Residents, schools and organisations are being asked their views on a proposal for an all-through Academy catering for 3 to 19 year olds in Sneinton, St Ann’s, Mapperley and Bakersfield areas of Nottingham.

Greenwood Dale School is proposing to sponsor an Academy of 3,520 pupils to be located on the current Greenwood Dale School and neighbouring Jesse Boot Primary School sites on Greenwood Road, Sneinton, and the Elliott Durham school site on Ransom Road, St Ann’s.

The proposed Academy would build on the success of Greenwood Dale School in Sneinton, which is a Leading Edge school. Previously the City Council had given its support to an Academy in the East of the city for pupils aged 11 to 19 to serve the communities of Sneinton, St Ann’s, Mapperley and Bakersfield to be based on a new site. However, it proved impossible to identify a suitable single site.

The new Academy would involve a combination of new buildings, refurbishment and minor works on the three sites, costing in excess of £50m. Government funding would provide £45m with a significant additional financial contribution from the City Council.

Nottingham City Council decided to start four weeks of consultation on the proposal at its Executive Board meeting. The Council’s decision on the Academy, based on the results of the consultation, is expected in November. If the all-through school wins support, it would enable the Academy to open in September 2009 in the current Greenwood Dale, Elliott Durham and Jesse Boot buildings, moving to new buildings in September 2011.

If the proposals are agreed it would lead to the closure of Greenwood Dale School and Technology College, Elliott Durham School and Jesse Boot Primary school in order to form the new Academy. There would also be some changes to the catchment area of Hadden Park High School to take in the catchment of some primary schools that are currently in the catchment area for Elliot Durham School that would not be feeder catchment schools for the Academy.

Councillor David Mellen, Nottingham City Council’s Portfolio holder for Children’s Services, said the City Council would explore the benefits and the challenges of all-through schools.

"The Consultation will be an opportunity to weigh up the benefits and the impact of an all-through school for pupils, parents and the wider community. We will look at the evidence for raising standards and find out from the consultation whether there is support from the community. We will also be looking at the well being of children as a key factor in the proposed new arrangements."