Finham Park II could cause job losses at Tile Hill Wood

TIle Hill Wood School could be forced to make job cuts after a new free school was given the go-ahead in the same area.

The revelation came during a public Coventry council meeting with Labour Coun David Kershaw, cabinet member for education, to discuss a 446-signature petition against Finham Park II which is scheduled to open in September.

Roger Moore, chair of governors at Tile Hill Wood - the only all girls comprehensive in the city, told the meeting Finham Park II had badly hurt the amount of pupils due to start at his school this academic year.

Finham Park II can accommodate 800 students, including 600 11 to 16-year-olds, and Mr Moore said admissions at Westwood Academy and Woodlands Academy had also been badly hit by the arrival of a new school.

Mr Moore said: We have a 237 income capacity at Tile Hill Wood, the number of pupils enrolled last year was 169.

Next year we are looking at 133 children. Thats the equivalent of three-and-a-half classes and means there is the potential for us to have to make teachers redundant.

Mr Moore said there was no demand for the extra school places and suggested Finham Park II meant the three other schools in the area faced the realistic threat of closure.

He said: There is potential for schools to close. Its not like closing a business, you cant pick which school closes. If a school closes the childrens education slowly dies.

Mr Moore also criticised Coun Kershaw for correspondence with the Secretary of State for Education, which he said verged on a declaration of interest and was seen to be supportive of Finham Park II.

He said: Why did you make personal comments, as a cabinet member and somebody respected in education, that endorsed something which is going to crucify us?

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Finham Park II could cause job losses at Tile Hill Wood