Coseley School closure: Bosses at Dormston School say they can't take extra pupils

Governors at Dormston School in Sedgley say they have not got enough teachers to manage the extra children they claim Dudley Council is demanding they accept.

Coseley School is facing closure with results of a consultation on its future expected to be announced in the next few weeks.

Fearing the school will shut, a mass exodus has begun at Coseley School with many parents requesting their children move to Dormston.

Some have been accepted but leaders at Dormston are adamant they can take no more.

School governors have gone public with their concerns. In a strongly worded letter to parents, school governors said they had been told the school 'must admit' the extra pupils and that the level of demand would cause 'significant problems'.

They say the school has been targeted as pupil numbers in some year groups are below its Published Admission Number – the total pupils it should be able to manage – of 224.

However, governors claim it would see class sizes in the top sets of Year 9 jump to 45. Leaders also said they were worried that having to take on extra children could hamper the progress it has made since leaving special measures 18 months ago.

The letter said: "Over the last two years we have worked relentlessly as a community to improve standards at Dormston. There is no doubt that the situation we are facing threatens all we have worked to achieve for our young people.

"We must be clear we are not against any pupil joining our school. However, when we are entrusted with the care and education of pupils we make a promise that as a school we will always do our best by them. In view of the local authority proposals, in all good faith, we would not be able to make or keep such a promise."

Michael Evans, who is a governor at Dormston and a Dudley councillor, added: "We think accepting more pupils would do more harm to Dormston and what we want is to give those here the best education possible.

"Trying to force more than pupils on us than previously accepted is irresponsible."

Ian Cooper, head of children's services at Dudley Council, said many parents were choosing Dormston and that it was important their wishes were respected.

He reiterated that a final decision had yet been taken on the future of Coseley School.

Tony Oakman, strategic director for the people directorate at Dudley Council, said: "We have received a number of requests from parents from Coseley School to move their children to Dormston School, and other schools, and have been working closely with parents and head teachers on this issue.

"Every school has a previously agreed capacity level and Dormston has not reached theirs.

"The Council has, however, already considered issues such as the impact of additional numbers on staffing and timetabling and has made admissions offers for September, to those parents requesting Dormston School, rather than an immediate admission.

"This will give the school almost six months to make any necessary preparations.

"We will continue to work with the parents and the schools to make sure the needs of pupils and their education remain the highest priority."

Michaela Garbett, from Roseville, has moved her daughter Charlotte from Coseley School to High Arcal in Dudley due to the uncertainty surrounding its future.

She said: "The kids have got to go somewhere but if there isn't enough room for them it raises the question why Coseley School is closing."

Governors at Dormston said that although pupils numbers in some years were below the 224 limit, the shortage 'does not take into consideration the reality of the situation or the impact on the education of the pupils we are expected to admit or those currently in the school'.