the academy should be completed in 2011.