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Search forSchool aiming to hit its £50,000 target for specialist art status
Friday, November 14, 2008, 08:00
Early next year the Station Road school will submit a bid to become a specialist school in the arts – art, drama and music – meaning an extra £350,000 Government investment over three years.
The status would allow greater access to the latest technologies and to "extend and enhance learning in general" to produce "better skilled and qualified young people", according to executive headteacher Keith Hollins.
But to access such funding, the school needs to raise £50,000 in cash or pledges by February, 2009.
Mr Hollins said: "I realise that this is not the ideal time to be asking our community for this help with such an issue, but most schools in our country are now specialist schools and our young people do not deserve to be left behind."
In February, Ofsted inspectors decided the school should be taken off its failing list, 12 months after it had been branded unsatisfactory and placed in special measures.
Mr Hollins claims the ambitious programme at his "rapidly improving" school would also bring additional benefits for primary school students and the community of Cheadle as a whole.
"We will have professional arts practitioners visiting the area to work with our own students and those in our partner schools," he said.
"There will be classes for people of all ages who wish to gain additional skills, some of which will lead to internationally-recognised qualifications.
"Our work will enable us to offer support to a variety of community based arts activities, clubs and societies.
"We will also be able to further improve the use of our theatre and offer support to those community groups that currently use this magnificent facility.
"In short, we will make Cheadle High a centre for creative excellence."
Mr Hollins – who also oversees Westwood College in Leek – insisted focussing on the arts would not diminish his school's teaching of core subjects.
He said: "Cheadle today is a rapidly improving, inclusive school. We are proud of our record of providing a full and balanced education, along with the academic achievements evident in our results.
"We will continue to provide a full education for all our students and from the core of English, maths and science, through to our broad range of option subjects."
Now he is reaching out to local businesses and residents to make the bid possible.
He said: "We have already made a start to reach this total and are now contacting local businesses and industry but on a smaller scale.
"We need community support over the coming months.
"We have a number of fund-raising events planned and hope that everyone will lend their support to these activities by attending, donating money or even raising money on our behalf from any businesses or social contacts that anyone may have.
"If someone owns a business and would like to help all the schools involved in the specialist school programme in any way, or discuss sponsorship, no matter how large or small, please contact the school."
Mr Hollins can be contacted on 01538 483900.
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