A STATE-OF-THE-ART school would provide massive educational benefits for the children of Winsford, says the woman behind the innovative plans.

Project manager Margaret Gill said five of the six schools invited to be part of the £40m education revolution, which would see a 1,950-capacity school built in the town centre, are 'very strongly interested'.

Hebden Green and Oaklands special schools, High Street and Grange primary schools and Verdin and Woodford Lodge high schools could all be replaced by the new facility.

Ms Gill said the proposals, which have divided public opinion, are aimed at making the transitional period for pupils as smooth as possible.

She said: 'We're not looking for wholesale change, we want to maintain continuity as far as possible,' she said.

'There are disadvantages when children transfer from one school to another but an all-through establishment has the advantage of assisting transition and means there can be a much bigger investment in shared facilities.

'Resources on one school site will be there for the benefit of all the pupils. There are obviously other schools that won't be part of the plans, but there could be some arrangement whereby those schools can share facilities.'

'As well as eased transition there would be a constant, seamless curriculum stretching from the age of three to 16 or three to 19, which will help to support the learning of children.'

The plans, part of Cheshire County Council's Transforming Learning Communities review, are intended to tackle a 10% decline in pupil numbers since 1999 and scores of surplus places in primary and secondary schools.

Last week headteachers reacted positively to the proposals.

Oaklands headteacher Kevin Boyle and Martin Howlett and Stephen Meeks of Verdin and Woodford Lodge said they were excited by the plans.

Don Beckett, chairman of Governors at Grange Primary, this week added: 'They are only proposals at this stage but I believe overall the offer of a new school is really good for Winsford.'

Ms Gill said there are 'a couple of options' for the potential site should the plans go ahead, but confirmed it would be in the town centre. Part of the Verdin playing fields has been mooted.

Each of the existing schools' board of governors will need to sign up to agree to the plans, and a new board of governors for the new school would make decisions regarding staffing. She said the move would go ahead with five out of six schools on board, and could work with just four.

Winsford Education Partnership chairman Tony Hooton said: 'It's a wonderful opportunity for Winsford and I would like people to look at this as a new opening and not a load of closures. They are exciting proposals.'

Community concerns are voiced

CONCERNS over the proposals for Winsford's new 'super-school' are being voiced by community leaders.

Cllr Des Worthington and Grange Residents' Association chairman Mike Kennedy claim money pumped into improving existing schools will be wasted if the plans become a reality.

But concerns the building of the all-through school could exacerbate traffic problems in Winsford have been dismissed.

Cllr Worthington, whose Verdin ward is where the new 1,950-capacity school is likely to be located, told the Chronicle he fears the plans will go ahead regardless of the results of the current consultation programme.

He said: '£6m has just been spent on improvements at Woodford Lodge and if this plan goes ahead it will simply be lost.

'And if parents disagree with the county council's plans will they be implemented anyway?

'I hope this is not an example of what is afoot if Cheshire becomes a single unitary authority.'

Mr Kennedy said: 'I can't see that Winsford can take a school of that size. What are the plans for the existing

buildings? The Grange, Verdin and Woodford Lodge have all had money spent over the last few years and it's all going to be wasted.

'I think there will be a massive outcry and I know petitions have been started already. But Cheshire County Council doesn't listen to anyone.'

Their concerns have been rebuffed by project manager Margaret Gill, who claims 'specialist provision' would be in place to tackle the issue.

Cllr Worthington said parents needed to speak up if they wanted to oppose the plans.

He said: 'How many of the heads who agree with the closures and amalgamations actually live in Winsford? I think there's a lot more that needs to be examined. If people aren't satisfied they need to make themselves heard.'

Future of Northwich schools to come under microscope

THE future of Northwich schools will be discussed in the autumn.

With the provisional review for Winsford and Middlewich all but complete, county council bosses will begin their review of education in the town within months.

It has already been announced that Delamere Primary School could close inside three years.

Proposals regarding the future of two further Winsford primary schools, Greenfields and Over St John's, are expected to be announced over the coming weeks.