A tale of two city schools

That's when he received the shock announcement from city education bosses that the school he has helped transform during the past seven years could close.

The news came just days after a scheme to provide vocational courses at Grove Park for all city pupils, in association with Southampton City College, was thrown out at the last minute without explanation.

Now Mr Freeman knows why: his 630-pupil school, formerly known as Weston Park Boys', has been earmarked for closure.

Mr Freeman, vice-chairman of a group of Southampton secondary heads, said the closure proposal was "riddled with inconsistencies".

So why is his school suddenly in the frame? Is there any truth in parents' claims that a lucrative land sell-off is behind the plan? The questions come thick and fast yet many answers remain elusive, clouded in a complex numbers game.

The search for clues must start in January when three proposals for Grove Park were put out to consultation following discussions with governors, head teachers and council officers about the problem of falling school numbers.

All proposed keeping the current site open with either Grove Park and Woolston closing and a new mixed school opening; Grove Park closing and Woolston moving to the Grove Park site; or Grove Park turning into a mixed school.

Of those who replied 434 (51 per cent) were in favour of a new mixed school on the Grove Park site, 28 per cent were in favour of moving Woolston to the Grove Park site; and 37 per cent were in favour of closing Woolston and making Grove Park mixed.

Mobilised Meanwhile, the pupils, parents, teachers and governors of Woolston School mobilised to collect a petition against the proposal.

It seems their combined voice persuaded education bosses that the closure of Woolston School would remove a key resource from the local community, which had historically always had its own school.

They also successfully argued closure would mean longer journeys for pupils and that the school coped well with its lack of dining and on-site games facilities.

Now the Grove Park closure appears to be the only proposal on the table even though this never formed part of the initial consultation process.

Privately and in some cases publicly Labour councillors contacted by the Daily Echo in both the Woolston and Sholing wards blame the Liberal Democrat administration for not conducting a whole-scale review of secondary education needs in Southampton.

However, even these critics rule out money as the motive behind the latest proposal even though the council has admitted it would raise about £2.3m for city coffers if the sale of the 5.89 hectare Grove Park site went ahead.

Access Access problems are cited as one reason why it would be unsuitable for housing.

Instead, critics blame the Lib Dems for their "inept" handling of the school reorganisation project in Southampton.

Other members say education chiefs "caved-in" to pressure from Woolston councillors and the vocal lobbying of parents who wanted to keep Woolston and its 0.8 hectares open.

Sholing ward councillor and Labour group leader Councillor June Bridle said: "All options should be on the table for a fair and full consultation so every interested parent and grandparent can make their views known. Following that consultation, a decision can be made against a clear criteria about what is best for the children and best for their education.

"It may be that somebody has not got children at the school but they will have a view about the school in their community.

"The Lib Dems should not have got themselves into this mess."

Sholing Tory ward councillor Gavin Dick added: "I am against the closure of Grove Park. It is a good school and its standards are improving. We must also be thinking about the health of children. We are talking about closing a school with excellent sports facilities which only last year won a football tournament.

"Children will have to travel a greater distance to school that cannot be sensible."

Commenting on the latest proposal, Clive Webster, Southampton's executive director for education told the Daily Echo: "There is no organisational change for Woolston proposed.

"It is a shift from the original proposals on which we consulted on. There was a considerable degree of local feeling for the location of Woolston over and above what the benefits of an alternative site may be. We have taken particular note of that."

However Mr Freeman said there had been more responses in favour of Woolston simply because Grove Park's closure was not on the cards. He told a meeting of parents: "You did not feel the need to oppose something that was not there to oppose."

He has also described the Woolston site with its lack of on-site sports and dining facilities as "grossly inadequate".

Mr Freeman said: "I fully understand the emotional response from people in Woolston, but it is a grossly inadequate site. We are condemning future generations of pupils to inadequate facilities."

"We have had no discussion from anyone from the local education authority about any other alternative proposals.

"You can imagine my shock when I was told there was a new proposal," he added.

According to Mr Freeman it is "riddled with inconsistencies" about his school's academic performance, pupil intake and outstanding facilities. He also criticised council officers' description of the school as having standards that were "generally low".

"Compared to other schools locally we are improving at a greater rate," said Mr Freeman.

Last summer 42 per cent of Grove Park pupils gained five or more GCSEs graded A* to C compared to 35 per cent at Woolston, 34 per cent at Woodlands and 30 per cent at Chamberlayne Park.

He said the school's planned intake for September was up by nearly 30 pupils on last year against a backdrop of falling pupil numbers across the city.

However the school, which has a total capacity for 900, has 270 empty places almost 30 per cent.

"Numerically and financially it works but educationally it is not sound," said Mr Freeman.

Investment He said specialist business and enterprise status granted last year had meant an extra £100,000 investment in the school, with local businesses ploughing extra resources in as well.

He also said it was his understanding that a substantial amount of lottery money which funded the £1.3m sports hall used by the community at the weekends and evenings would have to be paid back.

Residents in The Grove have also opposed the decision, arguing that any new housing developments would lead to intolerable levels of traffic.

Parents have also expressed fears that the council could find itself caught short in years to come with 1,510 new homes based at the new Woolston Riverside site, of which 25 per cent will be affordable. Some Woolston residents are also concerned that a newly expanded Woolston School would inevitably result in pressure for homes to be vacated to make room.

Southampton's Cabinet member for children's services and learning, Councillor Ann Milton, will decide whether to launch a six-week public consultation on closing Grove Park on Monday.