School wins sixth form fight

9:47am Thursday 24th July 2008

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A Halesowen school has won its battle to build a £6.5million college for students.

The Office of the Schools Adjudicator has approved Windsor High School’s plan to add a sixth form facility for up to 300 students by September 2010.

Officials at the high performing Richmond Street school appealed to the Adjudicator in May after Dudley council cabinet member for children’s services councillor Liz Walker blocked the scheme citing “serious concerns.”

Reversing that decision yesterday, adjudicator Andrew Baxter said while some of those concerns existed he did not consider them “of sufficient weight to overturn the strong presumption in favour of approval.”

When complete the new scheme will include science labs and a sports performance centre, with funding already approved by the Learning Skills Council.

The school now has until May to secure planning permission for the development.