Burnley's doomed Hameldon College to be temporary home for Oswaldtwistle school

Burnley's partially closed Hameldon Community College is set to be a temporary home to two year groups from a school in Oswaldtwistle.
Hameldon Community CollegeHameldon Community College
Hameldon Community College

Lancashire County Council announced in May that it would close the school permanently in 2019 citing educational standards, the school’s financial deficit and the falling pupil numbers as the reasons why.

Since then, a number of future uses have been explored for the site, which only opened in September 2006, under the Building Schools for the Future programme.

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Pupils in Years 7 and 8 from Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School, Oswaldtwistle, will be taught at Hameldon Community College from Wednesday this week, while it is currently partially closed for necessary remedial work.

Pupils from Rhyddings School will be totally self-contained within part of the Hameldon Community College building. They will also be taught by their usual teachers from Rhyddings School.

A decision was taken earlier this year to close Hameldon Community College in 2019, which means that there is some spare capacity available as a phased closure is currently in place.

Alternative education arrangements have been able to be put in place quickly for Years 7 and 8 as they work to the same school timetable. It has also always been the intention to make sure that provision was made as a priority for those pupils who will take their GCSE's next, and for the youngest children.

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The normal curriculum will be offered for pupils who are being temporarily educated at Hameldon Community College. Pastoral and other staff teaching pupils with any special needs will also be available.

Arrangements have been put in place to transport 222 pupils from Rhyddings School to Hameldon Community College at 8.45am. This is the time that students are normally expected to arrive at school for the start of the day.

Pupils will leave Hameldon Community College just after 2.30pm to return back to Rhyddings School. Pupils will be picked up and dropped off on Haworth Street.

School lunches will be available at Hameldon Community College for all pupils. Pupils can also take their own packed lunch to school.

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A phased return to school for other pupils is currently being considered.

Only pupils who are in Year 11 are being educated at the school at the moment.

County Coun. Susie Charles, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Schools, said: "We are doing all we can to get pupils back to school as soon as possible.

"Using Hameldon Community College to teach pupils from two year-groups is a practical solution.

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"Pupils who are usually educated at Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School will be located together in one part of the college, and taught by their usual teachers.

"We are doing our best to keep any disruption to a minimum whilst the repair work happens. We are also working with the contractor to make sure that the work is completed as soon as possible, so that all pupils can return to school.

"We will continue to keep people updated about this situation."